Hit a pothole.

[StreetFighter]

Hey, I hit a pothole today and it f*cked up my rim pretty bad. The lips of the rim is bent.

Is there a law that the city must reimburse me for any damages due to the bad road? This was in Cambridge btw.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[PonyGirl]

Nope, I remember this discussion on my Cougar boards, too. The street that I work on is just covered in potholes and everytime I hit one, I get a death grip on my wheel and pray I didn't do much damage. And you can feel more bumps in my car than in the Celica. Celicas have a much smoother ride. But I'm sure that if your car gets damaged, there's nothing the city/town/county can or will do about it. You're just S.O.L., pretty much.

Oh, damn and nothing compares to that hole I hit last night. That thing was over a foot deep and almost ate my car up. Crap, good thing I was only going 8 mph!

Edit: I found the thread (http://www.fastcougar.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=3&threadid=62369&highlight_key=y&keyword1=pothole&keyword2=compensation) about the roads and compensation for damages. Turns out, the kid who started the thread was from MA, too.

[tols1976]

true that that hole is sick about 2 feet deep

[PonyGirl]

Originally posted by tols1976
true that that hole is sick about 2 feet deep

Ouch! I had nightmares about that pothole.

[tols1976]

i figured that much it really was bothering you heehe

[StreetFighter]

I hate Boston roads!!! This frikking sucks. Well I called up the place where I bought the rim and told them that I bent the rim and he told me to call back Monday and ask for customer service. The rims are under a 1 year warranty and hopefully it covers this.

[PonyGirl]

Wow, I didn't know new wheels came with a warranty. I guess you lucked out :)

[StreetFighter]

Well Wheelmax gives you a 1 year warranty but I am not sure what it covers. I need to call them back on Monday and find out what the deal is.

Also, I had a flat tire today! This really pisses me off. I am driving with a bent/cracked rim and also driving with a donut. I am having bad luck :(

[evil eye]

damn and ure rims are 17's!!! people say I'm crazy for driving around NYC with 18" rims and low profile (35's) tires. ::knocks on wood:: I have yet to do anything bad, but curb scratched one of the rims. I could kick myself for it too, and it was 4 months ago. We have the same rim style too. Cept mine are ADR's. Good luck man, I feel your pain with the potholes tho. Keep swervin and good luck

[PonyGirl]

Damn Evil, you are crazy. The Toyos on my 17" Verdicts were 40's and I felt everything! I can't imagine 35's.

And I hope Wheelmax does cover your bent rim. Because it's not like it was damaged due to aggressive driving or whatnot. It was normal, daily use and basically unavoidable. Donuts suck!

[trapdowner]

chalk another pothole story up did mine last night...lol donuts suck my well u know what....mike

[StreetFighter]

I called Wheelmax and it doesn't cover road hazard. Basically the warranty only covers manufacturer's defect. That doesn't mean crap to me. So I gotta fork out $135 for the new rim. Do you guys know how much it will cost to have the tire mounted/balanced on the new rim?

Also I called NTB and it will cost me $20 to repair the flat. I hope it will be just as good as new since these tires are basically brand new! Man, I'm so frikking p.o. about the Boston roads.

[StreetFighter]

This is getting too funny. I hit 2 more potholes on my way to NTB!! Both on the same bent rim!!

NTB couldn't fix my flat cause they said they were closing in 30 mins and 15 people were in front of me. WTF, I called ahead of time too.

[speedeeGTS]

hey streetfighter, did you try what i told you? just wondering

[StreetFighter]

I actually did a search on Mass Law and this is what I came up with.


Q: Can I be reimbursed for property damage if my car hits a pothole on a state highway?

A: No. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 81

[PonyGirl]

StreetFighter...if you take your wheel and tire to an STS/WTC or Mavis, they'll only charge you a few dollars to mount and balance the tire. I paid $10 per wheel when I needed to replace 2 tires during the summer. But, call a local place up just to double check.

[StreetFighter]

Thanks for the info PonyGirl. I don't know what STS/WTC or Mavis is though =P Never heard of them. But I probably won't get my rim for a a few weeks or so since Wheelmax is freaking sucky. You can read my post about them in the Wheel/Tire forum.

[speedeeGTS]

hey sorry about that. i coulda sworn that they said if you get damage to your car and report it and the town/city doesnt fix the problem within 24 hours. they pay for it. guess i was wrong..

what else is new :p

[StreetFighter]

Haha, its cool. They only reimburse you if you get injured on a state roadway. Sucks for people like us who gets bent rims, f*cked suspension, broken axels or other damages cause by potholes.

[evil eye]

Yea i dunno how u guys drive up there in the Boston area. I visted my ex g/f twice at B.U. last year, and I was swerving everywhere hiting potholes like crazy on my stock 16's!!! I though i bent them like twice! u guys got it worse than us up there. I can only imagine the damage i wouldve donw had I gotten my 18's b4 i went up there.

good luck bro with the rim, wheelmax sux. potholes suck more

[PonyGirl]

Ha, the WTC/STS and Mavis are names of businesses that sell tires (when I changed my wheels from summer ones back to stock, the guys at Mavis didn't even charge me...I guess because there was no balancing required). Like any Bridgestone/Firestone place. I guess we just have them in New York. LOL, like I never knew what the Hell a Wawa was until I took a trip to PA.

If Wheelmax is sending you a new rim, are you getting a tire from them also?

[Kelica2k1]

Streetfighter.. i work for the state... where exactily did you bend the rim which road? if it was one of our roads we will pay for damage's however you need to report it with the state police and then file a report and submit reciepts of any damage's or repair's to our general counsel office then will then reimburst you however you wont be seeing your money till summertime when you prolly will need it keep me updated lemme know which roads and ill give you some contact information on how to get reimbursted.. Also anyone in the boston area if you see any holes all you gotta do is call them in and they will get filled within 2 hours.. we are soo busy trying to keep up with those holes its almost impossbile too much traffic on those roads and the cold patch just wont stick it needs to bond but if someone's running over it 2 seconds after we place it it just comes off on your tires... its a loose loose situation..

[StreetFighter]

Hey thanks for the info. I hit it at a red light heading to Porter Square. I don't know the name of the street but I can find out and take some pictures of the pothole and the damaged rim. The city was Cambridge. I don't mind paying out of my pocket now but I would like to reimburse for any costs that this has inflicted upon me. I will keep all receipts such as flat repair, cost of new rim, and cost of mounting/balancing the tire on the new rim.

So what happens when I report it to the State Police? Who do I need to speak to and what forms do I need to fill out?

[StreetFighter]

Originally posted by PonyGirl
If Wheelmax is sending you a new rim, are you getting a tire from them also?

No, I think the tire is fine. I'm just going to get the rim.

[StreetFighter]

All right, I'm never going to do business with Wheelmax again. I just got back from Sears and they can't fix the flat. Theres a leak on the sidewall. I need a brand new freaking tire. Damn, these tires only had less than 500 miles on them!!! I am so p|ssed. Why is this all happening to me all of a sudden?

[PonyGirl]

I hear ya. I had to replace one tire with like 80% tread left, because of a nail. And the Fords come stock with those damn BF Goodriches, so I ended up shelling out $164 plus tax for one tire because I wanted all of my rubber to match. It's friggin' rediculous.

[StreetFighter]

Yeah, I just called around a couple of places this morning asking how much they would sell my the Kumho Ecsta 711 and they quoted me $110-150. I just ordered one from tirerack.com for $80 and I called up Firestone near my house to have them mounted and balanced for about $17. And after this is all done, I need to get my bent/cracked rim repaired. I can't wait for all of this to be over with. I don't care if I get reimbursed by the city or not, I just want my freaking rims/wheels to be perfect again.

[PonyGirl]

I guess you just have to wait and see how much you can feel that bent rim while driving. Hopefully it won't be that bad. But if it's cracked, you'd better take it slow! How do they repair wheels anyway? Do they just hammer it out like a dent?

[StreetFighter]

I am not sure, I was at Sears yesterday and the guy told me they can even cracks! Well I might bring rim in on Monday and see what kind of magic they can do.

[PonyGirl]

Cross your fingers.

[StreetFighter]

I should take some before and after pictures. Maybe I'll buy a digicam and return it lol.

[Kelica2k1]

I have gaven you the proper info on Aim... Also there's a new hotline for anoyone driving on massachuisetts state highways (whom i work for) i believe the number is #321 or 351 i cannot recall at this second its a pothole repair hotline you call that number from your call and give a location and we will be dispatched to fill the hole immidiatly as well as help the distressed motorist when we get there if there still there again this is for state highways not city streets ill keep all you Massholes informed..

[StreetFighter]

Hey, Kelica, I hit a pothole on Route 16 West heading out of Everett. The same rim was damaged? Can I report that instead of going through the city of Cambridge? Probably easier since thats a state road???

[PonyGirl]

Originally posted by StreetFighter
I should take some before and after pictures. Maybe I'll buy a digicam and return it lol.

Honestly, that's always a really good idea - digital camera or not :) You should always have recent pictures of your car anyway in case of an accident or insurance claim. That way you can prove what you did or did not have on your car, so the companies know what to cover such as mods. And always keep your receipts!

[StreetFighter]

Maybe I'll drop by Circuit City tonite and buy a digicam. They have a 30 day no-hassle return policy :) I'll take some pics and post pics of my messed up car this weekend.

[Kelica2k1]

yes however you have to report it right then and there to the state police rt 16 is one of our roads and you would have to call the revere barracks lets not make this a scam now tho.. do what you have to do put it this way.. the state is willing to pay for accedents like these lets not abuse it

[Kelica2k1]

State road's are taken care by two agency's either mass highway or the Metropolitan district commission if you hit a pot hole on the Mdc roadway and get significant damage to your motor vehicle here's what to do..

Pursuant to Chapter 92, Section 36 of the Massachusetts General Laws, you must file your claim in writing to MDC Commissioner David B. Balfour, Jr. within 30 days of the incident. Chapter 92, Section 36 provides the exclusive remedy for damages resulting from a roadway defect and appears to apply in this instance. Simply write a letter indicating the date, time, and precise location of the incident. You should also provide any supporting documentation including photographs, receipts, or repair estimates. Please be aware that the above-referenced statute does not allow for compensation for property damage caused by a roadway defect.

To report a pothole please call (617)722-5000. When potholes are reported to the MDC they are fixed in a timely fasion.

[StreetFighter]

This is no scam. I'll take pics soon!! I'll take pics of those big arse potholes!!

[Kelica2k1]

they will prolly be filled by then.. do what you have to i gave you all the information..

[agtepstein]

Hello,

I am new here but my current automobile, an Eclipse GT comes standard with big 17 inch wheels that are EXTREMELY easy to bend (actually there is a lawsuit against Mitsubishi because of it)

I have 5 extra rims sitting in my garage from various problems and have bent my rims, I would guess, 30 times.

What I recommend is first find a shop that repairs alloy rims. Its much cheaper than getting a new rim. If you want it brand new I know in New York there is a store that for like 80$ they do a perfect job. I personally go to a guy who bend them back pretty good for 25$ using a blow torch and balances them and mounts for free.

My car is a lease so I dont care so much. But it costs me lots of time. One reason I am actually looking forward to a celicas 16 inch rims.

Also I drive around with air pressure fill up if u have a bent rim, tire will leak out slowly and u will get a flat eventually if its not sealed. So check you tire pressure to see if its dropping. Fill it up and see how fast it goes down.

I put my tires pretty high PSI. Rough ride but less bending of rims (38PSI in front 35PSI in back with 44 PSI being max recommended)