Trouble is I can't make plans sufficiently far enough in advance...

all the way to Walnut Creek from Livermore today on the first leg of my drive back to the mid-west to visit my folks.

Stopped for gas and checked tire pressures. Car was feeling a bit squirrely. Right rear tire 5psi low. I filled it up to match the left rear and head down to Fresno to dealership.

Service open but they don't do tires there. Service manager did have tech lift car and he found two nails in right rear tire. Sent me to a tire shop. Closed today. Sent me to another one. 2nd tire shop refused to patch tire. Company rules.

So I called Stead Porsche. Its service department closed today but open Saturday 9am to 3pm. I think I can get a set of tires installed. So I turned car around and drove from Fresno to Walnut Creek and got a hotel room just down the street from the dealership. I'll have the car in Sat. bright and early.

If I can't get tires on the car Saturday then I'll have it done Monday but I'll have to postpone my trip one more week.

Trip before last at least I made it to Tehachapi before I had to turn around. This time just made it to Fresno. I guess next trip I'll be lucky to make it out of the driveway.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Marc:
Seems like you're not supposed to drive to MO. I'd suggest flying but then you have to start thinking about back scatter radiation, opting out and all that stuff.
I'd say the odds are in your favor that you'll be able to drive, but how many times has something come up preventing you from completing the trip?

to get a good deal on air line tickets. At the request of my manager I've postponed this trip several times now. I was at one point scheduled to be off the 1st week in Sept and here it is I'm finally off the last week in Nov. Only by very hard work did I get caught up sufficiently to take off.

So flying's out. Besides I've had my experiences with flying, the bad weather delays and such and I've only flown a few times across (or halfway) across country.

Had pretty good luck with my road trips at first, taking more than I can remember without incident but this time (tires), last time (dry bearing noise (idler roller bearing) and a non-functioning raditor fan motor, then the deer incident and before that the Cayman was smashed the Friday night before my vacation was to have started. Oh, then there was the time the Boxster's AOS failed (but at least I had arrived at my parent's town), then the incident with the Boxster when I fell asleep and drifted over and clipped some tire debris in the middle of the road and busted a radiator. Wait, then there was the time the VW Golf's alternator belt failed and left me stranded and without wheels over the XMas holiday in Albuquerque.

My own fault this time, I guess. I just have to remember not to let the tires on the Turbo get so bad and try to get one last trip out of them. They're big and when they get worn and thin become a nail magnet.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

AAA and most other roadside programs offer money for hotel costs when you get into this kind of jam. Do you spend out of pocket for most of these troubles? Hope your luck changes soon.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2010 11:55PM by Steve (Berlin & LA). (view changes)

I'm 67 so have been driving for 51+ years. Of all the long road trips I've taken, I've had one tire delamination fortunately at the exit off the freeway in Acron when they made tires there ('64). And one case where the maintenance required light came on in a '89 Dodge mini-van and of course the owner's manual didn't tell me it was a routine-service-needs-to-be-scheduled message so I stopped. Other than that, must be hundreds of 1k+ mile trips have all been absolutely routine. And much of this record was achieved in some of the unreliable cars of the older eras.

Sorry about you tire problem. I have had the same kind of thing happen to me when I first got my C2 Cab. A late at night weekend, on the Florida Turnpike, in the rain with no tools to help besides the Porsche jack. I was determined not to let that happen again!

Might I suggest my remedy. I purchased a tire plug kit, a good air pump and with a good friend's help to guide me through the process, I was on my way to "anytime highway repairman."

You can plug the two nail holes in a short amount of time and have been on your way! I've used plug kits for tire repairs for years with NO problems, I even have plugs in my tires when I do DEs. It can be a problem when the tire is flat, but if you have the kit and a good electric air pump in the boot to run off the cigarette lighter, you can get on the road in an hour or so. Hope this comment helps for the future.

Best of luck,
Spyder 517

that the best way to avoid getting punctures is to keep a tire plug kit in the car. You'll never need it if you have it I threw one in my trunk (maybe $7?) and haven't had a puncture since.

You admittedly don't drive hard or fast in your Porsches. You'll have no problem. It ain't rocket science, and I'd hardly put it in the category of putting yours or others lives at risk. Unless you have a road hazard tire warranty that requires "professional" service to honor the warranty with new tires, plug 'em and go. Take the bull by the horns, man.

Right now, I've got an engine with JB-weld, a sharpie pen, and a hobby paint brush in the engine compartment. Heading back to San Diego from Palm Springs with it tomorrow. LOL

Brett



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2010 06:35PM by Brett 1978 911SC Continental orange (San Diego). (view changes)

and have Tire Rack or Discount ship a tire to a shop close to your parents house.

BTW, I patch run flats before without incident. Wouldn't 'race' with it but wouldn't be scared to take a trip with it either.

Man, we're full of good advice!

Best of luck and enjoy your drive.

It takes less time to plug a tire than replace it. Yes, yes, I know it's not good, but better than just sitting there don't you agree?

Marc, you're not alone with road trip problems. Over the years......

Broken crank in Porsche powered VW. Drove it 20 miles home. Broken clutch cable on a S90 in Quebec. Drove it home.
Burned hole in a piston in my '67 911S west of Toronto. Pulled plug wire and rocker arms on that cylinder and drove home to NH. Lost a CD box and coil on same car in Colorado. Got another coil and drove home w/o CD.
My 944 Turbo always has a problem on a road trip. A/C failures in July in large cities. Broken alternator belt on Interstate in Pa. Made it to a NAPA at the next exit and changed it in the parking lot. (July, 90F). Large fuel pump leak in Ogalala Nebraska. Nearest pump was in Ohio. Next day air and we were on our way. (July, 90F). Broken power steering hose near Little Rock and small fire when the fluid hit the turbo. Put out fire, removed power steering belt and drove to Ft. Worth for repair.
Corded a tire on the Boxster in Tampa. No tires available. Drove home on track tires. (Fun in Florida rain storms) .
We always carry a laptop with us. (Mac of course) Invaluable for finding parts and service and some "refreshments".

Road trips would be boring w/o some adventure.

Ed B

at any rate.

Called Niello in Sacramento. Service told me it had a set of Bridgestones in stock and could put them on. Made record time from Walnut Creek to Sac. though I had to slow way down in the wet cause tires worn out. Car quite skittish.

New tires installed and out just before 3pm. Just in time to hit some real heavy rain heading south.

Decided to instead of setting out very late Sat. to just go home and get a good night's sleep then start out fresh Sunday.

Had hoped to make it to Holbrook or even Gallup NM by Sunday night but ran out of steam and made it as far as Kingman AZ (where I am now). Car is running great. Tires feel wonderful. Ran into a bit of the snow thing across Tehachapi. I think I might have used the Turbo's AWD a tiny split second in the restaurant parking lot. Snow/slush on the ground.

Anyhow I'm pressing on. Called my parents and told them I'd be 2 days late. Instead of arriving sometime Monday I won't be in until Wednesday. Will call my office tomorrow and see if I can get permission to take on more vacation day -- Monday -- so I can some time to visit with my folks.

Oh, paid $3.899/gallon for gas (76) at station in Barstow. Thankfully tank not down even halfway but I wanted to fill up just in case holiday traffic had run gas supplies down. Quite a few people out. Hotels tell me business has been pretty good this year, this T-Giving.

I have a tire patch (plug) kit in the car but the tires were quite worn. When I had the car in the other day for a new battery tech told me tires were worn out and I should have them replaced then but wanted to get one more trip out of them. Since I'm running into wet weather and worse it best I have good tires on the car.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

not perfect, but it will get you home.

home. I wanted to continue the trip not turn around just a couple of hundred miles after starting out.

Sincerely,

MarcW.