For future reference, Tirerack has the OEM tires in stock for $143:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireS...tCode=49560&skipOver=true&minSpeedRating=S&minLoadRating=S&tab=OE&filterType=oe

Finding one on short notice could certainly be an issue - this is one of the benefits of buying a set of winter wheels & tires (though they haven't really seemed necessary this year) - I have another set of wheels and tires I could put on the car if something happened until I got replacement parts sorted out.

 

I got a flat and had to wait a day for the dealer to get one. So as you say it is not uncommon for the dealer not to have one in stock.

 

This is the primary reason I bought a donut spare tire and scissors jack at an auto junk yard ($20 total). If traveling locally, it's in my garage and either my wife or I can run it out to the car. That allows me the opportunity to continue driving the Volt while ordering a new tire off TireRack or wherever I get the best price.

 

Those donut spares are so small, I would not recommend doing anything but "limping" home at low speeds. I certainly wouldn't endorse driving the car at 70mph for a couple of days all over town.

If you want piece of mind, you could always order new tire from Tirerack and store it for an emergency. Then when you need a new set of tires, just buy 3 new and save one of the old ones to be the new emergency spare.

 

Robinpdx, I had a similar experience on December 5th, I clipped a curb on the left side (didn't see it, no street lighting) and took out both left tires. Ended up repairing two wheels (didn't know that was possible), replacing two tires, replacing two TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) transmitters, replacing the left rear hub assembly, and the rear axle. Just shy of $2,000. Got the car back December 29th. Fortunately I was on vacation in Florida for most of that time so wasn't overly inconvenienced. Onstar did great in my case as well.
Had some technical difficulties getting the right rear tire to the left front position so the tow truck could pull it up on the flatbed. Then he didn't have a long enough 4X4 to go between the car and the winch cables to keep from destroying the front end, so I ever so carefully drove it up onto the flat bed. Three and a half hours later I was finally home, it happened about a mile from my house.

Wentworth Chevrolet couldn't find any tires in the Pacific NW so had to ship out of California and I had to pay $250 for each tire. I felt Wentworth did a good job of wrangling parts and fixing the car, and I was very impressed with Onstar and the Washington County Sherrifs deputy who stayed with me for an hour and a half putting out flares while I waited on the tow truck.

 

Ended up repairing two wheels (didn't know that was possible), replacing two tires, replacing two TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) transmitters, replacing the left rear hub assembly, and the rear axle. Just shy of $2,000.

You may want to go over the bill with the dealership again. There is no "rear axle" on fwd car.

- Mark

 

My Volt did not have the tire kit in the storage area next to the charger. Is it supposed to be included?

 

There should have been an air-pump next to the EVSE in the back. That's the "repair kit". It has two settings, one for air and one for "goop" (CAUTION: The default is goop!). In an emergency repair situation you can goop the tire to fix a minor flat.

For a slow leak most find it better (and cheaper) to go to a tire store...

 

Seems to be a common occurrence with these tires (weak sidewalls). I had a 1" gash as well back in October. It came to $365 with tire and 4 wheel alignment. I suggested to the VA that dealers keep at least one tire in stock. I think that's a reasonable request if they're selling a car with no spare. The VA agreed but I'm sure that went nowhere.

 

As a joke I told a local volt owner that we should do a geocaching with a Volt tire. Now it starting to sound like a good idea.

Do any of the road service people put a tire on a wheel these days ? the ballance will be off but it would get you going.

 

strangeengine-chevy also uses leaf springs and a chain driven 2 valve per cylinder push rod engine on a $100k car that smokes everything produced on an assembly line at the ring. including $400k ferraris. its called a z06 carbon.

 

Yeah, that's embarrassing, too. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

The Z06 is an amazing car and the screaming bargain of the performance world, but if you think it's truly the equivalent of a $400K Ferrari, well, you've haven't spent much time with $400K Ferraris. They are apples and oranges.

- Mark