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Water in Tires on New Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ttivol, Jun 23, 2007.

  1. ttivol

    ttivol New Member

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    I put new Michelins on my 2007 Prius today at Costco.

    The tech said that there had been water in the tires. I have not done anything to the tires, so it must have come form somewhere up the food chain. I picked it up on June 1.

    The tech acted as if it wasn't a big deal. He said they just wiped the wheels down and let them dry before putting the new tires on.

    The ride definitely feels firmer to me.

    I just thought it might be useful information to the good folks out there in PriusChat land. I am glad I swapped the tires though.
     
  2. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(T-Head @ Jun 22 2007, 11:35 PM) [snapback]466782[/snapback]</div>
    Water in the tires can come from any place that has put air in your tires. Most likely candidate is a service station. The water occurs when an air compressor doesn't have a water filter between the compressor and the hose that puts air in your tires. Apart from screwing up the tire's balance, water in the tires is not a real big thing. If the whole tire was filled with water, then you would see a reduction in gas mileage due to the mass of the water, but it sounds like you did not have that problem.
     
  3. ttivol

    ttivol New Member

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    I wasn't very clear. Since nothing has been done to the tires since I got the Prius three weeks ago, the water must have been in the tires when I picked it up from the dealer.

    It could have happened anytime before the dealer gave it to me.

    I don't know if the water could potentially cause rust to the wheels if it was left inside for a long time.

    There is probably not an easy way to check for water in the tires, short of taking the tires off the rims.

    I thought folks who have recently picked up a new Prius might find this tidbit useful.

    Although it is probably not a big deal, the water is not supposed to be there.
     
  4. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(T-Head @ Jun 23 2007, 03:43 PM) [snapback]466961[/snapback]</div>
    This car had water in the tires and look what happened! :p

    http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=3...edere&st=20
     
  5. Swanny1172

    Swanny1172 New Member

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    You had the car three weeks and you are already replacing the tires?
     
  6. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    I wonder if the water in your tires would eventually mess with the TPMS. That's a scary thought.

    Swanny, I replaced my tires after three days. If you know the Integrity tires are not acceptable, swap them and store them. When you trade in a car, the dealer subtracts $400 for new tires. I'll put the original tires (and plastic trim rings) back on before I trade in the car.
     
  7. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Jun 23 2007, 10:12 PM) [snapback]467141[/snapback]</div>
    Interesting.... I honestly don't know about that one. I know that the fix-a-flat goop will ruin the TPMS sensors; but water???? I don't know about that. Unfortunately, I don't want to burn a $100 to find out.... Any other brave souls out there????

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Jun 23 2007, 10:12 PM) [snapback]467141[/snapback]</div>
    I will do you one better - I didn't take delivery of the car until my 15x6.5 forged wheels and 205/60-15 Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S tires were on it. I also had Hawk ceramic pads installed before I took delivery, but that is another matter.
     
  8. moshe1436

    moshe1436 Bought used.

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(T-Head @ Jun 23 2007, 02:35 AM) [snapback]466782[/snapback]</div>
    Just curious, why the new tires after just 3 weeks? I getting a new one tomorrow -- are new tires something to think about?
     
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moshe @ Jun 24 2007, 03:09 PM) [snapback]467315[/snapback]</div>
    The OEM tires are awful. We replaced ours too.

    Tom
     
  10. Swanny1172

    Swanny1172 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moshe @ Jun 24 2007, 03:09 PM) [snapback]467315[/snapback]</div>
    Some people think the OEM Goodyer Integrity tires are not very good. Others don't seem to mind them. I have the Integrity tires on my 2006 Prius and am waiting until I wear them out before I am going to worry about replacing them. I just can't justify scrapping brand new tires, especially ones that I think are perfectly acceptable.
     
  11. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moshe @ Jun 24 2007, 03:09 PM) [snapback]467315[/snapback]</div>
    Alot of people complain that the Stock GoodYear Integrity tires are unacceptable, but those claims are vastly overrated. I think it has more to do with people having a preference in a brand such as Michelin even though Good Year and others make perfectly acceptable tires.

    By the way GoodYear Integrity tires are stock tires on alot of other Toyota's and Lexus, as well as many Acura's, and even the Dodge Charger has them..... If luxury brands are using them they are considered quiet and well rounded tires and if they are putting them on the Charger they also have decent performance.
     
  12. ttivol

    ttivol New Member

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    It is a personal preference. Plenty of smart folks find the stock tires fine. There are quite a few threads on PriusChat regarding the Integrities. You can search for them and make your own decision.

    I really prefer Michelins. I also drive 32 miles each way to work and back, including highway 49 and the Auburn Canyon.

    Here is a link to the Google map of the area:

    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...p;z=14&om=1

    It is six miles of twisting turns and hairpins, where an accident could easily mean plunging down steep cliffs. There have been quite a few deaths on the Canyon over the years. We get some pretty heavy downpours and occasional snow. I also drive two miles of dirt road to get to and from my house.

    Costco has $60.00 off a set of Michelins or Goodyears right now, ending at the end of the month. They will likely have another sale later. They had one at the start of winter last year. However, I wanted to get it done, and again, I like Michelins.

    The ride feels firmer to me. It really is a personal preference. I won't criticize anyone for making a different choice than me, but it is my life and my choice. I'd rather error on what I judge to be safer. And of course, YMMV.
     
  13. moshe1436

    moshe1436 Bought used.

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(T-Head @ Jun 24 2007, 05:10 PM) [snapback]467344[/snapback]</div>

    I can see where eveyone is coming from. I'm probably going to stick it out with the GY's and when they wear out or I can't stand them anymore I'll buy a different brand. I've heard the bigger tire is also better for road grip and ride -- the 195/60R15, I think is it. Are you going to change size too?
     
  14. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(T-Head @ Jun 23 2007, 01:43 PM) [snapback]466961[/snapback]</div>
    The good news is that aluminum wheels don't rust. My educated guess is that 99.9% of tires on the road have some water in them. On my long list of things to worry about, this is might low on the list.
     
  15. rudiger

    rudiger Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Jun 24 2007, 01:12 AM) [snapback]467141[/snapback]</div>
    That's a good idea except for one thing, and that's whether the dealer accepts that the OEM tires are actually worth a $400 discount without a recent receipt.

    They might give a discount for the barely used tires (even without a receipt), but knowing how most dealers operate, it likely will be less than $400. In that respect, I'm not sure it would be worth the trouble and expense to replace and save the poor (but essentially brand new) OEM tires immediately after buying a new vehicle to most people, then have them remounted when the vehicle is traded in. Not to mention the waste of the removed 'good' replacement tires if they're still in decent shape at trade-in time.

    I think maybe if I knew for certain any dealer would give the $400 new tire discount, I'd suffer with the OEM tires until they wore out and replace them with good tires at that time. Then, at trade-in time, I'd buy the cheapest new tires possible (but only if they were a lot less than $400).
     
  16. luiset83

    luiset83 Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 23 2007, 10:00 PM) [snapback]467081[/snapback]</div>
    I replaced them at 200 miles w/ Michelin Hydroedge's... never looked back. (52k miles now) Aas a plus, the tire place bought the tires back from me. I should add that I noticed the difference most when driving on grooved pavement... the Integrity's were horrible at that... car wobbled quite a bit.
     
  17. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ Jun 24 2007, 05:03 PM) [snapback]467404[/snapback]</div>
    Ouch! Why would you want to suffer with the OEM tires if you were going to buy better tires at the time you traded your car? Are you that altruistic? Enjoy the god tires from the get-go. Let the next owner suffer from/with the OEM tires.
     
  18. rudiger

    rudiger Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Jun 28 2007, 01:13 PM) [snapback]469489[/snapback]</div>
    The objective is to save $400 at trade-in time. Thus, the idea would be to buy tires for substantially less than $400 and recoup the difference.

    But that all hinges on any given dealer accepting and increasing the trade-in value by $400 for whatever new tires were mounted on the car. If they agreed that the nearly-new OEM tires were worth $400, hey, that's the way to go. I just don't know what criteria a dealer is going to use for the $400 credit for new tires. Dealers are just too damn sleazy for me to trust them.

    To me, the situation is too variable to save the nearly new OEMs for later use. I'd suffer the OEM tires until they wore out, switch to good tires at that time, then at trade-in time if I found a dealer who was doing the $400 credit for new tires, go out and buy some brand-new cheapies and pocket the difference. Might not make as much as using the new OEM tires for the trade-in, but there wouldn't seem to be as much left to chance, either.
     
  19. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ Jun 28 2007, 10:36 AM) [snapback]469508[/snapback]</div>
    Or, you could cut a deal with the tire dealer to give you credit for the OEM tires against the purchase of better tires now. I guess my issue is with the logic of suffering through the OEM tires. If there was a way to be rid of the OEM tires and get better tires from the outset, I would jump at it.
     
  20. moshe1436

    moshe1436 Bought used.

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Jun 28 2007, 01:42 PM) [snapback]469510[/snapback]</div>

    I tried to work a deal with my dealer (just bought a new Prius this past Monday) and asked if they would give me credit for my OEM tires and they said NO -- they can't sell them as new tires. So I called around to 4 different tire shops and they all said the same thing -- no credit on "trade ins" for the same reason. So I'm going to drive these GY OEM's until they wear out and then up-grade.

    Mo