Holiday problem

SHELLDRAKE · May 14, 2017

I went to France a couple of weeks ago, drive down to Dover on the Sunday and spend the night in Premier,-the drive was o.k. until we were going through the town and then disaster. The rear offside tyre went flat I pulled into a bus stop got the pump and inflated it, and drove up to the Premier, took out our overnight gear booked in and went back to the car--tyre flat again. pump out inflate again, after a couple of HRS check again---flat. Had a word with the receptionist and she phoned a firm in the town, they couldn't come until Monday--They came at around 8-30 had a look at the tyre and said it was knackered the rim had done damage to the tyre wall.(The car has L.P.G.) in the wheel well NO SPARE IN THE BOOT----.

The car was put on a recovery truck and taken to their depot--now the problem starts the tyre is a (225-60-16) he tried many tyre depots they all said the tyre was bigger than any they had in stock!!! The only place to get one was from a depot in FELIXSTOWE, it was put on a delivery van doing it's rounds and it would arrive at KWICK FIT in 4 HOURS)

the next problem is our Ferry, the time now is 10am the boat sails at 12pm so I phoned D.F.D.S. and they said if I miss the 12pm boat we can go on the 2pm one if we miss that one we can go on the 4pm boat yippee, any way the tyre arrived at 4-20 pm. too late for the 4pm boat--- D.F.D.S. again that's O.K. you can go on the 6pm boat but it will cost another £54 on top of the £ 104 I had paid..

In Total --Ferry £158---Kwik Fit---£69-99---Tow truck---£84 ALL in ALL £311--99 Lesson to learn Take a spare with you...

Edited May 14, 2017 by SHELLDRAKE
total price wrong

runsgrateasanut · May 14, 2017

Thats bad news. In the six years I used to go to france in the S class with LPG I always took the spare wheel, and of course, never needed it. Did you put in the Tyre inflate product or just pumped it up? Not too clear. Would not a 225 - 55 - r16 have done the job? Was there no altenative recommended by the Kwik fit people? 225 -65 - r16. I've no knowledge on the subject of tyres but to get you out of a fix and on board the Ferry and then find a Tyre place in France, perhaps?

ISJason · May 14, 2017

It's a bit of a conundrum. Modern cars only have a space saver tyre.. so what do you do that if you going on the continent on a driving holiday? Is it best to take a spare wheel with you and put it in the back? I'm not sure.. I have have a full size spare tire on the RX400

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Malc · May 14, 2017

Hope the holiday was otherwise a Great Time for you ?

225/60/16 is the standard Ls400 size tyre ? BUT getting elusive to buy as I posted quite some months back.

Treadmark Tyres at Canterbury usually stock one or two ( for me I think ) Maxxis which is one of the few remaining manufacturers of this size tyre !

Had you had breakdown cover i would have thought they would have sorted you out and not charged you that dreadful £84 KwikFit tow fee, maybe just taking the wheel to the tyre fitter ! AND found you a quicker available tyre maybe......... Felixstowe seems a bit of a drag

Malc

runsgrateasanut · May 14, 2017

Got a Toroidal tank for the Lexus plus other parts but not converted.

If I do, I'll take a spare new tyre with me rather than the added weight of a wheel and tyre.. Provides extra space within for the junk we take across the Channel I do have breakdown cover so they can fit the tyre if necessary. Maxxis a good tyre imo.

sorcerer · May 14, 2017

How on earth would you fit a spare tyre/wheel and also three and a half to four weeks-worth of luggage in the boot??

Nah, the LPG tank is slung under the RX300 where the spare used to live and I carry a can of goo in the boot for small punctures. Anything bigger and I would just get the breakdown company to deal with it - and that's on a run of about 4,500 miles, driving from home and touring around Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia for our holidays.

The-Acre · May 14, 2017

Bad luck, at least it didn't happen in France as it may have been worse? I had a flat on mine a couple of weeks ago and ruined the tyre. For some reason the 430 tyre is quite common so easy replacement. Hopefully you had a great time and enjoyed some good wine and soft smelly cheese!

RgrWynne · May 14, 2017

I am leaving a week Monday for a 2 month trip around France and Spain. I am very attentive to my tyre conditions, but when I visited a Lexus indie recently, and told him of my plans, he advised to fit 4 new tyres in the basis that if I had a blow out in France, it could cost me more than a new set of 4 tyres here.

I have just fitted 4 new Michelin Primacy 3, just trust I now don't have a puncture, but I do carry a spare. Sorry to hear of Norman's problems.

Glover · May 14, 2017

A French comparison website has Cross Climates for my RX450h at 183.12 Euros;. The exchange rate at present is 1 euro = £0.85 so 183.12 = £155.65 per tyre. I think that's a fitted price my French doesn't extend to the technicalities of fitting, valve and balancing! I bought 4 Cross Climates for £735 in March; in France it would have been £622.60 so if my maths and exchange rate calc is correct there's no reason to get new tyres fitted this side of the Channel:-) Even if it doesn't include fitting an ex-pats website gives the price of fitting as 10 Euros so add another £34 on and it's still cheaper than the UK. Looks like the Lexus Indie has been badly misinformed about prices.

Try http://www.quelpneu.com/ and for the specific tyre see http://www.quelpneu.com/pneus-auto/225-60-r16.htm (looks like there are 17 pages to choose from!)

sorcerer · May 14, 2017

1 hour ago, RgrWynne said:

I am leaving a week Monday for a 2 month trip around France and Spain. I am very attentive to my tyre conditions, but when I visited a Lexus indie recently, and told him of my plans, he advised to fit 4 new tyres in the basis that if I had a blow out in France, it could cost me more than a new set of 4 tyres here.

What?? No way on earth would it be anywhere near such a high price.

I suppose if you had a blowout on a motorway and had no European breakdown cover then you'd be paying top whack to get a tow truck out and what have you - but you wouldn't even think of doing such a trip without full European breakdown cover would you?

If you're a little bit sad (or just inquisitive) like I am, then as you travel around places you just take notice of prices. After all, you never know when the worst could happen (or, if you need something new (like tyres for instance) it may even work out cheaper to have the job done abroad whilst you're there) so I do take note of such things and I can quite categorically say that apart from Belgium, which is about the same as here or even more expensive, the other countries I mentioned earlier are all cheaper than here.

Either your guy has been misinformed but is passing on the information in good faith and thinking it's correct, or he's taken you for a ta-ta as my old granny used to say.

Malc · May 15, 2017

7 hours ago, RgrWynne said:

he advised to fit 4 new tyres in the basis that if I had a blow out in France

Maybe your long journey and tread wear over those weeks might put you in danger of falling below the legal minimum tread depth ?

You'll possibly cover 6/7000 miles maybe ? I know I did 5 / 6k miles in 5 weeks driving through France and around Spain and Portugal

Malc

RgrWynne · May 15, 2017

I think I was just making the point that it is cheaper to buy 4 new tyres in advance, not through the Indie who advised by the way , than risk a blow out, from tyres that had seen their best years. As Malc says would have been getting close to legal limit, and I think there were cracks appearing. The comments were made in good faith, and yes I do have full breakdown cover, but you are not going to be able to buy at the prices mentioned on here, for one tyre in an emergency. The 4 Michelins cost me £480 fitted. I also have better peace of mind to have ticked of a potential problem.

sorcerer · May 15, 2017

7 minutes ago, RgrWynne said:

"...than risk a blow out, from tyres that had seen their best years. As Malc says would have been getting close to legal limit, and I think there were cracks appearing."

Well that's a whole different ball game then - you didn't say that they were in danger of needing to be replaced anyway.

RgrWynne · May 15, 2017

John, they were not in danger of needing to be replaced, and I would probably have run them safely for another 3-5k miles in this country. However as tyres wear so does the potential of a puncture and the advice I was given, advisory as it was, I took, more on the basis of cost in an emergency situation. I think with hindsight it was probably also more sensible from a safety point of view.

Had I been advised to change them for use in this country, on safety grounds, I would have done so without question.

Malc · May 15, 2017

I had a similar problem when i went one time, touring Europe, plenty of tread left for many months normal use at home here BUT with the long journey I would have fallen foul of eu minimum tread depth rules .... 4mm ? ............. towards the end of my trip.

So I bought two new tyres

Malc

runsgrateasanut · May 15, 2017

21 hours ago, sorcerer said:

How on earth would you fit a spare tyre/wheel and also three and a half to four weeks-worth of luggage in the boot??

No, I wouldn't fit it but the breakdown people could, in an emergency situation reported under the policy. The LS doesn't have near the boot space of the old S class (imo) but we travel light as only two of us and never pack suitcases but plastic clothes bags, and of course the back seat can carry a fair amount of stuff on it. Invariably find we've taken far more clothes than we ever use.

sorcerer · May 15, 2017

22 hours ago, sorcerer said:

How on earth would you fit a spare tyre/wheel and also three and a half to four weeks-worth of luggage in the boot??

11 minutes ago, runsgrateasanut said:

No, I wouldn't fit it but the breakdown people could, in an emergency situation reported under the policy.

Replace the word "fit" with "get" in my question Stuart

runsgrateasanut · May 18, 2017

Not lucky enough to get a four week break or just too stupid to give up the day job, though beyond pension age. Something I may not live to regret!

Its no problem just two old codgers but the LS400 is a small car in comparison to the older Mercedes. In a W126 LWB we had five adults, their luggage (bagged not cased) a two foot tall plastic Toilet (for a caravan yet to put on a plot of land) a Guitar and Amplifier for Xmas week spent in a cottage in Poitou Charente in 2006 travelling at max speeds most of the time, with no effort. Loved that 5 litre car with its capacious boot. Younger travellers no doubt need more clothes etc (or think they do) for a longer break, and with really young children its a non starter to have a spare tyre. This I understand.

600 mile is my limit on a one day drive but to cover some of the mileage you guys do I take my Hat off to you in envy.

RgrWynne · May 18, 2017

I totally agree that 600 miles is a max day distance. I have just begun my first leg,of a European adventure and have no intention of exceeding that limit, there just is no point. So far first 250 miles showing 31.4 miles per gallon, and effortless 'Lexus' drive. Eurotunnel on Monday morning, cheers, Roger

Malc · May 18, 2017

Doing 5/6000 miles over a month or so isn't too much of a challenge in the Ls ( 400 ) 200 miles a day is easy peasy really and allows you to see much of a country, stop for coffees and lunch and a nice hotel or B & B and an evening meal .............. refreshed for the next day's adventure

taking clean clothes out of the boot and storing the terrific local chateau wines you can pick up along the way

It's a brilliant way to spend retirement if you can afford it............. driving in an armchair with unlimited power and speed and safety is the way to go AND getting maybe up to 30ish mpg too ain't half bad