my GTI got a flat =(
 

well

my 09 gti hit a pothole last night and got a flat tire and possibly a bent rim.

i was wondering how to go about fixing this. where should i take my car to to figure out the possible wheel/suspension damage?

i'm afraid if i take it in to a dealer they will charge me a ridiculous amount of money for diagnosis and the repair.

also, if the rim is bent (i think it is, 18 inch huffs) i just want to get a set of VMR v710's.

do you guys know which vendor carries them here in vancouver area, and or in canada?

thanks

Why would you take it to a dealer for a bent rim? If you want it repaired, take it to Panther or Western wheelcraft. Theres quite a few places who fix wheels. At a minimum they can check for bends and possibly repair it assuming theres not a huge chunk missing out the wheel.

Potholes are a way of life here, soon you'll learn to dodge them like landmines.

For the VMR's, your best bet might be to try online for the best price. If your rims bent, start with fixing the wheel. Generally the wheel will take most of the brunt, unless you hit a 1ft deep pot hole.

Since it's an OEM, chris_89T mentioned taking it to Panther or Western Wheelcraft. There's also Green's or whatever it's called. They normally repair OEM wheels and rarely aftermarket so you're in luck. Try them out first before going to the dealership.

As for bent suspension, take it to a reputable shop, but not yet the dealership. Read the threads in this very forum for resources.

unless you hit some crazy ass pot hole, i don't think your rim will be bent THAT bad. Then again if you got the flat from the pot hole, it's possible. Still worth it to just take a look at the rim before you go sending it off.

Put it on the balancer if it's not too bad throw it on the rear of the car for now.

As for bent suspension parts again... highly doubt it, but the best way to check is bring it to an alignment shop and they can tell right away from the numbers.

thank you for your inputs guys
i'm taking my car to kal-tire first thing in the morning and go from there...
if the wheel is not that bad i'll just put it on rear and if it needs to be repaired, i'll definitely check panther or western out.

like you guys said, i will stay away from the dealers

btw OP, in an effort to save some $$, you should take a photo of the pothole and the subsequent damage and forward the information to whatever municipality is responsible for that road.

If you write a very polite letter and include the photos (best to take photos asap after the incident) they might reimburse you.

At the very least it will draw attention to a pothole that needs to be fixed asap.

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l...shColumbiaHome

Another reason to get winter tires + rims.. higher ratio, the more meat = less issues when you have to pass an unavoidable potholes.

Take it to Dale's alignment to check the alignment and see if any components need to be replaced.

Honestly, get an estimate before throwing down to get it fixed. Assuming you need a tire, see if the damage isnt bad enough that it needs to be fixed. If it's only slightly bent it will only leak, so you can just throw it on the back and it won't cause any steering or suspension issues.

Best of luck though!

nubrite was who I was recommended for wheel fixing. Honestly last time I had a whole set of wheels, that were moderately fucked, the straightening for all 4 was only 400 bucks, so 1 shouldn't be the biggest deal. If it was just a pothole I really wouldn't worry about your suspension. If you just want to get some vmr's I believe shift in burnaby could get them for you.

Relevant info was posted, but the LAST post was from 2010 :rukidding:.

I always wonder how people find these then revive them. I never look past the first page.