Just came back from a night drive, I went over a pot hole in the dark and it was pretty bad, then I noticed a wobble on that side in the front, I thought I had a flat at first. When I got home (it was close to my house) I noticed that the sidewall is ripped off from the tire along the rim, for about an inch or two. The tire is obviously irregular now.

So I need a whole new set of tires now? There's little to no hope of getting just one tire of that kind, and they were fairly used... I was hoping to get through the summer on them though.

This isn't fixable, right?

 

nope.

 

If you don't want to get just one tire, buy a pair and replace both front tires. Keep the one that's not missing the sidewall as a spare, so if it happens again, you'll have one...

 

all you need is the same size tire. it doesn't have to be the model of the last one.

 

go to a used tire place

 

What brand/size tires do you have that you don't think you would find them anywhere? a good place to buy used tires if you don't want to buy new is ebay...

 

225/40-18... I don't think they're that uncommon actually, my last set was 235/40-18 and I couldn't find a single of that anywhere after I got a punctured sidewall.

I'll have to call around I guess.

 

not sure what your budget is, but there are quite a few for under $100 here http://search.ebay.com/search/search...-18&category0=

 

What brand and model tire do you have on the car now?

 

Kumho ecsta ASP. The cheapest kind, $80 on Tire Rack.

 

So buy the tire? What's the issue then? they aren't expensive....

 

Nope. New tire needed.

 

Buy a pair and put the new ones in the rear.

Don't buy one tire of a different brand or model to replace just that one bad tire because it will have different water channeling capabilities in the rain. A difference between front to back is okay; side-to-side is not safe.

 

you haven't posted picture yet, but it sounds like something that would buff right out.

 

So how bad is it if I just get one new replacement tire? Let's say my other one is about 50% used? Do I REALLY need to get different ones? For hydoplaning I don't know how that would be an issue, you normally hydroplane on one side anyway so the traction ends up different on each side. Isn't that what stability control is for anyway? I'm more concerned about everyday driving.

 

Well if you put the tire on the front, it will be BAD for your differential as both tires have different circumferences, so it will constantly be working. car will not track properly either. JUST BUY 2 TIRES.