Have to replace punctured tire, any recommendations?

[panzer948]

Okay, we all know the OE tires are the Goodyear Assurance Rolling Resistant tires. I personally don't really like the performance aspect of them and decided soon after purchasing my Volt that I would replace them with another "more performance" oriented model when they wear out. Well I have to make a decision, since today my wife hit something and it looks like it put a 2" gap in the tread. Luckily this happened about a block from home and I was able to get it home going 1 mph.

I don't think this tire can be patched so need to get a replacement. First, this car has no jack and I was hoping I could just remove the wheel and take the wheel/tire to the shop for a replacement vs. calling Roadside Assistance. Even though they would do it for free, I don't necessarily want to take it to the dealer and have it towed either for just a new tire. The manual makes it sound like you can only use a service jack to jack up the car

Second, any problems with installing a replacement tire that is different than the three remaining OEM tires? Figured why replace it with OEM if I will eventually replace them anyway; but never mixed tires before. If so, any suggestions on tire alternatives. The OEM's are 150 bucks apiece on tire rack.

[zaxdude]

I know I've read that you shouldn't mix tires...at least not 1 vs. 3. I think you could easily get away with 2 of the same, as long as the matching pairs are either on the front or back. (I could be totally wrong though...let's see what the experts suggest!)

This doesn't help you, but within a few weeks of buying my Volt I went to Discount Tire and bought the tire warranty certs from them. They were happy to sell them to me. Covers lifetime balance & rotation, as well as flat repair. Also will cover accidental damage/road hazards similar to what you experienced.

[panzer948]

Okay thanks. Maybe I will just go with the OEM replacement, then later replace when they all need it and I have more time to research. In the mean time, does anyone have a pic of the jack point for the rear passenger side area? I may try to use my other car's scissors jack to take the wheel off myself. Maybe a DIY guide or something?

[AZ EV Driver]

I know that GM works very hard at defining and specification of the appropriate tires for production vehicles. I admit this probably includes cost to GM. However, it also has to include braking performance, dry & wet traction, winter traction, etc. So from an overall performance "compromise" it is probably hard to beat OEM spec.

VIN # B0985

[fishhawk]

Okay thanks. Maybe I will just go with the OEM replacement, then later replace when they all need it and I have more time to research. In the mean time, does anyone have a pic of the jack point for the rear passenger side area? I may try to use my other car's scissors jack to take the wheel off myself. Maybe a DIY guide or something?

Here is a thread on a spare tire and jack solution, with the pics you are looking for:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread....-tire-solution

I bought a Cruze jack for $40+tax from my dealer; works great. Harbor Freight also has this one, but I don't know if it fits.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-1-2-h...ack-66907.html

[mikeg3]

I know that GM works very hard at defining and specification of the appropriate tires for production vehicles. I admit this probably includes cost to GM. However, it also has to include braking performance, dry & wet traction, winter traction, etc. So from an overall performance "compromise" it is probably hard to beat OEM spec.

VIN # B0985

I just read an 8 page published SAE paper on the co-development of the Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tire and the 2011 Volt. A lot of work went into minimizing rolling resistance while maintaining cornering, dry traction, and "fun to drive". It sounds like choosing a different tire will come at the expense of EV range. The paper estimates 1 mile.

However, we each have our priorities in a tire. For my kids, I picked tires with minimum stopping distance at the expense of everything else. For my Prius, I optimized mpg. I doubt if any major brand and model with the specified dimensions will be a problem. Consumer Reports has a nice analysis of the trade-offs.

Of course, be sure the tire can be reinflated as we don't carry a spare in our Volts.

[panzer948]

well from my experience, it does include cost to GM. I know there are a lot better tires out there than any manufacture is willing to put on there vehicles as OEM. The question is do we also want to pay the difference, especially on a car like the Volt. I think the OEM tires on the Volt are made to squeeze every bit of MPG they can out of it. I am not interested in that when it comes to sacrificing performance. I also own a performance car with tires that cost almost twice as much as the OEMs on the Volt and I can tell the difference when getting a little aggressive in the Volt. The OEM tires slide and squeal (reach there breaking point) much to easy. That's not good in an emergency situation. That being said, I still may wait till all 4 wear out.

Thanks for the links fishhawk. I will look at getting one.

[strangeengine]

I just read an 8 page published SAE paper on the co-development of the Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tire and the 2011 Volt. A lot of work went into minimizing rolling resistance while maintaining cornering, dry traction, and "fun to drive". It sounds like choosing a different tire will come at the expense of EV range. The paper estimates 1 mile.

1 mile is just over 2% of the total EV range. I suspect that's WAY in the noise floor with respect to the other variables that affect range (ambient temp, driving style, traffic, etc etc).

- Mark

[Bob_Livonia]

I doubt you want to have one unmatched tire that is not low rolling resistance. Likewise for handling and stopping. If you really care about performance and the vehicle not pulling, then you are talking about replacing all 4 tires; otherwise, replace with the matched Goodyear. Personally, I like them and there was a lot of engineering that went into it; particularly since it is the Volt and all the efforts to maximize EV range, including aerodynamics. Goodyear Assurance tires are on the Cruze ECO model, helping with its higher EPA rating.

But it's your car, and you can do anything you want to it, including replacing the tires with the Vogue premium "tyres" with the wide whitewalls that dealers used to sell at a huge markup. (The tire changing guy at the dealership, the owner's son-in-law, made $100k a year in the 1980's while the good technicians working to repair the new electronic fuel injection systems at the time weren't making much more than minimum wage, paid on a flat-rate basis). And of course the Vogue "tyres" caused all kinds of ride and handling problems that wouldn't have been present with the perfectly-good factory tires.

[tfford]

Only because I've been so extremely happy with the Bridgestone Alenza's I've put on my other cars, I'm considering the Bridgestone Ecopia's for my next set on the Volt. I can't say I dislike the Goodyears but they seem rather noisy, that having been said however the Ecopias also being a low rolling resistance tire means they will be made from a harder rubber compound like the Goodyears so in the end the only thing I may be doing is trading brands.