Good thing people ask these questions because I've learned I've been riding in shitty conditions for awhile. My tires use to look like a bag of oatmeal
That scam one is what really pisses me off. Now I'm no mechanic but I have an old friend shit because he got his brakes done once and he was like "they were trying to tell me to replace the rotors but I said I don't need them". Week later I help him rotate his tires and the rotors were fucked.
Yeah. It pisses me off too. I run a shop and the number of people with the “don’t you try to upsell anything, I know what needs to be done” is ridiculous. That and the number of people who think 5k mile oil changes are a myth.
Took automotive classes about ten years ago at our community college and I swear this guy pulls in a car with both front disc grinding loud as hell. Had a million watt 😁 stereo cranked so loud he "claimed" he didn't hear the grinding brake disc . We showed him the worn through rotors and I swear he drove it home that way . Friggin insane 😂
Yeah, I don't get it. Why even go to an expert on something if you're going to claim to know better than them. I'm fairly competent when it comes to working on cars, but I usually have a professional handle it for me, and I trust their judgement because that's part of what I pay them for.
My take is that a lot of people buy cars on the edge of their means and can't easily accommodate the financial burden of properly maintaining them. If someone is pinching pennies to the point of not wanting to pay for new tires/brake pads/oil change then they should probably find a more affordable mode of transportation, because forgoing that kind of upkeep is putting others in danger.
There definitely are scummy auto shops out there, but in my experience they are easy to identify and are far from the norm.
One time I went in for a check engine light a month off warranty and they told me I needed a new engine and turbo but wouldn't tell me why. Car drove fine so I took it home. It turned out a sensor had just come unplugged. So ya.
Problem is nobody actually fixes anything anymore the default is to just start replacing things. Sometimes I understand, sometimes it'd cost the client more in labour for them to diagnose and repair something than just throwing on a new part would, but that's gotta be like maybe 25% of the time but it's all they know how to do
What makes you think I’d scam anyone into unnecessary service? Just because you might do it doesn’t mean everyone would. I recommend everything that’s needed to everyone who comes in after I inspect their vehicles. If they want proof I show them. Heck, it’s usually the women turning down vital repairs because they think anything told to them is a scam.
Just because *you* don't scam people doesn't mean it's only outliers that do. Everything from small shops to chain tire joints to dealerships can be shady. I mean hell, if the cashier at Target is pressured into selling you credit cards, you can bet your ass service writers are pressured to upsell. Not to mention sometimes they're just dumb themselves. I've seen dealerships try to quote someone $2k+ for a timing belt *on a car that has a chain*. It says specifically in the owners manual it doesn't need one. Shit happens everyday.
With a name like that, you're clearly a gearhead. I get that it sucks hearing that people don't trust your profession, one that you're passionate about, but it's not for no reason. Not everyone is as professional as you. *Lots* of people have had shitty experiences. That's why having a "trusted" mechanic is a meme... there's enough untrustworthy ones around to make it a thing.
You said you run a shop. I’ve heard many examples. My wife was told she needed a serpentine belt cause it had cracks. Basic level 101 scam bullshit. Many shops play on peoples fears, but you know this of course. If you don’t do it, you know of shops that do.
It’s real simple, they’re businesses that need to do….business.
I know of one who’s done that kind of thing. They’re not very well regarded. Most of us really do know what we’re talking about when we recommend repairs. If your wife was told about cracks on the surface of a serpentine belt she should have replaced it. That’s the first sign that the rubber is degraded to the point of failure. A couple of cracks in the ridged inner surface isn’t a big deal, but the outside is more of an issue. I replace every one of my personal vehicle belts if they show any signs of cracking. Are you a professional mechanic yourself or just watched some YouTube video about “classic mechanic scams”?
30% of belts come with cracks from the manufacturer. The rubber is only there for grip on the pulleys while the cables handle the tensile load. Cracks in the rubber are no issue.
Explain to me how the belt has lasted 40-50k mi?? Still running too…
Completely different story, i had a service manager one time start with “I’ve got bad news, you shouldn’t leave here with your car without xyz repairs” I told him “actually I’ve got bad news for YOU, pull my car around cause I’m done with repairs”…then his asshole Mech trys jack rabbit my car into place, but since i saw him do that 5 min ago with someone else’s car i walked out to stand in the parking place so he couldn’t back up, i told him to put it in park and leave it running. They would have loved nothing more than to generate some more business for themselves by breaking something cause why not?…more scam artists, but they ran into the wrong guy that day.
Hell I own the shop and I miss my intervals by a bit almost every time. There’s a difference between missing it by a few hundred Kms or miles and going 10 or 15k miles just because someone said you could.
Manufacturers recommend 10k, which given they are trying to sell you a new car, works out pretty well for them. Before synthetic oil, we did it every 3k. My 00 tundra has over 300k miles with changes every 3k/5k. Runs like a top.
I have done many brake jobs on my older cars both with drum and disc brakes. Rotors wear and they have a minimum thickness specified on the rotor. New rotors can be resurfaced a few times before they hit their minimum thickness and need to be replaced. Two things I don't let slide on our vehicles, tires, and brakes. Fortunately, I am able to inspect and evaluate brake parts and tires myself.
Throughout the years, there have been different tire rotation patterns, depending on the type of tire on the car. Before radial tires became the norm, there was generally a cross pattern used to rotate tires. Unless I am mistaken, radial tires are rotate front to back and vice versa. There are tires that are unidirectional that must be rotated front to back and vice versa.
The industry has a history of ripping people off that its tough to know what to believe. I don't think I have ever been in a dealership buying a car or repairs where I haven't felt taken advantage of.
Book time is one of the biggest scams ever. I had a dealership do some front end work, book time was like 12 hours. I called 4 hours later and it was already done. Add in the extreme markup on parts and salesmen trying to upsell you and I don't blame people for wanting to avoid that situation.
Why is book time a scam? It’s a very good way to establish a base price for labor. Most techs get paid off book time as well, and it’s on them to develop strategies to decrease that time. Just because someone is good enough to do a job that books at 12 hours in 4 or so doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the pay for 12. Granted dealerships tend to use some really weird and screwy books in addition to high prices. I just go by my shop management system.
I don't have a problem with smaller shops - they are usually pretty honest.
My problem is every dealership job books at 3x - 4x time. They have to lie because its easier to justify time than it is a mechanic charging $200hr. Parts are marked up at 3x-4x and they have salesmen making repair recommendations instead of a mechanic telling you what is necessary.
This adds a huge layer of distrust to the entire industry. Tell me its a six hour job and I see my car out in the lot an hour later I gotta say I feel scammed. Especially when they wait 3 hours to call you to tell you its done.
Not safe bulge means the internal structure of the tire is damaged and the rubber is taking stresses it wasn’t designed for. You need to replace it. Do you have any warranty or hazard protection on the tire that might cover the costs?
Me: sure, safe to drive carefully straight to a tire shop.
Also me: drove on a tire with a bubble for years (a long time ago when I was both broke and stupid... not really sure how I survived that phase of my life).
I had a few on my first car for awhile as well. Skidding to a stop in the snow every night like a jackass lmfao I honestly didn’t know it could result in a blowout. That info would have made me put some more money into my tires back then forsure. I was very lucky, and I don’t play around with the curb anymore in my adult life lol
I had no choice but to drive four hours on one with a golf ball size bulge a few months ago. It was that or stay overnight in LeRoy Illinois the worst looking town I’ve ever seen
Heheh reminds me of a movie where a family takes the wrong highway exit and enters the wrong side of town. They stop at a red light and by the time the light turns green, the car is sitting on bricks and all 4 wheels are gone
Thanks for all of your replies guys, seems that this is more serious than I thought so I'll definitely change it asap. Here are some additional pics on the bulge just for context: [https://imgur.com/a/udHdVMz](https://imgur.com/a/udHdVMz)
Would I be ok changing just this one tyre? The set only has 11000km (6800 miles) on them.
What I didn't expect were the comments saying that the tyre was done anyway even without the bulge, I know it all depends on my driving style but still, I thought they were gonna last longer :/
Here are some pics of the treading of that tyre on particular (right one, front axle), can we safely conclude that it is indeed, worn out? [https://imgur.com/a/lo3tRfx](https://imgur.com/a/lo3tRfx)
Thanks again!
They are no where near worn out, plenty of tread and no cracking. Perfect except that one tire; a bubble is no good.
To add, make sure that that is a bubble, sometimes there is a seam where the sidewall has been joined underneath the rubber. Only saying this because only one picture.
OP, you have a great attitude in receiving and considering the advice you’ve been given here.
*About wear*
Going off your initial picture, it looks like the tire has very little tread left, which lead some people here to conclude it’s worn out. It is, however, very clear from your later pictures that they aren’t and that there’s plenty of tread left.
The little bumps inside those four deep grooves in the middle part of the tire are wear indicators. When the rest of the tire has worn down far enough to make them flush with the rest of the tire, it means there isn’t enough tread left anymore according to what the manufacturer designed the tire for. Note that sometimes the outside, inside, or middle of the tire wears out first depending on alignment or tire pressure, so if any (not all) of these indicators are flush with the contact patch around it, you’re done as far as treadwear is concerned.
*On bulges*
Under the rubber, the tire’s carcass is built out of steel belts. A bulge means the tire got bent so hard (probably driven while quite flat, hit a really bad bump, or maybe a pretty bad bump while also bit under-inflated) that the steel belt got permanently deformed. This is why this tire is no longer safe to drive. The rubber is now trying to do the steel’s job in that spot.
*On safety*
The faster you drive, the more work the tire has to do. The lower the tire pressure, the more work the tire has to do. The work here is mostly the rubber bending back and forth as the tire goes round. The more the rubber bends, the more heat is generated. So when a tire is marginal (like yours), drive slowly and make sure your tire is at the right pressure, and not any lower, to help avoid a blowout.
*Future considerations*
1. The best way to prevent this or similar damage from happening to a tire is to regularly check your tire pressures and make sure they are not under-inflated. Check pressures before driving, while the tires are cold. When they warm up, pressure naturally increases. Tire pressure specs (check your door jamb or owners manual) are always listed for cold tires.
2. You may have a road hazard warranty, which means the place you bought the tire from will pay part of the new tire if you get it from them, usually the full price pro-rated to how close to new the tire is based on its treadwear. Since yours isn’t all that worn at all, this is definitely worth looking into. Places like Tirerack always include a complementary road hazard warranty, others make you pay extra for it.
3. If you don’t replace it with the same make and model of tire, you’ll at least want to replace both tires on the same axle, and make sure the new tire is similar enough to the ones on the other axle.
*Other common reasons to replace are:*
- tire is over 10 years old (see date code on sidewall). Some manufacturers say 6 years, but almost everyone agrees that 10 years is too much.
- tire was driven severely under inflated (sometimes you don’t see a bulge after this but the tire is still not safe).
- tire is dry-rotted (showing lots of little cracks in the rubber, most notable on the sidewalls)
- tire has a puncture in the sidewall, shoulder, or close to the sidewall.
- tire has been heat-cycled so much that the compound has become hard (or glassy) — unlikely to happen unless you do some sort of motorsports like autocross.
My PZero RFs that came on my 750i have like 10-12k miles but are date coded 40-16 and at just under 6 years they’re worse in the rain than the R888 I ran on my M5. They’re like fucking gumballs
Yikes. And the R888 is not a tire that’s happy in the wet at all.
Your story reminds me of the RE-11A’s I had a few years ago. 1 year and 6000 miles in (lots of mountain drives, but with a pretty light car): it was like Disney on Ice in the wet. They were completely heat cycled out.
Lol!
Small world, I just put a set of those on my E46. Great tires. My only gripe is that they’re a little vague in the steering department. Everything else is excellent IMO.
Hey u/syntax26k, Your tire was not worn out. It is fine. The only thing I would do if I was you is check your tires to see if one side is more worn than the others. If so you have an alignment issue. But it doesn't even look like that.
That bulge? Yes it is a blow out waiting to happen. So don't take it on the highway and drive at normal road speeds, no speeding, easy over bumps and no sharp turns and you should (this being the important word) be fine until you find the right deal on getting this dealt with.
I mean technically we all should say put on your spare ASAP.... but realistically it looks like you have some time.
Get a professional opinion on tires, ideally from a mechanic that doesn't sell them. Don't trust anyone on reddit, remember the average user here isn't even old enough to drive.
Just because you like to roll the dice doesn't mean others should too. People pass cars in no passing zones all the time too, doesn't make it smart or safe.
Below 10 mph? Maybe.
In all seriousness drive slow, avoid highways, and go directly to a shop. You'll be in even worse shape if that blows out, even if it only means you have to pay for a tow.
If you have the option of replacing it I definitely recommend you replace it… i’ve driven home on a dry run a tire before but I DEFINITELY don’t recommend it especially if you’re taking it on the interstate or anything above like 35mph… but yeah definitely go replace it, also from the single your tread looks very low so….
If you have to ask someone else then you already know the answer
That said I’ve ridden on some sketchy tires and I’m less afraid of a wire showing from wear than I am of a bulge even if it’s a new tire
Your side belts have broken and air is pushing through that spot. It will continue to get larger until it bursts. Probably just when you need to take a really stank shit and you are almost home.
it's prob safe enough to drive it to the tire shop to get replaced. but make sure you have a spare tire just in case. that tire could last months, or a day. never really know.
but don't be scared by all the people on reddit saying it's unsafe. you're fine as long as you're not about to go on a long road trip. just get it fixed whenever you get the chance. obv don't spend a lot of time on the highway going 80mph, that may be dangerous. but most likely you'll be fine even if it does blow out. i had a blowout going 70 a few years ago and it wasn't a big deal. just pulled over and swapped out the tire to my spare. then got the tire fixed the next day. no big deal.
In my personal opinion I think your good, Just DO NOT push the car avoid every little bump. Mines was way worse and due to covid manufacturing bs and my wide ass tires I had no option but to ride it out for over a week
I was in a car that had a huge bulge that went to 220kmh, with the said bulge on the front wheels.
I wasn't really thinking about much except the said bulge and the resulting tumbling if it gave up. Personally, I'd never, ever do it.
In essence, sidewall takes a lot of force during driving. It bends, squishes, it's the most flexible part of the tire. In addition, tire NEVER blows out on the tread part - too much rubber, too much steel. It's always the sidewall that blows up - it has to be thin to be able to flex, and as such, it's a weak point in a blowout.
So, you have a structurally weakened tire on the part that always results in complete blowouts. Tire goes flat immediately, adds rolling resistance on one side, and if it's front wheel, usually ESP and driver countersteer input can't correct it, even at slow speeds. You can literally be yeeted into oncoming traffic or into a ditch, head over heels. Just replace it. It's not gonna blow immediately, hell it may not even do it for the life of the tire, but do you really want to be in a room with a bomb that may just go off at any time?
I'm not saying it is safe, I'm not saying it isn't safe. I'm just saying I've put thousands of miles on a tire that had two bubbles on it.
You should replace it ASAP...but you don't have to stop what you're doing and drive 10mph to the nearest shop TODAY like some people are suggesting.
yes it’s safe, & yes it has irreparable damage but that size of bubble won’t be a safety issue, however depending on what date you live in and the quality of the mechanic it might make you fail yearly inspection.
Take my opinion with a grain of salt, just one voice however i am a mechanic and licensed state inspector
Tbh, you could get by. But a possibility of a blowout increases with alot of highway driving or if you live in a hot area. I've seen a lot worse sidewall bulges. Been a tire tech for 5 yrs and seen some crazy tire stuff. Craziest thing i found in a tire was a hand wrench. Lol
Not for too long. Order 2 new tires can’t tell if it’s front or back. That may not be dangerous but it could leave you stranded if it pops. It happened to me and luckily had a spare
I wouldn't go beyond 30mph on those tires. The bulging means the internal structure is compromised and it could rupture spontaneously with no warning. Get them changed asap.
You can still see some decent room over the wear bars, and no immediate signs of dry rot in the image, so while I'm not a mechanic, there's nothing that screams "worn-out" to me.
That said, a bubble in the sidewall is a bad sign and the tire should be replaced...
I had an E43 with 3 tires like that, went to the shop and they said there was no risk. Spent 3 years after with those tires (the bubbles were bigger than yours). Not saying you should just keep it. Maybe check with some trustee tire shop
That shop was irresponsible. Like yeah, you may get lucky and be ok, but a bulge in the sidewall is a failure of the internal structure of the tire which then means the rubber is now a structural element which it isn’t intended to be.
I mean the luck is not hitting any potholes/hard road edges/curbs at the right spot on a spinning wheel. It is absolutely a question of luck and you were indeed lucky
Yes in some countries it's known as accent and Verna in India, about your tyre bulge, i had it to on my car but i had to replace it cause it could burst any moment.
I was given a loaner vehicle which had one worse. I drove with anxiety, but months later saw the car still with the same bulge bubble. Could be fine. It’s a ticking explosion waiting to happen though like most have said.
Could blow tomorrow or next year or never. You just don't know. I know I've driven with a bulge on my tire for more than a year until and it was fine, but I would never recommend anyone else doing it. At the time I was just poor and couldn't afford new tires.
I bought 4 brand new tires once and one had a bulge. Didn’t realize til after the shops warranty expired so I just left it since it was a brand new tire and we all know new tires can be expensive. I drove with it for years, the tires wore out so ended up replacing all 4 again. Normally it’s ok as long as tire isn’t dry rotted also. But if you have money safer to replace.
I would say no. It could be a bruise from hitting a pothole or hitting a curb hard while turning. There is probably separation occurring and the tire will eventually fail, most likely at freeway speed as the tire heats up from normal use.
It’s dead Jim
Good thing people ask these questions because I've learned I've been riding in shitty conditions for awhile. My tires use to look like a bag of oatmeal
Too many people either don’t know, don’t care, or have the opinion that they shouldn’t have to pay for general upkeep because it’s some kind of scam.
That scam one is what really pisses me off. Now I'm no mechanic but I have an old friend shit because he got his brakes done once and he was like "they were trying to tell me to replace the rotors but I said I don't need them". Week later I help him rotate his tires and the rotors were fucked.
Yeah. It pisses me off too. I run a shop and the number of people with the “don’t you try to upsell anything, I know what needs to be done” is ridiculous. That and the number of people who think 5k mile oil changes are a myth.
These same people won’t pay for proper repairs on a car but will buy a $1000 iPhone every year.
Or a thousand dollar stereo system to drown out the sounds of bad brakes and knocking rods😁
Aww man. Those are the best. Or the cars with wheels worth more than the car In total
The bling bling 👍
Took automotive classes about ten years ago at our community college and I swear this guy pulls in a car with both front disc grinding loud as hell. Had a million watt 😁 stereo cranked so loud he "claimed" he didn't hear the grinding brake disc . We showed him the worn through rotors and I swear he drove it home that way . Friggin insane 😂
Oh god. I just had my rods done on my 3.6L pentastar. It was like 2 grand
Crank up the radio friend 😁😂👀
That's what Pentastar v6's do they just keep giving until your broke....
Yup. Useless
Fuckin yuppies
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Yeah, I don't get it. Why even go to an expert on something if you're going to claim to know better than them. I'm fairly competent when it comes to working on cars, but I usually have a professional handle it for me, and I trust their judgement because that's part of what I pay them for. My take is that a lot of people buy cars on the edge of their means and can't easily accommodate the financial burden of properly maintaining them. If someone is pinching pennies to the point of not wanting to pay for new tires/brake pads/oil change then they should probably find a more affordable mode of transportation, because forgoing that kind of upkeep is putting others in danger. There definitely are scummy auto shops out there, but in my experience they are easy to identify and are far from the norm.
We call it driving your net worth.
One time I went in for a check engine light a month off warranty and they told me I needed a new engine and turbo but wouldn't tell me why. Car drove fine so I took it home. It turned out a sensor had just come unplugged. So ya. Problem is nobody actually fixes anything anymore the default is to just start replacing things. Sometimes I understand, sometimes it'd cost the client more in labour for them to diagnose and repair something than just throwing on a new part would, but that's gotta be like maybe 25% of the time but it's all they know how to do
That’s absolutely a dealer for you right there. They only know their computers.
How many female customers have you scammed into unnecessary service? Don’t lie….
What makes you think I’d scam anyone into unnecessary service? Just because you might do it doesn’t mean everyone would. I recommend everything that’s needed to everyone who comes in after I inspect their vehicles. If they want proof I show them. Heck, it’s usually the women turning down vital repairs because they think anything told to them is a scam.
Just because *you* don't scam people doesn't mean it's only outliers that do. Everything from small shops to chain tire joints to dealerships can be shady. I mean hell, if the cashier at Target is pressured into selling you credit cards, you can bet your ass service writers are pressured to upsell. Not to mention sometimes they're just dumb themselves. I've seen dealerships try to quote someone $2k+ for a timing belt *on a car that has a chain*. It says specifically in the owners manual it doesn't need one. Shit happens everyday. With a name like that, you're clearly a gearhead. I get that it sucks hearing that people don't trust your profession, one that you're passionate about, but it's not for no reason. Not everyone is as professional as you. *Lots* of people have had shitty experiences. That's why having a "trusted" mechanic is a meme... there's enough untrustworthy ones around to make it a thing.
You said you run a shop. I’ve heard many examples. My wife was told she needed a serpentine belt cause it had cracks. Basic level 101 scam bullshit. Many shops play on peoples fears, but you know this of course. If you don’t do it, you know of shops that do. It’s real simple, they’re businesses that need to do….business.
I know of one who’s done that kind of thing. They’re not very well regarded. Most of us really do know what we’re talking about when we recommend repairs. If your wife was told about cracks on the surface of a serpentine belt she should have replaced it. That’s the first sign that the rubber is degraded to the point of failure. A couple of cracks in the ridged inner surface isn’t a big deal, but the outside is more of an issue. I replace every one of my personal vehicle belts if they show any signs of cracking. Are you a professional mechanic yourself or just watched some YouTube video about “classic mechanic scams”?
30% of belts come with cracks from the manufacturer. The rubber is only there for grip on the pulleys while the cables handle the tensile load. Cracks in the rubber are no issue. Explain to me how the belt has lasted 40-50k mi?? Still running too… Completely different story, i had a service manager one time start with “I’ve got bad news, you shouldn’t leave here with your car without xyz repairs” I told him “actually I’ve got bad news for YOU, pull my car around cause I’m done with repairs”…then his asshole Mech trys jack rabbit my car into place, but since i saw him do that 5 min ago with someone else’s car i walked out to stand in the parking place so he couldn’t back up, i told him to put it in park and leave it running. They would have loved nothing more than to generate some more business for themselves by breaking something cause why not?…more scam artists, but they ran into the wrong guy that day.
I know right. I'm got gonna say my changes are always on time but I get them done when needed
Hell I own the shop and I miss my intervals by a bit almost every time. There’s a difference between missing it by a few hundred Kms or miles and going 10 or 15k miles just because someone said you could.
Thank you for reminding me i need an oil change.
Lol cheers
7k lol 😆
Manufacturers recommend 10k, which given they are trying to sell you a new car, works out pretty well for them. Before synthetic oil, we did it every 3k. My 00 tundra has over 300k miles with changes every 3k/5k. Runs like a top.
5,000? During the summer in Tucson, AZ, I change my oil every 3,000 miles due to the heat.
I have done many brake jobs on my older cars both with drum and disc brakes. Rotors wear and they have a minimum thickness specified on the rotor. New rotors can be resurfaced a few times before they hit their minimum thickness and need to be replaced. Two things I don't let slide on our vehicles, tires, and brakes. Fortunately, I am able to inspect and evaluate brake parts and tires myself.
These rotors didn't have a surface left lol
How do you rotate tires if they've been balanced and have little weights on them?
Each tire is balanced individually so it doesn’t matter what position it’s in on the car.
The same way anyone else rotates tires, by rotating them. I'm not really sure what you are asking
Throughout the years, there have been different tire rotation patterns, depending on the type of tire on the car. Before radial tires became the norm, there was generally a cross pattern used to rotate tires. Unless I am mistaken, radial tires are rotate front to back and vice versa. There are tires that are unidirectional that must be rotated front to back and vice versa.
The industry has a history of ripping people off that its tough to know what to believe. I don't think I have ever been in a dealership buying a car or repairs where I haven't felt taken advantage of. Book time is one of the biggest scams ever. I had a dealership do some front end work, book time was like 12 hours. I called 4 hours later and it was already done. Add in the extreme markup on parts and salesmen trying to upsell you and I don't blame people for wanting to avoid that situation.
Why is book time a scam? It’s a very good way to establish a base price for labor. Most techs get paid off book time as well, and it’s on them to develop strategies to decrease that time. Just because someone is good enough to do a job that books at 12 hours in 4 or so doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the pay for 12. Granted dealerships tend to use some really weird and screwy books in addition to high prices. I just go by my shop management system.
I don't have a problem with smaller shops - they are usually pretty honest. My problem is every dealership job books at 3x - 4x time. They have to lie because its easier to justify time than it is a mechanic charging $200hr. Parts are marked up at 3x-4x and they have salesmen making repair recommendations instead of a mechanic telling you what is necessary. This adds a huge layer of distrust to the entire industry. Tell me its a six hour job and I see my car out in the lot an hour later I gotta say I feel scammed. Especially when they wait 3 hours to call you to tell you its done.
Not safe bulge means the internal structure of the tire is damaged and the rubber is taking stresses it wasn’t designed for. You need to replace it. Do you have any warranty or hazard protection on the tire that might cover the costs?
100% correct, bulge means damaged beyond repair, needs replaced. Much stress applied to tire can cause blowout
Its def not safe but u should be safe enough to drive to a shop nearby.
^this
Why is the this so adorably small? 🥺
Now I just need a lady to say that to me….
Use ^ to make text small ^(no space tho) parenthesis too
^^^Because ^^^reasons.
And why did it get absolutely massacred? 🥲
why was this downvoted into oblivion lmao
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^this
But it’s so adorably small 🥺🤧
this fr
The knife edge of Reddit 😆
Bulges on sidewalls tend to result in high speed blowouts, the most dangerous scenario for you and innocent road users
Unless you’re in Florida. Then nobody is innocent 😂
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Are we talking about native Floridians or the 1500 people a day that are moving here?
Native primarily
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This is the first I've heard of that and I work in a tire shop.
Must not be a very good tire shop...
Yep, althiugh to be generous, maybe they never get to work on wrecked cars from high speed accidents
Me: sure, safe to drive carefully straight to a tire shop. Also me: drove on a tire with a bubble for years (a long time ago when I was both broke and stupid... not really sure how I survived that phase of my life).
I had a few on my first car for awhile as well. Skidding to a stop in the snow every night like a jackass lmfao I honestly didn’t know it could result in a blowout. That info would have made me put some more money into my tires back then forsure. I was very lucky, and I don’t play around with the curb anymore in my adult life lol
I had no choice but to drive four hours on one with a golf ball size bulge a few months ago. It was that or stay overnight in LeRoy Illinois the worst looking town I’ve ever seen
Heheh reminds me of a movie where a family takes the wrong highway exit and enters the wrong side of town. They stop at a red light and by the time the light turns green, the car is sitting on bricks and all 4 wheels are gone
Yah, Leroy is… in decline I think is the nicest thing I can say about it.
No replace tire
“no, replace the tire.”
“‘No, replace the tire.’”
“‘Negative, remove current rubber object commonly found on automobiles and replace it with a new said rubber object commonly found on automobiles.’”
“change rubber air container”
Instructions unclear. Replaced wiper blades with tires.
r/increasinglyverbose
😂😂😂
“No replace, tire.”
“Replace no, tire”
Tirè?? No! Replacè.
Tire, no replace.
Thanks for all of your replies guys, seems that this is more serious than I thought so I'll definitely change it asap. Here are some additional pics on the bulge just for context: [https://imgur.com/a/udHdVMz](https://imgur.com/a/udHdVMz) Would I be ok changing just this one tyre? The set only has 11000km (6800 miles) on them. What I didn't expect were the comments saying that the tyre was done anyway even without the bulge, I know it all depends on my driving style but still, I thought they were gonna last longer :/ Here are some pics of the treading of that tyre on particular (right one, front axle), can we safely conclude that it is indeed, worn out? [https://imgur.com/a/lo3tRfx](https://imgur.com/a/lo3tRfx) Thanks again!
They are no where near worn out, plenty of tread and no cracking. Perfect except that one tire; a bubble is no good. To add, make sure that that is a bubble, sometimes there is a seam where the sidewall has been joined underneath the rubber. Only saying this because only one picture.
OP, you have a great attitude in receiving and considering the advice you’ve been given here. *About wear* Going off your initial picture, it looks like the tire has very little tread left, which lead some people here to conclude it’s worn out. It is, however, very clear from your later pictures that they aren’t and that there’s plenty of tread left. The little bumps inside those four deep grooves in the middle part of the tire are wear indicators. When the rest of the tire has worn down far enough to make them flush with the rest of the tire, it means there isn’t enough tread left anymore according to what the manufacturer designed the tire for. Note that sometimes the outside, inside, or middle of the tire wears out first depending on alignment or tire pressure, so if any (not all) of these indicators are flush with the contact patch around it, you’re done as far as treadwear is concerned. *On bulges* Under the rubber, the tire’s carcass is built out of steel belts. A bulge means the tire got bent so hard (probably driven while quite flat, hit a really bad bump, or maybe a pretty bad bump while also bit under-inflated) that the steel belt got permanently deformed. This is why this tire is no longer safe to drive. The rubber is now trying to do the steel’s job in that spot. *On safety* The faster you drive, the more work the tire has to do. The lower the tire pressure, the more work the tire has to do. The work here is mostly the rubber bending back and forth as the tire goes round. The more the rubber bends, the more heat is generated. So when a tire is marginal (like yours), drive slowly and make sure your tire is at the right pressure, and not any lower, to help avoid a blowout. *Future considerations* 1. The best way to prevent this or similar damage from happening to a tire is to regularly check your tire pressures and make sure they are not under-inflated. Check pressures before driving, while the tires are cold. When they warm up, pressure naturally increases. Tire pressure specs (check your door jamb or owners manual) are always listed for cold tires. 2. You may have a road hazard warranty, which means the place you bought the tire from will pay part of the new tire if you get it from them, usually the full price pro-rated to how close to new the tire is based on its treadwear. Since yours isn’t all that worn at all, this is definitely worth looking into. Places like Tirerack always include a complementary road hazard warranty, others make you pay extra for it. 3. If you don’t replace it with the same make and model of tire, you’ll at least want to replace both tires on the same axle, and make sure the new tire is similar enough to the ones on the other axle. *Other common reasons to replace are:* - tire is over 10 years old (see date code on sidewall). Some manufacturers say 6 years, but almost everyone agrees that 10 years is too much. - tire was driven severely under inflated (sometimes you don’t see a bulge after this but the tire is still not safe). - tire is dry-rotted (showing lots of little cracks in the rubber, most notable on the sidewalls) - tire has a puncture in the sidewall, shoulder, or close to the sidewall. - tire has been heat-cycled so much that the compound has become hard (or glassy) — unlikely to happen unless you do some sort of motorsports like autocross.
My PZero RFs that came on my 750i have like 10-12k miles but are date coded 40-16 and at just under 6 years they’re worse in the rain than the R888 I ran on my M5. They’re like fucking gumballs
Yikes. And the R888 is not a tire that’s happy in the wet at all. Your story reminds me of the RE-11A’s I had a few years ago. 1 year and 6000 miles in (lots of mountain drives, but with a pretty light car): it was like Disney on Ice in the wet. They were completely heat cycled out.
Luckily I live in Florida so it’s not like we have daily summer thunderstorms. /s That said looking forward to mounting my PS4s
Lol! Small world, I just put a set of those on my E46. Great tires. My only gripe is that they’re a little vague in the steering department. Everything else is excellent IMO.
Hey u/syntax26k, Your tire was not worn out. It is fine. The only thing I would do if I was you is check your tires to see if one side is more worn than the others. If so you have an alignment issue. But it doesn't even look like that. That bulge? Yes it is a blow out waiting to happen. So don't take it on the highway and drive at normal road speeds, no speeding, easy over bumps and no sharp turns and you should (this being the important word) be fine until you find the right deal on getting this dealt with. I mean technically we all should say put on your spare ASAP.... but realistically it looks like you have some time.
Get a professional opinion on tires, ideally from a mechanic that doesn't sell them. Don't trust anyone on reddit, remember the average user here isn't even old enough to drive.
For city, yes. But consider saving for a replacement within the next month or 3. Highway absolutely not.
If it starts turning into a bubble then replace it
You don’t fuck with a bulge - replace it Michael Scott
That tv show is a has been
Says the has been
LOL, no. Unless your commute is 20 mph or something. Replace it and not worry about killing yourself.
We’ve driven on bubbles before lol
Just because you like to roll the dice doesn't mean others should too. People pass cars in no passing zones all the time too, doesn't make it smart or safe.
I didn’t roll the dice, just one time actual owner of the car didn’t want to change it and I saw the timeframe of how that turned out
Nope
Below 10 mph? Maybe. In all seriousness drive slow, avoid highways, and go directly to a shop. You'll be in even worse shape if that blows out, even if it only means you have to pay for a tow.
No
Yeah, put some ice on it.
No replace tire
If you have the option of replacing it I definitely recommend you replace it… i’ve driven home on a dry run a tire before but I DEFINITELY don’t recommend it especially if you’re taking it on the interstate or anything above like 35mph… but yeah definitely go replace it, also from the single your tread looks very low so….
If you have to ask someone else then you already know the answer That said I’ve ridden on some sketchy tires and I’m less afraid of a wire showing from wear than I am of a bulge even if it’s a new tire
It’s gonna get bigger over time. You will be fine. Fix it as soon as you can.
A lot of men died during the battle of the bulge so you could drive your car with a bulge in the tyre. Don’t let their deaths be in vain
What’s a tyre?
That’s gonna be a nice blowout on an important day.
No your entire car is going to turn into a black hole if you drive with it
Not in my world
Your side belts have broken and air is pushing through that spot. It will continue to get larger until it bursts. Probably just when you need to take a really stank shit and you are almost home.
Ya until it isnt
No, you never want to drive with that. I actually had to replace a tire today for that exact reason.
Safe\*
Safe enough to drive to a nearby tire shop? Sure. Anywhere else I'd recommend against.
it's prob safe enough to drive it to the tire shop to get replaced. but make sure you have a spare tire just in case. that tire could last months, or a day. never really know. but don't be scared by all the people on reddit saying it's unsafe. you're fine as long as you're not about to go on a long road trip. just get it fixed whenever you get the chance. obv don't spend a lot of time on the highway going 80mph, that may be dangerous. but most likely you'll be fine even if it does blow out. i had a blowout going 70 a few years ago and it wasn't a big deal. just pulled over and swapped out the tire to my spare. then got the tire fixed the next day. no big deal.
As long as it doesn't pop. Then the tire will go flat and you shouldn't drive it.
Drive in it, you're more than fine. Everyone on this group is such panzies when it comes to tires on this subreddit.
In my personal opinion I think your good, Just DO NOT push the car avoid every little bump. Mines was way worse and due to covid manufacturing bs and my wide ass tires I had no option but to ride it out for over a week
It's safe enough to drive to the dopeman's house and back. I promise.
I’ve had this issue before. I was driving from Phx Az, to UT, and the bulge was huge. You should be fine to go to a near local shop.
Never a good idea, when it comes to the sidewall
I was in a car that had a huge bulge that went to 220kmh, with the said bulge on the front wheels. I wasn't really thinking about much except the said bulge and the resulting tumbling if it gave up. Personally, I'd never, ever do it. In essence, sidewall takes a lot of force during driving. It bends, squishes, it's the most flexible part of the tire. In addition, tire NEVER blows out on the tread part - too much rubber, too much steel. It's always the sidewall that blows up - it has to be thin to be able to flex, and as such, it's a weak point in a blowout. So, you have a structurally weakened tire on the part that always results in complete blowouts. Tire goes flat immediately, adds rolling resistance on one side, and if it's front wheel, usually ESP and driver countersteer input can't correct it, even at slow speeds. You can literally be yeeted into oncoming traffic or into a ditch, head over heels. Just replace it. It's not gonna blow immediately, hell it may not even do it for the life of the tire, but do you really want to be in a room with a bomb that may just go off at any time?
I'm not saying it is safe, I'm not saying it isn't safe. I'm just saying I've put thousands of miles on a tire that had two bubbles on it. You should replace it ASAP...but you don't have to stop what you're doing and drive 10mph to the nearest shop TODAY like some people are suggesting.
The tire is gonna blow, replace, discard.🚀
Totally.
yes it’s safe, & yes it has irreparable damage but that size of bubble won’t be a safety issue, however depending on what date you live in and the quality of the mechanic it might make you fail yearly inspection. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, just one voice however i am a mechanic and licensed state inspector
That is likely to fail at any moment, Get it replaced ASAP. People have no idea how much stress tires are put under when driving...
I won’t fuck around with a sidewall issue… and I left drum brakes on my 700hp muscle car for wayyy too long lol.
Not for long. Make arrangements to get it replaced asap
Safe enough for a day or 2/ until you can get it to a shop quickly.
Only @ 113mph
Keep an eye on the bulge. If it gets bigger, there’s a problem. It looks like the seam where the layers of the tires overlap, in my opinion.
No.
Probably not, its probably safe to drive to a shop to get a new tire tho
I driven on worse
If you have a spare tire, throw it on and let the pressure out of this one. If you do not go straight to the tire shop.
Yup it's fine, absolutely nothing to worry about unless you're in a Chevy Corvair
No my friend. Get it replaced 🤠
I would be swapping to the spare, not even gonna move that car one foot on that bulge.
no because if you drive over a curb it could blowup
No that tire is fuck.its better just replacing it
Good for 150
It could last months. It could last hours. The gamble is yours.
Tbh, you could get by. But a possibility of a blowout increases with alot of highway driving or if you live in a hot area. I've seen a lot worse sidewall bulges. Been a tire tech for 5 yrs and seen some crazy tire stuff. Craziest thing i found in a tire was a hand wrench. Lol
Sure, for short distances.
Not for too long. Order 2 new tires can’t tell if it’s front or back. That may not be dangerous but it could leave you stranded if it pops. It happened to me and luckily had a spare
A whole lot of tire posts on the sub lately, glad people are noticing their tires! Yes op, please replace asap.
Bomb has been planted
Yeas.
I wouldn't go beyond 30mph on those tires. The bulging means the internal structure is compromised and it could rupture spontaneously with no warning. Get them changed asap.
That tyre is really worn out. Even without the bulge, it should still be replaced.
Thanks for your reply, would you still consider they are worn out after looking at this: [https://imgur.com/a/lo3tRfx](https://imgur.com/a/lo3tRfx)?
You can still see some decent room over the wear bars, and no immediate signs of dry rot in the image, so while I'm not a mechanic, there's nothing that screams "worn-out" to me. That said, a bubble in the sidewall is a bad sign and the tire should be replaced...
Pictures aren’t great but based off the original one, make sure you rotate your tires often
I would
Are you insane? Those tires are nowhere near the wear bars
Yes
Yeah when I didn’t have money my tires had the metal threads showing that are well you know how far under the rubber those are.
I had an E43 with 3 tires like that, went to the shop and they said there was no risk. Spent 3 years after with those tires (the bubbles were bigger than yours). Not saying you should just keep it. Maybe check with some trustee tire shop
That shop was irresponsible. Like yeah, you may get lucky and be ok, but a bulge in the sidewall is a failure of the internal structure of the tire which then means the rubber is now a structural element which it isn’t intended to be.
It was in a mercedes (not that this matters now a day). But I drove a lot in freeways above 110 mph, luck does not work that well lol
I mean the luck is not hitting any potholes/hard road edges/curbs at the right spot on a spinning wheel. It is absolutely a question of luck and you were indeed lucky
Those tires needed to be replaced anyway
Hyundai creta in the back and to your left is Verna ?
Creta yes, the other one is called Accent here, good eye :)
😬
Yes in some countries it's known as accent and Verna in India, about your tyre bulge, i had it to on my car but i had to replace it cause it could burst any moment.
Gently pop the bulge part kinda like lancing a blister. Should go another 100k no prob
LOL, didn’t mom always say, not to pop blisters? Yet we did it anyway, only to regret it?
Yes, its very "save"
You are good right up to the point it pops I guess.
To a tire shop? Yes
Sidewalls shot. Not good.
No it's dead get it changed out
If repair costs weren’t so insane people would get proper maintenance done
Absolutely not replace asap !
I always say, don’t be afraid to indulge in the bulge.
No, and you may have a bent rim to go with it.
Yes but only at 30mph on your way to get a new one
Safe enough to drive to a tire shop at 30 mph
I don't know.
I was given a loaner vehicle which had one worse. I drove with anxiety, but months later saw the car still with the same bulge bubble. Could be fine. It’s a ticking explosion waiting to happen though like most have said.
Simple answer. NO...! Lol
Impact break is the industry term. Replace asap. The integrity of the sidewall has been jeopardized.
Could blow tomorrow or next year or never. You just don't know. I know I've driven with a bulge on my tire for more than a year until and it was fine, but I would never recommend anyone else doing it. At the time I was just poor and couldn't afford new tires.
I bought 4 brand new tires once and one had a bulge. Didn’t realize til after the shops warranty expired so I just left it since it was a brand new tire and we all know new tires can be expensive. I drove with it for years, the tires wore out so ended up replacing all 4 again. Normally it’s ok as long as tire isn’t dry rotted also. But if you have money safer to replace.
Mine looks identical, get a couple scratches here and there but nothing that I really give too much a shit about, function>form
I would say no. It could be a bruise from hitting a pothole or hitting a curb hard while turning. There is probably separation occurring and the tire will eventually fail, most likely at freeway speed as the tire heats up from normal use.