Well it has happened.

My wife has just called from the side of the MA Pike (yuk!) to report a flat tire on her 2002 S60 awd.

The car has the 16" inch rims with Pirellis. (I think this is right, it is NOT an R).

I have 3 questions

1. How far can the car be driven without damage to the bevel gear or similar on the doughnut (she is 50 miles away...)?

2. Is it plausible to replace 2 tires on the same axle first (rear) and then the front (allowing our credit card to cool down for say a month in between)?

3. Tire recommnendations?

This unscheduled replacement should solve some of the vibration issues the car is plagued with, but will certainly push back the replacement of the warped front rotors. We live/drive in rural MA and VT on dirt/snow/potholes a lot. I have found the Pirellis disappointing.

Thanks,

Rod

One thing you can try is to go to a REAL tire dealer amd have him find you a used tire with the same circumference as your three others.

I have been dealing with the same tire guy since I started to drive in 1964 and he does things like that for me.

He found me a perfect replacement for a damaged Michelin that I had and a nice pair of used tires for an old trailer that I use for storage. I'll bet that I have the only travel trailer around with studded tires.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 415,000 miles put on 9 bricks

Pull the donut out and put it next to one of the tires and see if the diameter is really close. You have the newer version of the awd, I think, which helps matters.
I, personally would not drive it farther than 15 minutes. Perhaps with several 20 minute breaks for cool down, you could get it home. I have a AAA card for a 100mile tow.
As for getting replacement tires, it depends on the amount of tread on the 3 older tires. Could the tire shop cut down the tread on the new tire???
NO, you cannot put 2 new tires on the front now and 2 on the back later. Sorry.

Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi

Hi Klaus,
Thanks for that. I have just looked carefully at the rim and have posted a message that the rim is bent. For some reason that does not seem top be showing up on the message index.

Ant thoughts you have on repair/replacement of a 17" inch rim would be helpful. (the deflection is less than .25" over about 1.5" of the circumference.

thanks,

Rod

Contact all of the junk yards in your area. A reconditioned wheel should be around $125, one with a few scratches about half that. Ebay is possible, but shipping costs will be high. Your dealer has a new one for about $650. LOL

When you get home, jack up the car and remove a good wheel and see if it fits into the spare well. If it does, buy 2 wheels!

Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi