[megame2942]

Well, it happened. I was in Manhattan, KS and some A$$HOLE slashed my front right tire. It was dark out and I had no light light so I did not get to see the extent of the damage until I tried to use the compressor kit. By the time I was able to get a light it was too late and I used it up. I bought two tires and going to buy a wheel and keep a spare. That tire kit Ford puts in the trunk sure helped.

 

[Mr.BULLITT]

GHEY!!!

I hate dumb people.

 

[JackDW - 852]

Call Ford and yell at them

Call Ford Customer Support and demand to talk to a supervisor (the people who answer the call only know how to read a script and have no authority). Yell real loud about not having a spare. When they act like they never heard about this before, tell them that is a lie cause I called and yelled about it. Don't expect to get much action at this level but maybe if enough people yell loud enough it will get through. Now go the the salesman and sales manager and yell at them. What they may do is take a spare from a GT on the lot for you. As a salesman explained to me, things disappear all the time and this is how they handle these types of issues. You may have to yell at everyone but action will happen.
:evil:

 

[08_0067]

Call Ford Customer Support and demand to talk to a supervisor (the people who answer the call only know how to read a script and have no authority). Yell real loud about not having a spare. When they act like they never heard about this before, tell them that is a lie cause I called and yelled about it. Don't expect to get much action at this level but maybe if enough people yell loud enough it will get through. Now go the the salesman and sales manager and yell at them. What they may do is take a spare from a GT on the lot for you. As a salesman explained to me, things disappear all the time and this is how they handle these types of issues. You may have to yell at everyone but action will happen.
:evil:

Why is this ford's fault or the dealer's fault. The car does not come with a spare tire, and that is the way we all bought it. The bullitt option states this. Don't blame ford or the dealers on this one, blame the A$$ wad that slashed his tire!

 

[JackDW - 852]

FORD.........Give us a real spare tire

Why is this ford's fault or the dealer's fault. The car does not come with a spare tire, and that is the way we all bought it. The bullitt option states this. Don't blame ford or the dealers on this one, blame the A$$ wad that slashed his tire!

I agree that the slashed tire is not Ford's fault, but who's fault is it that you get stranded beside the road due to no spare tire. :evil: I love driving the back roads and mountains with the Bullitt. Those curves are a lot of fun. If I have a flat while out in the sticks due to a cut tire (how about I hit a rock) I am stuck beside the road. You can call Roadside assistance but the best they can do is tow you someplace (after waiting how many hours for Roadside assistance)and if it is afterhours or Sunday, you are stuck because of a simple flat tire. I BLAME FORD for leaving me stranded. :evil: A simple "space saver" donut would get me somewhere where I can get a tire fixed. Yes, BLAME FORD for being too cheap to provide a spare. Buy the cheapest Mustang on the lot and you get a spare. Buy the more expense and you get the prevlige of being stranded by FORD being so cheap.

OK, OK, I am breathing easier. SLOWER SLOWER.....feeling better. I think I made my point. Just MHO. Getting off the soap box....sorry to sound so bitter. Love my Bullitt. My dealer worked with me but it still a sore point.

 

[08_0067]

I agree that the slashed tire is not Ford's fault, but who's fault is it that you get stranded beside the road due to no spare tire. :evil: I love driving the back roads and mountains with the Bullitt. Those curves are a lot of fun. If I have a flat while out in the sticks due to a cut tire (how about I hit a rock) I am stuck beside the road. You can call Roadside assistance but the best they can do is tow you someplace (after waiting how many hours for Roadside assistance)and if it is afterhours or Sunday, you are stuck because of a simple flat tire. I BLAME FORD for leaving me stranded. :evil: A simple "space saver" donut would get me somewhere where I can get a tire fixed. Yes, BLAME FORD for being too cheap to provide a spare. Buy the cheapest Mustang on the lot and you get a spare. Buy the more expense and you get the prevlige of being stranded by FORD being so cheap.

OK, OK, I am breathing easier. SLOWER SLOWER.....feeling better. I think I made my point. Just MHO. Getting off the soap box....sorry to sound so bitter. Love my Bullitt. My dealer worked with me but it still a sore point.

Glad ya feel better . back on the subject, sorry to hear what happened Mike! some people really SUCK!

 

[cdynaco]

questions - what ran out - the inflation kit or the compressor?
are off brand inflation kits more effective? do we need a better compressor?

PS: get a flashlight! harbor freight has incredible palm size LED's for like 4.99. you wouldn't believe how bright they are and they take up no space in the glove box.

 

[dg517]

I feel for ya..Mike.....a slashed tire is a sign of some really stupid stuff going on....i would be HoT

 

[lous0951]

Hey slashed

Hey dude, I can almost relate. My son (driving, 16yr) and I drove to his baseball game one Saturday. Somehow he ran over whatever causing a 1 1/2" gash in the right rear. At 278 miles on my rod, the tire cost me 160 bucks and 2 days without the car.:evil:

 

[bullitt4428]

Well, it happened. I was in Manhattan, KS and some A$$HOLE slashed my front right tire. It was dark out and I had no light light so I did not get to see the extent of the damage until I tried to use the compressor kit. By the time I was able to get a light it was too late and I used it up. I bought two tires and going to buy a wheel and keep a spare. That tire kit Ford puts in the trunk sure helped.

This slashed tire situation sucks no matter which way you cut it. No pun intended. It sucks first of all because some moron is jealous and it also sucks because Ford did not engineer and include at least a properly fitting donut spare. I admit, I was negligent to check for a spare before I signed on the dotted line, so I'll take my lumps like a man for that negligence.

I know there are discussion issues with our wheel and tire size which may or may not fit properly into the spare wheel well. But maybe something good might come out of this and you'll come across the right combination of wheel and tire that will properly fit into the spare wheel well.

Do share with us if you find the right combination that will fit the wheel well.

Considering the ilk that can slash a tire, I do think I'm going to invest in a set of wheel locks to prevent all-out wheel theft.

 

[megame2942]

Well, I found out a couple of interesting things:
1. The SVT compressor that comes with the Bullitt is an expensive thing. Close to $300 for a new one and $150 to replace the fix a flat cannister. Evidently you have to buy a few other items ( replacement kit)
2. Even if I did buy the "replacement kit" opening up the cannister area of the compressor seems to require a special tool.
3. My dealer, probably similar to other dealers, had not run into this situation before so they are not very helpful.
4. Ford did NOT think this through. If they did, they probably thought the odds of this happening are rare.

Anyway, I bought the full size wheel from Ford and I am trying to deal with this "1.5 gap my full size gives me in the trunk. As stated previosly the tire sits about "1.5 above the well and even though the tire DOES fit, it is not ideal.


BTW: Interesting note. There happens to be another BLACK 08/09 Bullitt in the city this happended at. I saw it in a parking lot and I waited about 20 min to talk with this person. He/She did come out and I had to leave. What are the odds. 10% of the Bullitts are black. I can only assume this person ticked someone off and I paid for it.

 

[Lightning]

why not just carry a space saver from a regular GT with 18" wheels?

As long as it bolts on and clears the rotors then you are golden.

The issue with the bicycle tire on our Bullitts is the diff, do not put it on the back end! But, no reason at all not to put it on the front (other than the craptastic handling that would result).

So, front tire goes flat, put the spare on the front, as usual. Rear tire goes flat; change the front to the spare, and then move the good tire that came off the front on to the flat on the back. Good to go.

Sure, it's extra work if a rear goes out, but sure as heck beats waiting for roadside to pick you up and then leave you stranded at a tire shop. And heaven forbid what would ensue if you cut your rear tire somewhere you get no cell service...



Is an old trick from the Taurus SHO world where a (fairly) common upgrade is to put 13" Cobra brakes on the front end. The Taurus space saver will not clear the big brakes, so they pull a good tire from the back, put the spare on there, and then put the good tire on the front - just the reverse of what we need...

 

[cdynaco]

why not just carry a space saver from a regular GT with 18" wheels?

As long as it bolts on and clears the rotors then you are golden.

The issue with the bicycle tire on our Bullitts is the diff, do not put it on the back end! But, no reason at all not to put it on the front (other than the craptastic handling that would result).

So, front tire goes flat, put the spare on the front, as usual. Rear tire goes flat; change the front to the spare, and then move the good tire that came off the front on to the flat on the back. Good to go.

Sure, it's extra work if a rear goes out, but sure as heck beats waiting for roadside to pick you up and then leave you stranded at a tire shop. And heaven forbid what would ensue if you cut your rear tire somewhere you get no cell service...

Seems like the GT space saver tires were 17"?? (There have been so many discussions on this I can't keep the answers straight. ) As long as they clear the calipers/rotors, I'm OK with a double tire change if needed. (Although I'd like to get a 12V impact wrench.)

Also, why not use after market 12V compressors and aerosol tire inflation?

If Ford's SVT is so crappy - and stupid expensive (like most Dealer parts) - why use it?

 

[megame2942]

Mike & Charliehorse,
Both good points. However, regarding the 18" spare, dealer could not find a part number. As a matter of fact, he was looking for that first. When he could not find one, he asked one of the service guys, after some research they discovered Ford does not offer one. Regarding the compressor, I will keep my stock compressor in the trunk along with my full size spare. Eventually, I will buy a can of market fix a flat but right now with a spare I don't see the need. Besides, fix a flat will not fix a slashed tire.

 

[Lightning]

even one off of a 17" wheel car should be fine, as long as it clears our brakes. My understanding is that we have 13" rotors, which should pose no problem for the standard bicycle tire. 14" rotors would be a different story I am sure.

Someone with a good relationship with their service/parts department may just have to take their car in to their local dealer and try it. Wouldn't actually have to bolt it on, just fit it on to the hub to see if it clears everything. My feeling is that it would clear, but I definately would want to try it before shelling out a couple hundred bucks.


Or surely someone here has a S197 mustang with a space saver they could try on the front of their Bullitt for us...

 

[MustangLynda]

Seems like the GT space saver tires were 17"?? (There have been so many discussions on this I can't keep the answers straight. ) As long as they clear the calipers/rotors, I'm OK with a double tire change if needed. (Although I'd like to get a 12V impact wrench.)

Also, why not use after market 12V compressors and aerosol tire inflation?

If Ford's SVT is so crappy - and stupid expensive (like most Dealer parts) - why use it?

it's 17" :smile:

 

[RCSignals]

I agree that the slashed tire is not Ford's fault, but who's fault is it that you get stranded beside the road due to no spare tire. :evil: I love driving the back roads and mountains with the Bullitt. Those curves are a lot of fun. If I have a flat while out in the sticks due to a cut tire (how about I hit a rock) I am stuck beside the road. You can call Roadside assistance but the best they can do is tow you someplace (after waiting how many hours for Roadside assistance)and if it is afterhours or Sunday, you are stuck because of a simple flat tire. I BLAME FORD for leaving me stranded. :evil: A simple "space saver" donut would get me somewhere where I can get a tire fixed. Yes, BLAME FORD for being too cheap to provide a spare. Buy the cheapest Mustang on the lot and you get a spare. Buy the more expense and you get the prevlige of being stranded by FORD being so cheap.

OK, OK, I am breathing easier. SLOWER SLOWER.....feeling better. I think I made my point. Just MHO. Getting off the soap box....sorry to sound so bitter. Love my Bullitt. My dealer worked with me but it still a sore point.

Unfortunately these inflator kits are becoming more common. The Challenger comes with one as well, and I read the Camaro will too.
Many European cars come with them now too, and I've also heard that soon they will be mandatory for all new cars in Europe.

Remember, our cars do caome with Roadside Emergency Service from Ford. With a slashed tire they'd have to flatbed the car.

 

[RCSignals]

Well, it happened. I was in Manhattan, KS and some A$$HOLE slashed my front right tire. It was dark out and I had no light light so I did not get to see the extent of the damage until I tried to use the compressor kit. By the time I was able to get a light it was too late and I used it up. I bought two tires and going to buy a wheel and keep a spare. That tire kit Ford puts in the trunk sure helped.

Mike, will your Insurance cover this vandalism?

 

[RCSignals]

Mike & Charliehorse,
Both good points. However, regarding the 18" spare, dealer could not find a part number. As a matter of fact, he was looking for that first. When he could not find one, he asked one of the service guys, after some research they discovered Ford does not offer one. Regarding the compressor, I will keep my stock compressor in the trunk along with my full size spare. Eventually, I will buy a can of market fix a flat but right now with a spare I don't see the need. Besides, fix a flat will not fix a slashed tire.

There is an 18" 'temporary' wheel available, it came with the Marauders. Problem is finding a tire for it in the correct diameter.

 

[megame2942]

Mike, will your Insurance cover this vandalism?

RC,

I have a $100.00 deductable and the tire cost was little over that. So it was wash. Because of this though, I am now carring a full size spare w/jack. About $440.00 for the wheel, jack/tire wrench and $100.00 for the tire.

Mike