Flat tire fixing products?

G

Geezerette

Senior Member
I think my 20 year old Outback 4 WD , passenger side rear tire had slow leak. It looked soft a week ago and I had someone help me add air to it, and was ok for short trip a couple of times. But went out yesterday and it’s flat again. I’m going to call the road service people tomorrow and hope they could inflate it enough to last long enough to let me drive to the tire store where I have some “connections” . Luckily it’s in a leased covered parking spot at my apt.
I’ve seen ads for products like “Fix-a-Flat” but don’t know anything about them. I think the tire may have to be replaced anyway, driven on for 5 years in very dry weather. Anyone ever tried them?
It just has one of those funny little what I call disposable spares, which has been under the rear deck of car, never checked.
If it has to be towed it would go on a flatbed and I don’t know if I could climb into a truck cab to go along or even if they do that any more. Just worried how I’m going get to the shop, my family all at work and haven’t figured out to order an Uber yet.
 

Geezerette said:
I’ve seen ads for products like “Fix-a-Flat” but don’t know anything about them. I think the tire may have to be replaced anyway, driven on for 5 years in very dry weather. Anyone ever tried them?
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I used Fix-a-Flat a few times long ago. I thought it was great because it inflated the tire, temporarily plugged the leak, and it was real fast. Then I could drive to the tire repair place.

But tire repair guys complain a lot about it, apparently it makes a gosh awful sticky mess inside the tire or something.

So, I'd say if you are going to replace the tire then fix-a-flat is very useful, but if the tire is fairly new and you are going to want the tire place to patch it, then better to not use fix a flat.

I carry a can of fix-a-flat in my trunk down in the hole the pathetic little spare tire lives in.
 
I have a an air compressor that can plug into car for power and add air. i have not Really needed it on current car, cause this one tells me the pressure for each tire, which fluctuates a lot with the hot days and cool nights.

And i don't have trouble changing tires myself tho then i take the bad one to be fixed oe replaced.
 
I have some Honey Locust trees on our property, and they have some pretty large and sharp thorns. It's a rare year that I don't get a flat tire on my riding mower. I keep a can of SLIME tire sealant on hand, and it fixes the flats quite well.
 
Don M. said:
I have some Honey Locust trees on our property, and they have some pretty large and sharp thorns. It's a rare year that I don't get a flat tire on my riding mower. I keep a can of SLIME tire sealant on hand, and it fixes the flats quite well.
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I have goatheads, had my riding lawnmower tires filled with foam. Without that they would always be flat...

I put a version of that gooey stuff in my bicycle tires every year, otherwise the goatheads would have them flat all the time...

Fortunately the goatheads don't seem able to penetrate car tires.
 
Thanks for the comments and experiences! I do expect to get a new tire and when I call road service tomorrow I’m going to ask to have them bring some fix a flat type stuff.
 
I joined AAA so I don't have to deal with flats or a bad battery anymore. I've seen them come to the neighborhood for others to change a tire on a truck and open a locked car with the keys inside.
 
I tried that stuff years ago, when I couldn't afford to get new tires. It had mixed results. I'm in no way a " car guy", but I'd give the crummy spare a try, it won't cost anything. I had to use one of those, and the only place it'll get you is to the tire store.:)
 
In my trunk, I keep one of those cheap tire inflaters that power off the cigarette lighter. I had a leak that would flatten the tire in a couple of miles, but I was able to keep the tire inflated with a couple of stops, just to get me to the nearest tire dealer, where the tire had to be replaced.
 
I used to carry a can of Fix a Flat, and it did save the day a couple of times.

I would recommend buying a fresh can every few years as opposed to relying on an old can that has been rolling around in the trunk for ten years.

These days I rely on the roadside assistance coverage that comes with my GEICO auto insurance.
 
Capt Lightning said:
I wouldn't buy a car without a spare wheel. All too often modern cars have cans of sealant and a tyre pump. Spare wheels have to be ordered separately although many companies supply spare wheels for most popular cars.
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That's the way my Miata comes. Earlier models had a spare, but it took up about 90% of the trunk space. I does come with a can of goop and an electric inflation pump, and you can put a large bag of groceries in the trunk now. It's a trade off for sure. I always dreamed of a cross country trip in a sports car, but now that I have one, I'm not sure about it. Of course, tires are far better these days. I haven't had a blow out for most of my life at this point. At one time, they were expected and we all felt like the father in the movie, A Christmas Story, changing tires on his 1940s Plymouth.
 
The way it turned out:called the road service that Geico offers free to its insurance customers, long long wait for them to get here, they flatbedded it free to the tire shop where they found a screw in the tread and repaired it free because the tire was still under warranty. I think I’ll try to buy a can of fix a flat or something comparable just to have.
 

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