Leaning more towards the option of switching out my runflats this week and carrying a can of fix-a-flat for local driving and/or if I go on longer, more remote road trips, have a space saver spare and tote in the trunk.

Just wondering how you guys do it and if I'm in the right mindset or if there is another way to have a space saver spare in the car more ingeniously (ie: some sort of custom enclosure for the spare).

 

Do Slime, not fix-a-flat. I've been told fix-a-flat messes with the TPMS, slime does not. I have a slime kit - haven't made a really long trip via remote roads yet,but AAA towing helps if you want more peace of mind.

No plans to put in a space saver spare-the boot is small enough as it is- others can weigh in on the pros and cons of doing so vs. remoteness of trip etc.

 

I have a full spare with matching s-lite wheel ...back seats folded down (don't use them anyway)...thinking of rear-seat delete

 

Do you keep that in the car at all times though? Slime+portable air compressor seems like a good idea so far

 

keep it all the time...once had a flat that tore the tire open...slime would not fix it...after that I decided to keep a full spare

 

I run with slime, compressor and plugs, but on a long trip I just toss in my snow tire (or summer tire) for the ride.

 

Hey Frank,

I swapped out the run flats for standard tires after installing the JCW suspension on my car. The ride was too harsh with that combo. I went out and bought a Slime kit on Amazon. It has Slime, plugs and an air compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I also have road side assistance from AAA as well as what MINI provides. I should be covered. And if something comes up I think that I am covered.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00..._ya_os_product

I paid about 20 bucks less 2 years ago.

 

Slime and a compressor for me. Took a 2200 mile road trip in the dead of winter with no worries. I have had 3 flats in 35 years of driving so I am not too concerned. Of course, the last one was only a few months ago with the runflats.

 

I carry the Continental/Mini type fix it kit (Continental comes from TireRack but was back ordered a long time recently). That gives me a compressor and the can type material to fix it temporarily. Gives my wife and kids (or tow truck operator)-- with a call to me along the way--a chance to fix if they are driving it.

I realize I should buy a plug kit too and throw it in car. More for me as a DIY than for them.

Finally, having two other cars without spares (a Smart and a Toyota AWD Minivan I realize none of these are always solutions). NOR are runflats alone w/out a spare if anybody thinks that alone is sufficient. Twice the Toyota was stranded essentially--once with a badly torn sidewall and once with a badly bubbled one that rendered tire risky in my judgment. The Smart was recently stranded with a torn sidewall too, and it has no spare nor runflats, and the compressor kit that car has built in with patch liquid would do no good either. Only solution in each case was a full size spare or tire replacement.

On other cars I often have snow tires or some spare wheel (at home, not on board). In the case of the Smart and its odd ball tire, only solution when wife got stranded 40 miles away was to hike to nearest dealer and buy a tire since TireRack was out of stock in the Smart's weird front size. So far, on Mini I have a spare wheel too since I haven't sold the runflat set yet. Meanwhile, I bought a spare rim that matches the non run flat set on the car--just watched Ebay until I saw a nice condition and cheap one. Now looking for a good condition matching used tire, or will wait until I discard a worn set of tires (or one side gets damaged) and I save the remaining good one.

For really remote long drives, finally I know I have 225/45 17's which is a very common tire size apparently to buy something on the road, plus I can get one in the exact brand I want overnighted (or by ground in two days) from TireRack's nearest warehouse. Only needed if it's a torn sidewall, since I replace any damaged or near worn tire otherwise, and 80%+ of my flats over the years are nails and fixable.

 

Come on you all. The first line of defense is my AAA card followed by a tire repair kit with a 12V air compressor. Last resort - Slime. I have had non-runflats on my 2003 MCS for 6 years and will never, ever go back.

 

The mean streets of nyc require us to be prepared...this past winter alone the potholes were treacherous

 

AAA towing for $120. a year for both our Minis. That's 200 miles for free.

 

I have 2 little Plastic Cards...1 says MINI Roadside Assistance, 2 says AAA!!
In 1.5yrs. Molly has not had a Flat yet, I carry a Slime Kit for POM!!

 

Tires are much better today than they used to be.
I have AAA and slime kit.
If we go farther than say 200 miles in one direction we'll take a spare wheel.

 

I have a compact spare sealed in plastic stowed behind my seat.

 

The ride quality alone from switching to non-runflats is worth any chance of a blowout in my opinion. AAA to the rescue. Especially when they get low, those runflats are downright dangerous.

 

Pump, Slime, fix a flat and tire plugs are all stored in the car, on Longer trips i carry a full size spare, it fits behind the back seat as long as you remove the shelf

 

I have the MINI mobility kit and AAA. I haven't had any major tire incidents that required more action than going to a gas station for air before getting tires fixed by America's Tire Center.

 

Compressor, bottle of Slime, tire plugs and most importantly--a cell phone.

 

I bought my Mini in winter of 2006. Switched to conventional tires soon afterwards, had them ever since. I carry a small airpump, a tire repair kit, and a breaker bar with a 17mm socket. Never had to use it while on a trip. (Did it once in the driveway though, because I found a nail in the tire. Wasn't flat. )

 

I carry the following:

For tiny holes: http://www.amazon.com/Dynaplug-1007-.../dp/B000EXSER4

For larger holes: http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Go-Tubele...1520185&sr=1-3

And this (with the conventional sticky worms) as a last resort before calling AAA: http://www.amazon.com/Slime-Powerspa...520239&sr=1-13

 

IMO I will not use a plug kit on any tire I care about... it voids the tire warranty... a vulcanized inner patch is the permanent fix. I have only had 1 flat in the last 30 years that a simple air compressor would not fix long enough to get to a reputable tire center - That was the 6" steel pipe sticking 4" out of the pavement that took out both left side tires and wheels - bent one wheel severely. Most of the time a nail/screw will only cause a very slow leak - leave it in!!! After a few days I have had them practically seal! I have the small BMW issue air compressor/Slime kit stowed in the little void byn the back fender - good enough for me. No more run flats for me either!

 

Haven't collected on one in ages--20 years plus, assuming they are available for a given tire. But, yes, I would only do a plug as a last resort and only to limp to a destination/home to get a replacement if it were that bad but still fixable. Otherwise, yes always the patch w/ the tire off the rim at a shop. For me, it was the screwdriver blade embedded in the tire that had to be removed to drive. Agree w/ you on screws and nails to just leave there pending fix.

 

I've never heard of putting a temporary plug in voiding any kind of warranty. I've done it a few times and when I take it back to the chain where I bought the tire (for a proper repair), they just take it out and patch it permanently. Most shops use a patch that has a stem on it and they put a round rasp in the hole and have a vigorous go at cleaning it up before they install the patch. Much more aggressive than any temporary plug. Plug are just fine and if someone told you they void warranties, that's just plain weird.

Besides, if you're out on a long drive and you get a nail or something, having to deal with topping off the tire every10 to 20 miles is a pain. Put a plug in it and if properly done, it'll last until you get to the tire shop for a proper repair. I got a rather large puncture once in one of my Hankooks. 'Don't know what the hell I ran over as it was gone by the time I discovered the flat. (I was very PO'd as the tire had maybe 140 miles on it and I'd run for a while with it completely flat - I didn't hear the pressure warning because I was on the freeway with the top down.) Anyway, I plugged it with the Stop N Go kit and drove it for another week and a half while the tire shop got a new tire in.

Slime is only a very last resort.

 

That is a real good point - they do rasp that thing out with a round file... I think thre reason I was told it would void the warranty - is because if it fails with the plug - they are not responsible. As a temporary measure until a proper patch I guess that would be just fine.