[200q20v] heavens to mergatroid, blowout at 90

[hah at srv.net]

>Haven't had a flat in the 200q, but in a former 4kq, I had a rear tire go 
flat a couple times. Could not really tell it was flat while driving...
>Chris

Ooh, blowout stories. NAC.

1) in high school, '73 1/2 ton Suburban, driver's side rear. Cruising along 
a dirt road in Utah (Dad said, here's a gas card, take the old Suburban 
down to my ranch partner in Trout Creek) at ~50. Warm day, ~five-year-old 
Michelin M+S tires. Hmm, what's that flapping noise (whack, whack, whack) 
coming from the back? Pull over gently, oh it's just a piece of tread from 
the disintegrated tire hitting the wheelwell. Change to spare (more-or-less 
inflated) and proceed along back to "town" (Delta, UT?) - ranch buddy 
wasn't home when I got there so I was headed back to a phone - get used 
tire from gas station/tire store, call Dad from pay phone, get chewed out 
for not just waiting at the ranch. Whee.

2) year and half ago, my GTI, driver's side front. Cruising along freeway 
at ~80 (limit +5). Apparently picked up a nail, thanks construction truck. 
Hmm, what's that whirring noise getting louder and louder? Pull over 
gently, oh it's the rim trying to chew through the deflated sidewall of a 
smoking ruin that used to be an SP8000. Big-nail-size hole in tread. Oh 
well, they are down to $75 now for the 195-55/14. Change to spare, complete 
rest of 800-mile trip on it. The flat happened less than 40 miles after the 
start of the trip. Mail-order another SP8k from Tire Rack since there is no 
road hazard warranty of course. Whee.

No controllability issues for me in either case, but I wasn't swerving to 
avoid rolled Explorers or anything. Might have noticed sooner if there were 
some low-speed cornering happening instead of straight-and-level, but 
arguably neither of these flats would have happened unless I was right 
where I was, doing what I was doing. Oh well.

Henry
http://www.srv.net/~hah
1991 200 quattro, 112k, no flats yet, amplifier mounted on top of spare
1988 GTI 16v, 217k, valve cores were a little loose on the Hakkas lst fall