When was the last time you had a flat tire?

[Cees Klumper]

... on your Pagoda?

I can imagine that, for many of us, this has never happened as long as we have been driving it.

If it turns out the odds are, say, 1000 to 1 that on any given trip a flat will occur, then why carry the spare around? I suppose the Plan B fall-back scenario would be to get a tow to the nearest garage to either have the tire fixed, or a new one installed.

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[enochbell]

Cees,

One-in-a-thousand?  I think maybe the odds are ten-to-one-hundred times greater than that for flatting (on a per trip calculation).  It has never happened to me, but I have never been more than 30 miles or so from home in my SL. And I still carry the spare.

The only spare I found of use was in my '67 VW.  That car used the air pressure from the spare to pressurize the window washer.  The spare often went flat, but the windows stayed clean. :-)

Best,
g



'64 230sl, fully sorted out...ooops, spoke too soon

[bpossel]

I purchased my '71 in June '04 in Sedona, AZ.  I drove it home to Memphis, TN. some 1,200 miles.  The tires were fairly new, and the car was rarely driven by the previous owner.  As a new 113 owner, I drove it alot.  In August of '04, while returning home from the office, after driving highway and approx. 70 MPH, I had a blow out on the right rear tire.  It blew out on the sidewall. Luckily when the blow out occured, I was already off the highway and only going about 45 MPH.  I was able to pull off to the side of the road and change the tire.  Of course, I purchased 4 new tires.  I believe the ones on the car were dry rotten from the car sitting and not being driven.  I used the 113 jack, the wheel choke, and I was happy to have the spare.  Oddly, I ended up leaving the wheel choke on the side of the road and drove off.  Later in the evening, I ended up going back and luckily it was still there.
Summary, I was glad that I had the spare and all of the other needed tools.
Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[TR]

Cees -- Not sure what the precise statistics are when it comes to getting a flat, or having a blowout, with modern tires.  But I'd wager the odds are very low.  As you may be aware, some new cars no longer even come with a spare tire, including certain Mercedes-Benz models.  The chances are apparently small enough that M-B now seems to believe it is okay to run without a spare.  However, they do provide a small battery power compressor and a can of Fix-A-Flat (or something like that) in case of an emergency.  Besides, most people now carry cell phones.

Based on this I've removed and stowed the unused original spare that came with my 280SL. (when rarely checked the air pressure of that old tire was usually too low to be of any use anyway).   With the spare removed my wife certainly appreciates the increased luggage space.

Here's a link to the Photos section, where you can link to pictures of the car's modified trunk space.  (which can be returned to original without too much hassle if the mode should ever strike).
http://index.php?topic=4440


Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[Klaus]

Cees,
I also drive with a compressor and fix-a-flat, no spare tire.


Klaus
1969 280 SL

[Ricardo]

In answer to the original question "when was the last time I had a flat"; two nights ago, on a rainy evening, on a bad stretch of pavement, I hit a new and large pot hole....split the tire instantly and mangled the rim....I drove a few meters to a safe place to jack the car ....to my surprise I discovered that the spare tire on my '93 190e had never been installed and the tool kit was still in the original plastic bag....I was back on the road in about 10 minutes..... which goes to show that, yes, they are hardly ever needed(13 years), but I would have had a long wet walk at midnight, without one...and no cell service in this particular area....
Sure would be nice to get more luggage in though  

[Bob G ✝︎]

Speaking of tire going flat. You would think that that the engineers at AMG making thoses high performance cars with little or no side wall would include a air compressor like VW, Audi and many other automotive firms. It is cheap insurance and some times it sames a call to AAA. Not that the average Mercedes-Benz Owner gets his hand dirty. I ordered one from Germany made for the new Ford GT very nice unite with a sealed inflation liquid to be used by a printed date.
If I was to spend money on a new car I think with the new size tires being 18, 19 and 21 inch wheels you might think twice about pulling that tire. Unlike our cars there is little room for these big wagon wheels , so what about it MR.Z give us a nice air compressor for our Mercedes-Benz.

Bob Geco

[TR]

I wonder how this Michelin "Tweel" would look on a W113?
http://www.michelinman.com/difference/releases/pressrelease01102005a.html

Richardo -- Sorry to hear about your recent experience...no fun at all.

Bob G -- Based on this thread I stopped by my local Schuck's auto supply store yesterday and picked up a 2nd little 12VDC compressor, for $36, which I then placed in the trunk of my CLK500 cab. (which for some reason does come with a spare). That little 12VDC compressor is just like the one shown in the pictures of my modified trunk space, and which are available in Photos section. BTW, I'd previously checked with my local M-B service dept. about ordering one of the compressors that reportedly comes with a new SL, and was told the price is somewhere around $300.


Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[Kenneth Gear]

I just know several of us will get flats this weekend after being jinxed by this thread.  I still carry a spare and am on my way to check its tire pressure now!

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

[gwuisman]

Well I had my 1971 spare tire in the trunk untill I realised it would be very unwise to use it in case of a flat tire. So I stored it for 4 years outside the Pagoda. Last september I desided to put on a new spare tire on the rim and take it with me unless I need all trunk space. By doing so, I minimise the chanche that I will get problems after getting a flat tire. With the Pagoda I never had a flat tire. I drive new Michelins 185/14.

My daily driver 25.000 km/year got its last flat tire some twenty years ago. I was not surprised as the tires were really worn out and I was traveling with a trailer. My wife 10.000 km/year has never had one in 30 years. The chanche to get one seems to be very low I guess.

Like Cees I trust on plan B since we were travelling with a baby and a two year old child in the early 80ties in the very hot Texas desert. Towing however was no option in my case. The next village was 65 miles and the last one 40 miles back. I remembered I had seen a garage there. There was very little traffic. The first truck going backwards transported some 10 workers back home. They were willing to take me to the garage 40 miles warning that the garage could already been closed. I left wife and children in the middle of the desert. On the way to the garage I explained to the workers my problem: I promised my brother in law to take his business car from Houson to San Fransisco. It did not move for more than half a year. That had resulted in tires with flat spots. At those times covered tires were usual. Two tires lost their cover and that is one too much as we had only one spare. The workers asked me from which State I came as they did not recognised my accent. I said 'Holland'; their answer: never heard the US had that state! Is it nice having holyday there?

The garage was closed indeed but the owner was so kind to take his truck, tires, tools a.s.o. and after two and a half hour we could drive to our destination that night. Still thanks a lot guys out there!

So there will always be a solution if you don't have a spare. Just don't stress and take the situation as it is. The only thing I ask myself now: was/is it responsable to leave wife and children in the middle of a Texes desert at those times and nowedays?

[vincesy]

Is it possible to get a donut spare tire so that you have a little bit more trunk space but also the peace of mind in case of a flat?

[hauser]

I had my first Pagoda flat 2 years ago.  It was the left rear tire.  The following morning I found that the tire was flat.  Luckily my  car was in my garage so I jacked it up and took it to be repaired.  I'm glad it did not happen out on the road since I still have the original spare.

My wife on the other hand seems to get flat tires all the time.  She had a 2003 Honda Odyssey Touring and I got tired of changing tires all the time.  She now has a 2006 Honda Odyssey with Michelin PAX wheel/tire system.  BTW I presented the car to her on her birthday this past May and she's had two flat tires since then!  The nice thing is that when we took it to the Honda dealer they put a brand new wheel and tire on her van.

For more on the PAX system.  http://www.michelinman.com/difference/innovation/paxsystem.html

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[rwmastel]

My flats happened a couple weeks after buying the car.  Similar to the experience of others here, the previous owner was not particular with maintenance.  I washed my car one sunny Sunday afternoon and proceeded to crack the rubber valve stems slightly.  The next day I drove to work and had a slow flat shortly after leaving the house.  I changed the tire and continued on, but soon had another slow flat!!  The only good things were that I was not on a high speed interstate and the flats came on slowly, as air leaked out the ancient valve stems.  The car was towed to a tire shop and I promptly purchased 5 new tires, with new valve stems.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[BHap]

Luckily my flat didn't happen....  a few years after buying my car, which had Michelin XZX's on it, I came off of the local parkway and down the exit ramp.  The car next to me honked his horn and I was expecting the "nice car" comment when he said a chunk of my tire was hanging off.  When I stopped to look at the tire, it was split right where the tread meets the sidewall.  The sidewalls were not weather checked and the rest of the tire looked good.  My thought is that the tire sat in one position too long and "creased" the sidewall.  There were steel "threads" sticking out.  I was very lucky.  I guess my lesson was - even if the tire looks good, if it is old, replace it.  I have heard that when you store a car, you should put "extra" air in the tires - about 40 or 45 lbs so that the sidewalls don't flex and the tire won't form flat spots...

Bob Happe
Pittsburgh, Pa
1970 280SL, white/black 4 speed

[France]

I've never had a flat in my life, in any of my many cars.  I figured with a phone, compressor, fix-a-flat, and comprehensive AAA coverage, the spare could join the stack of original Jag tyres standing in the corner of the garage, waiting for *someone* to get his act together and put them on eBay.

The Little Red Truck (alias Carling) has much more space now for mulch.

Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
You only need 2 tools in life: WD40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop.

[Longtooth]

Drove over a pothole at 70 mph once and did one tire and wheel in... (91 Accord) at ~10pm.... before my wife made me pack a cell-phone.  Picked up a bent nail once in my former '82 528e.... along about '88 or so in a downpour on Interstate 80 on the way to Tahoe at ~11pm.  Picked up a screw once in my '64 VW in mid '70's in the middle of nowhere in 110 degr in the shade.  Those are the only flats I can recall ever having.... glad I had a spare on those occassions though.... those were the days before cell-phones so a long walk to next exit or house in some rural area was the alternative. I'll never drive without a spare.... inconvenience of not having the option of simply changing a tire is too much for me to take.  I can always call AAA if they're close enough at hand and I'm dressed for a wedding or something.  I've probably had some other flats that I can't recollect.  

BTW, I made both my kids learn how to change a tire on two kinds of cars while on a hill (we live on one so it's easy to make happen)before I let them get a license.... showed 'em once, then they had to do it on their own without any help or hints or supervision.  They hated me at the time ("nobody else's parents make they have to change tires before they get their license"... boo hoo... so get your friend's parents to let them drive their cars).

They've since thanked me... turns out whenever somebody they've been with has had a flat they're the only ones that know how to change a tire.!... or put on snow chains for that matter.  ... and kids rarely think they need roadside assistance insurance. riders.... 'cause it costs them.

No flat yet on my '67 W113 (original set of new Michelins since I bought it in '84).  No flat yet on my '65 Chevy C20 (big Goodyears)... only on my second set of tires for it though.  Knock on wood.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

[Cees Klumper]

After reading the (very diverse) experiences, I will continue hauling the spare along ...

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic