Friday, September 16, 2011

slip-shod puncture repair?

it was a nail with a large flat head embedded in the tyre. what's odd was that the tyre wasn't flat even though i hadn't driven the car for almost 24 hours & it was by chance that i noticed it, because of the large prominent head.

the neighbourhood tyre shop was closed today, so i drove to the next one that was open. i was rather surprised that the guy didn't even removed the tyre from the rim. he just pulled out the nail, pushed in a black tarry plug & inflated the tyre to check for leaks.

this is the 1st time i've seen it done this way. previously, at the other shops, the guy would remove the tyre from the rim, pull the nail out, insert the tarry plug thru the puncture, then paint the inner surface of the tyre with some glue. even at the last puncture, the guy offered me either the "standard" repair like what i just described, or a "superior" repair. in the superior repair, the repair plug is shaped like an umbrella, in contrast to being just tubular...

the flat part being positioned flush against the inner tyre wall, thereby improving the seal. this costs RM12, in contrast to the RM5 standard repair. i read somewhere that if the guy doesn't inspect the inner wall of the tyre, he has not ascertain the true extent of damage to the tyre. in a way like a doctor who prescribes cough medicine without at least listening to the chest with a stethoscope.

based on what i saw today, like an unsatisfied patient, i'll be going back to my regular tyre shop for a 2nd opinion.

10 comments:

Yvonne Foong said...

Maybe this doctor prescribed this medication based on the unique presenting symptom.

stay-at-home mum said...

could be the diff btwn consulting a GP and a quack! This guy may not have gone to tyre school!

doc said...

Yvonne,

never an excuse NOT to examine the patient 1st!

doc said...

SAHM,

probably did the way the boss told him to.

eugene said...

I think it is ok one lah,doc....don't worry for this is how they do it.........well second opinion can be cool too

missyc said...

you belong to the "better be safe than sorry category" quite similar with a pilot friend who has mechanical engineering background, sends car to workshop, comes back d.i.y then sends car back again till he is satisfied.

doc said...

MissyC,

especially so in this case because we travel outstation regularly. at best, a puncture would be a hassle, while at worse, a tyre blow-out at 110kmph could be a tragedy.

doc said...

Eugene,

when all the previous guys check the inner wall of the punctured tyre but this guy didn't, i did get a bit worried.

HappySurfer said...

Sending it back to your regular guy seems like a natural thing to do. I would too for safety if not for anything else. Hi Doc!

doc said...

hi HappySurfer,

hope you are keeping well.

i've not sent to the regular guy yet, but i'm driving a bit more cautiously now. so far, so good.