Flat tire & majorly damaged wheel :(

[vibenvy]

My mom and I were on our way to Wisconsin this morning when all of a sudden our trip was rudely interrupted.

I was driving my GT when we came up on a person on a bicycle. I got over to the left a little bit to go around them. It was a lined section of road that turned into a turn lane. Neither my mom nor I saw any pot hole, debris, anything. All of a sudden we hit something and there was a terrible noise. I drove a few blocks until I reached a parking lot I could pull off into. I got out and saw the tire was flat which didn't surprise me. I pulled everything out of the back and pulled the spare out. Got the Vibe jacked up and everything. Much to my surprise when I removed the wheel I discovered this:

After the shock wore off, I got the spare put on (my first time ever chaning a flat!) and we headed back home.

It sounds like my insurance should cover it which means I should only have to pay the $100 deductible which is good since we all know these wheels and tires are expensive.

Here are three more pictures:

The wheel strapped down for the ride home (finally getting to utilize the cargo area and tie down straps!):

Rockin' the full size spare & chrome lug nuts!:

Stopped for breakfast on our way home. Parked, looked up and noticed a black '09 base model staring back at us:

[A Psycho Martyr]

That's really unfortunate

Good thing you got that small deductible tho. It'll definitely help.
I got a big spot on one of my rims where I hit a big truck tire on the interstate at night.
Blew my tire out and bent the lip a little 8(
I had to ride stock wheels while i saved for a new tire

[vibenvy]

Yeah, that sucks. I'm going to throw a steelie on there so I'm not riding around on the spare. Hopefully it won't take too long to get a new wheel and tire.

[ponta2147]

OUCH! That looks painful... your poor wheel!

[lovemyraffe]

I've never seen a hole punched through the wheel like that before.

[A Psycho Martyr]

neither have i
hmm....

[09vGT]

Your car looks just like mine.. minus the spare..

[star_deceiver]

Ouch!!!! Looks like you hit a steel spike!

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »

OUCH! That looks painful... your poor wheel!

I know .

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »

I've never seen a hole punched through the wheel like that before.

Quote, originally posted by 06pvibe »

neither have i hmm....

Me either .

Quote, originally posted by 09vGT »

Your car looks just like mine.. minus the spare..

Nice! Silver '09 GTs without spares FTW !

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »

Ouch!!!! Looks like you hit a steel spike!

That's what my dad said. He seems to think it might have been a surveyor's spike or something similar that was left in the road. Neither my mom nor I saw anything in the road and than all of a sudden... BOOM!!!. I even drove back the same way (going the opposite direction) and slowed way down and still saw nothing the road.

Here's an updated picture with the steelie in place of the spare:

[vibolista]

Front tire stood the spike (or whatever it was) up and back tire ate it. That was definitely a nasty event. And a first for me, too. Never saw a wheel skewered like that.

Bummer. At least you have great insurance.

[vibenvy]

Yeah, that's what I figured happened. I'm glad that only the one tire and wheel got decimated because I would not have wanted to have it towed home.

Definitely thank goodness for good insurance .

[TONY TAT2]

Holy sh** !!!

[vibenvy]

You're telling me!

[tpollauf]

Should have read this post BEFORE replying to this situation in another thread! Anyways, now that you'll be getting a new tire & rim, you'll have the damaged one to use as a paperweight (or any other momento). Don't let the shop scrap it for you! This will make a nice conversation piece for many years to come !!!

[vibenvy]

Yeah, that's actually the full size spare in my signature, but I did end up putting one of the winter wheels on so I can drive it normally without any worries.

I definitely think I'll keep the wheel, although I don't really know what I'll do with it .

[ou.grizzly]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »

Y I definitely think I'll keep the wheel, although I don't really know what I'll do with it .

[tpollauf]

Nice suggestion OU-GRIZZLY !!!! I've actually seen a few places recycling rims in this manner. The hot ticket would be to do this: Convert the rim into a "lazy susan" type of a party tray! Just get a wheel bearing, mount it to the rim, mold some trays to fit between the five spokes, fill them with your favorite munchies (cashews, peanuts, chips, dip, etc.) and bring it with you to the next genvibe get together!!! The possibilities are endless, almost like duct tape!!!! This is where the creative, insane mind of mine gets a bit out of hand BUT I really love to modify EVERYTHING.........................

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by tpollauf »

Convert the rim into a "lazy susan" type of a party tray! And bring it with you to the next genvibe get together!!!

best suggestion by far on this site to date!

[vibenvy]

Thank God for insurance!:

#19184110 | 18" | WHEEL | GMPD Price: $326.49 | MSRP: $532.09

I can't wait to talk to the insurance company! They're going to s*** when I tell them the price of one wheel from the dealer. Plus from what I have found online, the tire will be another $200.00 or so. In addition, I'm assuming I should go ahead and get a new tire pressure sensor as well.

Can't wait to hear from them to see what's going to happen with this situation.

[vibolista]

[QUOTE=J_TO_ENVY]Thank God for insurance!:

#19184110 | 18" | WHEEL | GMPD Price: $326.49 | MSRP: $532.09

I can't wait to talk to the insurance company! They're going to s*** when I tell them the price of one wheel from the dealer. Plus from what I have found online, the tire will be another $200.00 or so. In addition, I'm assuming I should go ahead and get a new tire pressure sensor as well.

QUOTE]

What the heck are those wheels made from?!? And the tires?

I see a thick circular piece of glass about 3 feet across or more sitting on your wheel so everyone sitting around it can admire that shrapnel hole, as long as you make sure you mount the wheel so it can turn. That would be a great "coffee table". At least a conversation piece.

[vibenvy]

Yeah, a coffee table would be cool for sure, but unfortunately I don't really have anywhere to put it or anything so I will more than likely just let the body shop do whatever with it.

UPDATE: I dropped the wheel and tire off at a local body shop today so they could take pictures of it, send an estimate to State Farm and get everything ordered. The guy at the body shop came out to look at it and he was like, "WOW!". He said he's never seen anything like that before. He also said whatever it was must have still been stuck in the road since it didn't do any damage to anything except the wheel and tire. He said he thought the wheel well would be all mangled, but he said everything looked fine. The center cap for sure and more than likely the TPMS will be fine and won't need to be replaced. He was very impressed that I knew all about the TPMS. I told him that it looked fine and unless it was mangled on the inside of the tire, it shouldn't need to be replaced since a new TPMS would require a re-programming at a dealer which would be a pain. He also took careful note of the directional tire to make sure he ordered the correct one. He is going to call me when he finds out about parts and prices and such. I am hoping this doesn't take too long as I am getting tired of seeing that one winter wheel on there .

[tpollauf]

[QUOTE=J_TO_ENVY]Yeah, a coffee table would be cool for sure, but unfortunately I don't really have anywhere to put it or anything so I will more than likely just let the body shop do whatever with it.

NOOOOOO.. Don't let the body shop keep the damaged wheel. Bring it with you to the Indy meet and I'll take it off your hands and even give you $$$ for it (scrap value of $10 or $20 easy ) If it is a storage thing, then have the body shop separate the rim and have them scrap the aluminum core part AND give you the Mag portion (they do come apart I believe)). This is a rare opportunity to reuse a 2009 Vibe 18' GT rim, so if I can get it from you somehow then GREAT Keep us all posted

[vibenvy]

We'll see what happens.

UPDATE: I received a letter from State Farm today stating that they are wanting to use a remanufactured wheel instead of a new one (of course they're going to take the cheaper way out). There's no way in (removed) I am getting a remanufactured wheel which means if I want a brand new wheel I will have to pay the difference. I am stopping by the body shop tomorrow to see what they have to say about the whole situation.

The price quoted for a remanufactured wheel is $284.00. A new tire was $185.00.

[ou.grizzly]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »

We'll see what happens. UPDATE: I received a letter from State Farm today stating that they are wanting to use a remanufactured wheel instead of a new one (of course they're going to take the cheaper way out). There's no way in (removed) I am getting a remanufactured wheel which means if I want a brand new wheel I will have to pay the difference. I am stopping by the body shop tomorrow to see what they have to say about the whole situation. The price quoted for a remanufactured wheel is $284.00. A new tire was $185.00.

Reman is just as good and you get a warranty through them

But I would also call State Farm and tell them if you get a reman wheel, your bumper to bumper warranty on the rim is voided, so they need to replace it with a new one or compensate you for the loss of value and not having it covered under warranty.

[vibenvy]

I stopped by the body shop today. The guy had the remanufactured wheel there already so he took me in the back to show it to me. It is in perfect condition so I am going to go ahead and just get that one so I will only have to pay the $100 deductible. He said the remanufactured wheel has a better warranty than if I got a brand new one from GM. He is going to have it mounted and balanced on Monday so I am going to stop by after work and it should be ready to go on. He is re-using the TPMS and the center cap.

I am happy that this has all only taken a little over a week. I can't wait to have my baby back to normal again.

Oh, Joe (the guy at the body shop) and I were discussing the TPMSs and people not maintaining their vehicles. He made a comment that he can tell mine is well cared for. I responded, of course it is! It's my baby ! I think he is surprised because I'm a woman and I know my stuff about the TPMSs and all and the Vibe was nice and clean when I first stopped the other day. It makes me feel good when people say stuff like that to me .

[tpollauf]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »

I think he is surprised because I'm a woman and I know my stuff about the TPMSs .

You can thank this forum (and maybe others) for educating yourself about our rides and the mechanisms that make them run Also maybe you already have had past mechanical experience in this field. It is always helpful

Don't forget to tell them that "some guy" wants to recycle the damaged rim and have them put it in your trunk when you take delivery next week

[ponta2147]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »

I think he is surprised because I'm a woman and I know my stuff about the TPMSs and all and the Vibe was nice and clean when I first stopped the other day. It makes me feel good when people say stuff like that to me .

I love it too! It's a great "problem" to have (as long as it's a compliment and not people giving you (removed) about it, lol)

I'm glad everything is getting fixed for you! I know I can't stand it when something is out of place on my car, so I can't imagine all the frustration this would cause. Glad everyone is being cooperative. And do try to hang on to that wheel, even if it's just to give to a fellow Viber for some "arts and crafts"

[vibenvy]

Well, I got the "new" wheel and tire today. I am not 100% satisfied because in the sunlight/daylight the gunmetal paint is significantly lighter on the "new" wheel (at least in my opinion). Also, the paintjob is a little "rough". It's not as smooth as the factory paintjob. Neither one of these things would be noticeable to 99% of the population, but they're noticeable to me and they're driving me nuts . I also have to re-silicone the center cap so it doesn't pop out.

I think I am going to go to my favorite body shop one of these days and see if they could re-paint the gunmetal on all the wheels over the winter so they would match. Buying a new wheel from GM Parts Direct would be $450.00 so I figured re-painting them should be cheaper than that, plus it would 100% guarantee the color would match.

[ponta2147]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »

Well, I got the "new" wheel and tire today. I am not 100% satisfied because in the sunlight/daylight the gunmetal paint is significantly lighter on the "new" wheel (at least in my opinion). Also, the paintjob is a little "rough". It's not as smooth as the factory paintjob. Neither one of these things would be noticeable to 99% of the population, but they're noticeable to me and they're driving me nuts . I also have to re-silicone the center cap so it doesn't pop out. I think I am going to go to my favorite body shop one of these days and see if they could re-paint the gunmetal on all the wheels over the winter so they would match. Buying a new wheel from GM Parts Direct would be $450.00 so I figured re-painting them should be cheaper than that, plus it would 100% guarantee the color would match.

I wonder if they painted it the color that *my* wheels are (which is a really light grey)

[vibenvy]

I came home from work today to a message from the guy at the body shop. I called him back and he said he had a brand new wheel there for me. I went down there immediately and sure enough, there in a box was a brand new genuine GM wheel ! I could tell immediately just by looking at it that it was the real thing. The color was right and the powder coating was flawless. I checked it all over for scratches and such and gave it the okay. He called out to a local shop and I went down there and they took the tire off the remanufactured wheel and re-mounted it on the brand new wheel and got everything balanced and ready to go. The Vibe is now as good as new again. All that's left to do is re-silicone the center cap this weekend.

I couldn't be any happier right now .

[tpollauf]

The suspense is killing me.... What happened to the damaged rim? Don't let a fellow Viber down. Please update the story when you get a chance. Thanks!

[vibenvy]

I have no clue what happened to it. I called down there this morning to see if I could come pick it up and he said it was gone already. They must have scrapped it already.

[ponta2147]

That's great that you got the right wheel with the right color! Did you ask them to find one or what?

[tpollauf]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »

I have no clue what happened to it. I called down there this morning to see if I could come pick it up and he said it was gone already. They must have scrapped it already.

Hmmmmmmmmm This is where you should have been a bit assertive You, as the customer, almost always will have the upper hand. In this case you should have INSISTED for them to provide you with the damaged parts (on your terms) WRITTEN up in the original proposal. This way it would have been in writing As far as the shop saying it was gone... well they know exactly where it went. They are simply not informing you as the job is complete, case closed Not a real big deal BUT if you would have kept it , I had some plans for it. Drive your Vibe as safely as possible so that you don't go through this again My free time (what little I have) can now be focused on the several future mods I have up my sleeve. All you Vibers will be the first to know what I am creating

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »

That's great that you got the right wheel with the right color! Did you ask them to find one or what?

Nope. I'm guessing what happened is after Joe at the body shop talked to the wheel remanufacturing company and was told that even if they did another wheel it would turn out the same, he just called State Farm and basically said I wouldn't be happy unless they got me a brand new wheel, so rather than keep having to deal with it, they decided it would be easier to just give me a brand new wheel . I was never b***** to anyone or anything, I was just firm in that I was not happy with the remanufactured wheel and I wanted the situation remedied properly. We have been loyal State Farm customers for a LONG time so I'm sure that helped out as well.

It was funny because Joe was telling me that even if I got a brand new wheel from GM the color might not match which I didn't believe for a second, but I wasn't going to argue. Needless to say when he saw the new wheel he was surprised because it was a perfect color match with a perfect, smooth texture just like the 3 original wheels.

Later today I am finally going to re-silicone the center cap. Tomorrow my touch up paint should be in at the dealer and I am going to get a couple plugs painted to go in place of the front license plate, so in only a few weeks the Vibe is completely back to normal and than some which makes me very happy considering I was really bummed when the "accident" first happened. New pictures will be posted as soon as I can get it washed, clayed and waxed.

[Wingnut]

lol!!! That sucks!!

[vibenvy]

lol!!! That sucks!!

Yeah. I figured this thread would make you feel at least a little bit better about needing a new tire! Just remember... it could always be worse !

[DennisLee]

In this case you should have INSISTED for them to provide you with the damaged parts (on your terms) WRITTEN up in the original proposal.

Actually I believe whoever is paying for the repair gets the damaged parts. It's kind of like if your car is totaled, you don't get to keep both the check from the insurance company and the damaged car (unless you pay the salvage value). And yes, I know, there is a deductible, but what the insurance company paid is far more.

[CharlesinGA]

Old thread revived.......... When you buy a wheel from GM they charge you a core charge and want the old wheel back. I recently bought a new wheel to replace a bent aluminum rim on my '04 Vibe and they charged me a $50 core, the wheel was bent so I couldn't use it, so I got my money back returning it.

I suspect its a liability thing, as GM probably wants damaged and defective wheels out of use and doesn't want any falling in the hands of a "rebuilder" as GM would still hold liability if it failed later on.

Charles

[vibenvy]

Old thread revived.......... When you buy a wheel from GM they charge you a core charge and want the old wheel back. I recently bought a new wheel to replace a bent aluminum rim on my '04 Vibe and they charged me a $50 core, the wheel was bent so I couldn't use it, so I got my money back returning it.

I suspect its a liability thing, as GM probably wants damaged and defective wheels out of use and doesn't want any falling in the hands of a "rebuilder" as GM would still hold liability if it failed later on.

Good to know !

[Flip-Side]

That...looks like a bullet hole...

[vibenvy]

That...looks like a bullet hole...

That's what I thought too! It actually sounded like a gunshot when I hit whatever I hit.