YK420 Sidewall failure appears to have totaled my 94Q45

Post by **ler29th** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Tires are/were Yokohama YK420 P215/65R15-95H. Less than 10K miles since previous owner put them on early this year. The pressure was checked before setting out about 3 hours before the failure in low 70s temperature, I94 near Fargo, ND. The left front tire sidewall appears to have blown out at 75 to 80 MPH and the car went into the rail. Left side has 2 deep creases from front turn signal (which is gone) to the front of the rear wheel well. It appears that USAA will total the car. Two Dallas shops have said it probably would be too much to repair (approx $6K). Currently have about $500 worth of repair parts we were to replace on the car this week. Hope I can send them back to Scottsdale Infiniti. The wheel wasn't damaged. A new tire was mounted and the car driven 1200 miles in the next 30 hours to get back to Dallas. Only creased sheet metal but still too costly. Really a disappoint for me and the son who was to use this car. The 94Q45 has about 81K miles on it after getting back home. Probably will not make it to the USNA campus.

Post by **DAEDALUS** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Man that sucks. Very sorry to hear. Keep your eyes out for any future recalls on the tires.

Post by **elwesso** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Are you interested in parting it out... I need a couple minuscule parts that you could take out really easily before it gets towed away forever........

Post by **AZhitman** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

ler - First of all, I'm glad you're OK.

Second, I JUST had a set of those removed by Discount Tire, and they gave me full credit for them, no questions asked. They seemed to imply that there had been several problems with these. You may want to get in touch with them...

Third, I'm terribly sorry about your Q.

Post by **elwesso** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Yes....... Im sorry I sounded kinda snotty there...... Im really sorry about your Q........... :doh

Im just glad I didnt see it, I would have cried....

A moment of silence for your Q buddy!!!!

Post by **maxnix** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

ler29th, thank you for sharing your misfortune with us so we may be enlightened to possible problems with this tire. I am glad you are OK and the car returned you safely home.

Good luck finding another one. And best wishes for your son at the USNA.

Post by **MattB** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

I'm surprised USAA is going to total it....a 94Q in good shape is worth more than $6K. They usually aren't stingy either on claims...I also use USAA for insurance and when my G20 was vandalized they gave me exactly what I wanted in terms of claim value....

Post by **EWT** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

MattB wrote:I'm surprised USAA is going to total it....a 94Q in good shape is worth more than $6K. They usually aren't stingy either on claims...I also use USAA for insurance and when my G20 was vandalized they gave me exactly what I wanted in terms of claim value....

State Farm totals the car if the estimate is 80% (or close to it, I forget the exact %) of book value or more, I'd assume other insurers do something similar.

Post by **90Q45blue** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

I'm truly sorry to hear about your Q. Please take Hitman's advice and check these tires out. Hopefully you can find a happy ending out of this.

Nick

Post by **AZhitman** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

EWT wrote:State Farm totals the car if the estimate is 80% (or close to it, I forget the exact %) of book value or more, I'd assume other insurers do something similar.

This is the default procedure (for customers who don't do their homework).

Search autotrader.com for a Q with similar miles and condition, as well as the classifieds and the local Infiniti dealers.... Select the 3 highest-priced Q's you can find, and submit them with a letter stating you'll need to get $XXX amount to replace your current car. Stick to your guns - You can usually get the offer bumped up by a grand or more.

Post by **EWT** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

AZhitman wrote:This is the default procedure (for customers who don't do their homework).

Search autotrader.com for a Q with similar miles and condition, as well as the classifieds and the local Infiniti dealers.... Select the 3 highest-priced Q's you can find, and submit them with a letter stating you'll need to get $XXX amount to replace your current car. Stick to your guns - You can usually get the offer bumped up by a grand or more.

I was prepared to do that, but State Farm actually treated me very well when my 93 was totalled. The car was in excellent condition, and their settlement reflected it. Somebody bought the car, fixed it and resold it with a salvage title per Carfax. If somebody bought an Ivory 93 with just over 100K miles in Elk Grove CA, it may have been my old car.....

Post by **Q45Viper** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

I agree with hitman, I would try to force them to fix it by proving it is worth more. I'm sure those of us here can help with that. For example there is a 94 here in Balt/DC area being offered for $8900. Another idea is simply to take whatever lowest value they will offer to repair it, should be 80% of book at least, and procure some of the parts youself. I would talk to a bodyshop and get a quote only for labor and not an insurance quote, private deal. Then shop for the parts and see if the deal can be put together by you for example the two doors you can find yourself by serching salvage locations on the internet. They will be a fraction of the cost of new ones, might even be the same color. Let us know if we can help. I would be very surprised if you had to pay much out of pocket, you'll just have to scratch up the parts yourself at much less than new. I know the location of a couple Q's I have been buying some parts off and I think there are a few guys here dismantling cars in cases where the engines blew. It really sounds like what you need are 2 left doors and the front fender, them bump out the rear. Let me know if you want me to check on parts prices, I'm the guy you emailed before in Maryland.

Post by **elwesso** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Q45viper--

I could use a couple parts.... I need the dash cruise control switch...... If you could get that cheap......

Post by **PalmerWMD** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

I am really sorry for your misfortune ..

I also think fixing would be by far the better choice if if it does only cost 6 k.

A low mile Q is worth more than 6k follow azhitmans advice.

I almost went ahead and had my 1991 , 175k miles Q that was estimated at $7200 to fix.

Fred..

PS: I also got my offer upped by a grand, after some (much justified) *****ing as the car was pristine fats had had just had a LOT of money put into it.

Post by **PalmerWMD** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

If the doors are interchangable between 91 and 94 (look same to me) then I have both left doors FS.

Fred..

Post by **elwesso** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

They wont have the little wood trim things on the inside...... Easily exchangeable, though......

Post by **MattB** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Yeah, up here in MA 94 Q's run $8-9K at least.

Post by **Tgvince** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Glad everyones OK first off. What about Going after The tire manufacture for the damage? This is legitamate, not one of those BS "im too stupid to check my tire pressure" Rollovers you hear about on Stupid Useless Vehicles. At minimum they should cover the difference so you can get that car repaired. It sounds like its in excellent condition otherwise. Just some thoughts

Terry97 Q

Post by **ler29th** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Thanks for the comments and suggestions everyone. USAA appears to total at about 60% of valuation, at least according to the 2 shops we visited Saturday. Hope to meet with a USAA appraiser tomorrow. Seems to be their process for a total loss vehicle. I think State Farm has a higher damage limit. If it is totaled, its the third vehicle in 3 months, one to hail on my insurance, one to someone else's badly timed left turn, and now the Q. None for 35 years then 3 in 3 months. No one hurt in the 2 accidents. My son and I have looked at some other Qs near us in Dallas and there is definitely a difference in the wear the interior shows versus our Q. That's why we would like to keep it, plus the labor we've put into it the last few weeks. Had just done AZHitman's JB-Weld on the back of the head plus more normal maintence.

Q45Viper, don't thnk I'll let him take it to Annapolis. He will not have the time to deal with the repair issues if that's what we do.

Post by **Q45tech** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

And how much negligence do they assign for improper tires that don't meet oem specs ~~~~95H are not 95V...........if the root cause was the tires [and previous low inflation running] then the insurance company is off the hook if they check.Thankfully they don't waste [accident reconstruction] resources on non death, less serious cases or cliams under $25,000 or so.

Hopefully the appraiser is not too knowledgable!

Post by **Tgvince** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

I guess the YK420 on my Q arent the right tire either then...If i recall, the load rating was up to OEM specs...<Shrug>, There getting hella noisy anyhow i guess its time to start looking.

Terry97 Q

Post by **Q45Viper** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Per my earlier post, check with Fred, PalmerWMD above, the price of his doors might solve the financial equation. If he does bring the car to Maryland you could count on my help as mentioned in my email. Good luck.

Post by **ler29th** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

The Q was repaired and I finally got it Friday evening. Looks good. Put on the front shocks (blacks) that night, fronts are really easy even compared to some cars on which I've replaced just shocks, and oil/filer change. New tires, Pilot 235/60R15-98H, and very clean emissions test Saturday. Hope to put in new plugs Sunday, I think the originals are still in after 81K miles. Get a few problems in driver's door fixed on Monday and new rear pads. Hopefully leaving Tuesday for Annapolis and the USNA. All the water must be back in the bay by now.

Q45Viper, did you come through the storm without problems? Thanks for the offer of assitance, will leave your name and numbers with my Mid and he can contact you for other repair shop recommendations should he need it.

Don't know where the used doors came from but they were the same color as my Q. I've stripped out all the parts the shop didn't move over to save them just "in case" and will trash the bent shells.

Post by **maxnix** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Another Q45 saved. Good job!__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t & 2000 Q45

Discover the power of the button!

Post by **PalmerWMD** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Fred..:ylsuper

Post by **crubio** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

I have been driving with yoko 420's for about 15000 miles. Is there some kind of recall on them? I bought them from discount tire, should I take it back and tell them these tires are the wrong tires for this Q. Whats the deal on these tires?

thanks

crubio

Post by **AZhitman** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

If they're holding their balance well, they'll be fine. There's no recall that I know of, but mine wouldn't stay balanced and they finally swapped them for "any tire in stock" for free.

I love my Falken Ziex 255/50/16's...

Post by **Tgvince** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Ive had nothing but balance problem on my YK420s. I went in on friday and returned on wednesday cause the balance was worse. One of the "experts" at Discount was trying to say that the tires were only off .25 of an ounce...said i would never feel it "even at 200mph" Well the only thing i can say is the car is much smoother without the .25 ounce off balance:). We did discuss how the YK420 is supposedly an awesome tire and rates highly in Consumer reports....but i did get him to agree that the tire may not be the correct tire for the Q. Whats that get me? ill get a percentage off my next tire purchase based on the 50K tread warranty. All in all...If you drive a Q DO NOT buy the YK420.Now i gotta decide what to go with. Regardless of brand one things for sure...Vrated at minimum.

Terry97 Q45

Website · Post by **diamondj30** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

glad to see your ok.

Post by **AZhitman** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:57 pm

Terry: Call and talk to Jamie or Greg at Discount (Metro). Let him know of your issues and that you're a friend of mine. They should replace them (maybe charge you for a portion of the use).

Tell Jamie or Greg about the "quarter ounce". That's enough to feel at 60mph.

YK420 Sidewall failure appears to have totaled my 94Q45

YK420 Sidewall failure appears to have totaled my 94Q45

Q is repaired and out of shop Friday

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