One evening last week, around midnight I was awoken from my sleep by the telephone.
"Dad.......I've got a puncture......." said my 17 year old son.
"Well, just change the wheel"
"Don't know how to"
"Look in the handbook"
"It's dark and I don't know what to do"........

Got dressed, grabbed torch and went off into the night looking for my offspring.

There he was, at the side of an unlit (60mph) road - with not even the side lights on (never mind the hazard lights).
"Worried I would flatten the battery!"

Torch out and have a look .... oh dear .... a severely bent rim, smashed up wheel trim and mashed-up (his term) tyre (nearside front).

"I don't know what happened - I must have clipped the kerb!"

My response is censored ******.

Ah, the delights of parenthood.

New rim, trim, tyre and tracking will cost him (me?) getting on to £200.

However, the problem....

The car's only done 5000 miles and I obviously want matching tyres all round. I cannot find a Continental Contact EP in this size anywhere - The only Continentals available, that fit, are a different tread pattern. (Panda Active on "wheelbarrow" sized 155/80/13) - in fact, the standard tyres are so thin that they're hardly any bigger than the space-saver!!!

So, I'm faced with throwing away the other front tyre and putting a pair of new Michelins on the back as I don't want different tyres on the same axle.

My lad thinks I'm making a big deal out of nothing and would himself, given the chance, rather save himself the money and put a remolded "Teflon Skidmaster" on for a tenner.

Advice / comments / support please.......

Doug

Don't let 17 year olds who have just passed their test drive your new car at night?

Or that not the advice you wanted?

Just change the 1 tyre. It's not as if you're going to notice the difference. EcoContact EP? £26.40 delivered from mytyres.

Hellcat said:

Don't let 17 year olds who have just passed their test drive your new car at night?

Click to expand...

I myself wouldn’t have odd tyres on one axle of my car - so there’s absolutely no way I’ll let him loose, especially the way I suspect he drives, in anything other than a 100% good car.

Sorry, but you’ll find that seventeen year old lads are way beyond the “make sure you’re in by 10 o’clock” stage. It’s all cars, girls, gigs, rugby, mates, …..oh yes, and a bit of studying if they have the time.

I was just the same at his age – albeit, mine was a banger Morris 1100 that I threw down the lanes into the darkness.

Lads will be lads …… Just trying to keep mine in one piece!!!

Doug

I'm in agreement with you. I wouldn't want tyres with a different tread pattern on the same axle... There's many a car in the scrapyard for that very reason. Skip Kwik-fit and go to an independent. They're usually better service and more willing to get you the brand you really want.

Hope your son bought and paid for the car and insurance himself... I intend to make any kids I have buy their own car and pay their own insurance (like what I did). It tends to make you that little bit more careful, knowing that you have invested your own money in it!

I did ask if they were Conti ecocontact EP tyres...

Don't let him borrow your car again until he has proved himself on his own car, which he will take a part time job to pay for - or get a loan from a bank for if he can't be assed to save.

Get him to pay for the damage he has caused, by getting that part time job.

If you keep baling him out he'll never learn to stand on his own feet. I know lots of modern parents like you, and if you don't watch out he'll still be at home when he's twenty-five, and still driving your car. Be kind to him and teach him some responsibility. If you dropped dead tomorrow he'd spend his inheritance, and then he'd have to cope - so let the coping begin...

As for the tyres, get the same ones on the same axles. That he suggests remoulds just shows what he thinks of you and your car that he trashed.

Afraid most homeowners have already made it impossible for most young adults to get onto the property ladder. So anyone with kids should be expecting them to be at home until they're well into their 20s...

Ouch!!!...... I was only asking about tyres, and wasn’t expecting a lecture about “modern parents like you”!!!

For the record, I’d rather spend my money ensuring my kids drive around in a safe modern car with all the air bags, crumple zones, belt pre-tensioners, etc, etc than risk them running around in some banger rust-bucket old Metro, or whatever.

Me, well I did drive the Panda once….. but with my hood up, and in dark glasses – just in case the neighbours saw me and thought I’d become poor !!!!!

Doug

Doug123 said:

Me, well I did drive the Panda once….. but with my hood up, and in dark glasses – just in case the neighbours saw me and thought I’d become poor !!!!!

Doug

Click to expand...

Because only poor people drive Fiat Pandas?

Hellcat said:

Because only poor people drive Fiat Pandas?

Click to expand...

No, only those with no appreciation of irony

After such a careful description of the cause you can't really expect a non-reaction.

If it was merely a 'what sort of tyre' problem you wouldn't have bothered with the details. I know you don't want him driving a banger, but then these days bangers hardly exist. Looks to me like yet another kid full of a sense of utter entitlement, lacking empathy and uninterested in responsibility. Not necessarily all your fault though, the government is trying to make us all helpess dependent, irresponsible morons. Nothing but scare stories and Gordon and Tony know best solutions. With more and more tax taken so that they can better help us, on their terms.

Gotta get outa here.
One more year...

Same tyres on same axle.

seriously dim kid, at 17 I don't think there was anything I hadn't done at the side of the road ( car repair wise anyway)

Well, I thought I would share an entertaining story with you, to help pass a long boring afternoon.

However and unbelievably, my tyre woes have been turned into a personal attack on my parenting skills and, unforgivably, my son's intelligence.

The only "seriously dim" person here is the character who thought my comment regarding "becoming poor" was serious.

I'm glad to be in a financial position to buy my boy a car - why not? Thankfully, even Gordon and Tony haven't yet stopped us spending our money on whatever we like.

100hpJames, you've overstepped the mark.

Sod the lot of you! - Moderator, please delete my membership of this forum.

Doug,

We're not all rude and offensive here...

I had a puncture after only about 2000 miles and it was really annoying to waste a practically brand new tyre. I bought another Continental as I did not want to mix tyres. No other problems...(touch wood!)

Oscar

Hey

im sorry you took offence at what they said, i dont think they ment it to be personal. Its their humor i guess, not a reflection upon you or your lad, i was the same at 17, and havent changed much even though im in my 30;s now!

Only trying to support you actually.

You were only entertaining up to a point you see.

And your comment wasn't all that ironic either; lots of people are struggling to afford any car, so your comment about seemingly becoming poor might have hurt some of them too. Think on that.

And I might have been on that curb when your son hit it.

And you might not have easily been able to afford the repair charges. You might have been asking for a bit of assistance in pointing out to your kid that he ought to be a bit more thoughtful, and careful, in future.

I am sure no one was suggesting your son is unintelligent, just thoughtless. Not the same. The world has changed, we all know that, but we all have opinions, and if others of us here had taken umbridge at comments made in reply to our contributions, and stormed off at some perceived slight or other, there might not be that many of us left.

Try and chill.

handbags down, chill pills all round, giggle at yourselves, and lets leave it there....eh?

btw doug, welcome to the forum, and i do mean that sincerely

Hello Doug, welcome to the forum.

i know how this lot can make you feel somtimes and understand they do take it a little far some times (tend to do it to me alot )

personally i thought it was an amusing story, we obviously share a similar sence of humor eh?

hope you can see past these poor comments and feel welcomed by the majority.

Ryan

Doug123 said:

One evening last week, around midnight I was awoken from my sleep by the telephone.
"Dad.......I've got a puncture......." said my 17 year old son.
Doug

Click to expand...

Sound like generational role reversal.

At that age it was me that got called out by the old man to fix his car, with the tools I used to carry I could fix anything by the road side.
No association with the motor trade either, If you didnt know how to do everything on the car you couldnt afford to run one.

Advice? buy him a haynes manual and a set of tools for a present (more than I got) then give him all the family cars for repairs and servicing and put your feet up for the next 40 years or so. ( as happened to me
The situation you describe about a 17yr old calling his father out for something as simple as a puncture would have made him a laughing stock to my generation at the same age.
Its how it was for me and no offence is intended,
Regards

Doug123 said:

Me, well I did drive the Panda once….. but with my hood up, and in dark glasses – just in case the neighbours saw me and thought I’d become poor !!!!!
Doug

Click to expand...

Welcome to the Forum Doug, hope it doesnt offend you by proximity if my Punto van pulls alongside you in traffic