NSA
16-07-2008, 09:42 PM
I had a blow-out about ten miles out of Le Mans on Sunday and I am currently in Paris waiting for new tyres which 'should' arrive tomorrow! 215/45/16s are like rocking horse **** here. Thankfully the rest of the car is OK.
If it helps anybody in future, this is how to get a new front 215/45/16 tyre for a 1997 NSX in France if you don't have European breakdown cover:
1. Clear the next two days in your diary
2. If it is a Sunday, do NOTHING apart from drive at 80kmh towards your destination on your space saver, or get drunk if you are already there. Maybe visit www.allopneus.com and think about which tyre you are going to buy as a replacement and where you are going to have it delivered. EVERYTHING is closed on a Sunday.
3. If it is a bank holiday (such as Bastille Day on 14th July), see #2. If it is Bastille Day, find a town or village with fireworks and a street party. EVERYTHING is closed on bank holidays, but the B day parties are great.
4. If it is <12pm and a working day, get to the internet (extremely hard to find outside of Paris unless you bring a laptop and use WiFi) quickly and order new tyres from www.allopneus.com for express delivery to a service station near you. Spend the rest of the day getting drunk. Your tyres should arrive the following day <1pm.
5. If it is 12-2pm and a working day, do NOTHING. Everything is closed for lunch.
6. If it is >2pm and a working day, do a bit of investigation to assure yourself there is no other way to order 215/45/16s. I tried and I don't think there is unless you pay a Renault dealer €250 for each tyre. Outfits similar to Kwik-Fit do not hold these tyres in stock and have zero interest in ordering them. If you order your tyres online after 12pm, they will take TWO days to arrive, NOT the overnight service indicated on allopneus.com (ask me how I know).
7. Wait for tyres to arrive.
8. Have tyres fitted.
9. Drive on / home.
Steps eight and nine are theoretical; I am at step seven and my tyres should be here tomorrow. I eventually ordered four new Dunlops for £430, which is actually a good price, and about the only silver lining in this sorry tale.
Lessons learned the hard way:
1. Get European breakdown cover for next time I drive on the continent
2. Bring a laptop next time I drive on the continent
3. Do not attempt to achieve anything on a Sunday or bank holiday in France
If anybody knows a quicker way to replace 215/45/16s in France, please tell me. I didn't want to change to 225/40/16s, which a few people have done.
On a lighter note; the Le Mans Classic was great. I saw Kevin there, another two NSXs, had a couple of laps around the circuit, and met the guy who runs Chaters booksellers and has got an NSX but has never heard about this forum. I was surprised to see there wasn't a Honda club area, which is a real shame and something I will try to address for the 2010 Classic.
If it helps anybody in future, this is how to get a new front 215/45/16 tyre for a 1997 NSX in France if you don't have European breakdown cover:
1. Clear the next two days in your diary
2. If it is a Sunday, do NOTHING apart from drive at 80kmh towards your destination on your space saver, or get drunk if you are already there. Maybe visit www.allopneus.com and think about which tyre you are going to buy as a replacement and where you are going to have it delivered. EVERYTHING is closed on a Sunday.
3. If it is a bank holiday (such as Bastille Day on 14th July), see #2. If it is Bastille Day, find a town or village with fireworks and a street party. EVERYTHING is closed on bank holidays, but the B day parties are great.
4. If it is <12pm and a working day, get to the internet (extremely hard to find outside of Paris unless you bring a laptop and use WiFi) quickly and order new tyres from www.allopneus.com for express delivery to a service station near you. Spend the rest of the day getting drunk. Your tyres should arrive the following day <1pm.
5. If it is 12-2pm and a working day, do NOTHING. Everything is closed for lunch.
6. If it is >2pm and a working day, do a bit of investigation to assure yourself there is no other way to order 215/45/16s. I tried and I don't think there is unless you pay a Renault dealer €250 for each tyre. Outfits similar to Kwik-Fit do not hold these tyres in stock and have zero interest in ordering them. If you order your tyres online after 12pm, they will take TWO days to arrive, NOT the overnight service indicated on allopneus.com (ask me how I know).
7. Wait for tyres to arrive.
8. Have tyres fitted.
9. Drive on / home.
Steps eight and nine are theoretical; I am at step seven and my tyres should be here tomorrow. I eventually ordered four new Dunlops for £430, which is actually a good price, and about the only silver lining in this sorry tale.
Lessons learned the hard way:
1. Get European breakdown cover for next time I drive on the continent
2. Bring a laptop next time I drive on the continent
3. Do not attempt to achieve anything on a Sunday or bank holiday in France
If anybody knows a quicker way to replace 215/45/16s in France, please tell me. I didn't want to change to 225/40/16s, which a few people have done.
On a lighter note; the Le Mans Classic was great. I saw Kevin there, another two NSXs, had a couple of laps around the circuit, and met the guy who runs Chaters booksellers and has got an NSX but has never heard about this forum. I was surprised to see there wasn't a Honda club area, which is a real shame and something I will try to address for the 2010 Classic.