Kizashi Club

Hit a recently opened pot hole from all our near record breaking rainfall in downtown Seattle last week. Blew out the front passenger tire through the side wall, gouged out the face of the wheel a bit, and bent the lip on the back side of the wheel. For the first time in my life I didn't have my spare with me either! I took it out just days before. My son is using it for his 6th grade science project. He's measuring the effects of air temperature on the PSI in the tire. Family had to come rescue me from 38 miles away (or 1hr 20 min in traffic ) I will be filling a claim with the city for repairs. Discount tire, also known as Americas Tires I think in other regions, prorated my Hankook tire charging me only $80 for a new one. Found a shop that will repair the bent lip, gouges and repaint for $250. Seems to drive straight, on the donut at least, so I'm hesitant to have the alignment checked...you know, why fix it if it aint broke? Or as in the case of our Kisashis, why take it into a shop only to have it come out worse than it went in?

That's pretty intense yo. Good luck getting the city to pay for it. A couple of years ago, my old boss had his car hit by a snow plow while parked on the street and it punctured one of his tires and messed up the fender. He wasn't able to get the city reimburse him for the repairs. Hopefully you'll fare better since the pot hole isn't going to be going anywhere for a while.

Do you know how fast were you going when you hit the pot hole?

I've heard generally good results from others who've filled claims with the city.
I was probably doing 30 mph.

Definitely get the alignment checked! If it was violent enough to blow out a tire, it likely messed around the with the settings on that side. Even if it feels like it drives straight, you may not know that the alignment is wonky until you start seeing unusual, premature tire wear in 10k miles.

Besides, if you only get one chance at a reimbursement check from the city - I'd at least want an alignment inspection reimbursed.

You absolutely need an alignment, the wheel is far stronger than the alignment bits.

I bought a new wheel for $200.

I'd get that alignment checked too. I've found that regular driving in pothole-ridden cities simply require yearly alignment checks/adjustments even if you don't hit them too hard. I wasn't used to it at first given I'm from Southern California where potholes are rather rare. Given how infrequently it rains plus the nearly-nonexistent snow in So Cal, potholes are not common. I also used to get wiper blades once every few years back then. When I moved out East, I realized wipers and alignment go out much quicker due to winter weather conditions. I now service both every year with notable improvements.

An alignment it is then.
Still waiting for the wheel repair. The shop is waiting for the paint to come by mail to refinish the wheel. Have been driving the wife's soccer van, a Toyota Sienna. Out of curiosity, I checked with the dealer for a new wheel...$625. And a new wheel wouldn't match the rest either. Last year had all the wheels repainted under warrantee and the new color didn't match the factory. They look good, just didn't match. So at least with this repair, they're ordering the color to match the new color, not the factory color.

Seems the price for a new wheel has gone up since then, they're more like $250 now. Lots of refurbished ones around $175.
https://www.google.com/search?q=kizashi ... l&tbm=shop

But if yours have already been repainted then you're probably right. Getting it repainted will match better.

Recall that sledge?

Ah, the one-of-a-few advantages of steel wheels....

WESHOOT2 wrote:Recall that sledge?

Ah, the one-of-a-few advantages of steel wheels....

IMG_2030.JPG

The $5 wheel repairer...

But what's with the sticky notes?