Run. Flat.

I thought I had done all of my research on our "new-to-us", certified minivan. After all, this is the vehicle that I declared way back in 2004 that I would be driving in 2008. Just ask the kids.

What I didn't realize (or what was possibly obscured by my lust for extra deep cargo space and an automatic tailgate lift) was the fact that run flat tires are standard on our van's model year and trim level. Which basically means when it comes time to replace the tires on the Odyssey, new *cough*spendy*cough* run flats have to be put on. Not sale tires. No "buy 3 get one free" deals for us. We can't even take it to just any tire shop. It has to be a place that specializes in the Michelin PAX system--which doesn't even include all of the Honda dealerships. I wish I was joking.

So James took the van in today to get the left front tire fixed. Apparently between the time we test-drove the van and subsequently bought it, that tire started losing pressure. So the dealership is eating half the cost to get it fixed. But that's still probably more than what a really good Goodyear would run us at Larry's Tire Emporium. At least I know that if I am alone with all three kids on a dark and rainy night in a bad neighborhood and get a flat, I have 100 miles at 50 miles an hour to find an authorized dealer...a dealer I hope won't be 101 miles away.