Stocker

^ at petrol stations in the US there will commonly be a store-owned compressor that you pay anywhere from pennies to $1 or more to turn on the air supply for a few minutes. There is no guarantee the air is dry, but at least it gets a flat tire inflated. The smart driver has his own compressor powered from the cigarrette lighter. The well-equipped home shop wink1.gif has a standalone compressor.

Not to say they don't do it but tire shops here never advertise a service to use an inner tube. It's ALL tubeless.

mannyr

Found a Place that uses the heated vulcanize mushroom patches. They only charge me $15 to fix it. And told me it would not be a problem at all. The hole was less than 1/2" but the location was the problem. I know everyone talks about tire safety but if the repair can be done correctly why buy a new tire.

You guys can say I'm cheap, but one thing is being cheap and another is being resourceful. We drive Hyundai's for a reason. If it was a larger hole I would of just gotten a new tire.


But I learn my lesson. The price that I paid for plugging the tire twice would have paid for the insurance. It is definitely worth it.

REDZMAN

I drive a Hyundai because I choose to. I've got enough money to buy something else if I want. I happen to like to spend less on more though.

As for the tire, I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, and I've been there, EVER, run on a tire like you described. Why? My life is worth more than the $90 to replace the tire. Actually, even WITHOUT a road hazzard warranty most tire shops I've been to will prorate a price for me if I ask. Most places won't patch where you describe or on the sidewall because the $15 they earn to fix it won't cover the insurance hike when your tire blows and you lose control of the car killing you, or whomever you hit.

Stop being cheap asses folks, save your money for a few weeks and you can buy 4 new frigging tires.

Lastly, many places in the US have free air still. I know of a few dozen here.

Stocker

There's cheap, and then there's dangerously cheap. I'm guessing if mainstream shops would plug it on the condition the owner knows a tire will leak, it's not in a place that's going to kill the driver. Besides which there's always the chance of an explosive blowout, as well as being creamed by an 18-wheeler, whenever you hit the highway. Evaluate the risk, then take it if you want.

There's ONE Place that I know of (probably a hundred I don't) between here & El Paso w/ free air. There are hose drops by every gas pump, as well as water. VERY nice. If any of you ever open a gas station, be sure to include free air & water right by the pumps!

REDZMAN

All Discount Tires will do it for free. They even fill em for you, and will repair holes for FREE even if you didn't buy the tires from them.

I believe Pep Boys will do it for free too.

mannyr

Red, I agree with you. Maybe I did not explain my self well. I've had tires replace because of the hole was to big or it was right on the sidewall. This hole was right where the tire starts to turn into the sidewall.Therefore the right side of the patch instead of being flat would come up a bit on the bend. That is the reason why a regular patch would not work . Because as you turn and the tire rolls it flexes.

You said you've had tires prorated without road hazard insurance. How did you get them to do that?

Oh as far as the free air. There used to be this old style HESS gas station that had one of those old school type air pumps. This thing looked like a parking meter had a dial which you turn to set your tire pressure. Than you would grab the hose hanging from it, which had a clip on style nozzle. It would pump air automatically and it would ring a little bell once it reached the tire pressure. It was the coolest thing and it was free. I have a chevron close by that offers free air.

REDZMAN

I just talked to them.

Last time was with Discount Tire. Went in, talked to them and told them (manager) what happened, and he offered.

mannyr

Good point. Did not think of that. I actually did some searching and Red is right. It is a common practice with tire shops. They might charge you for the road hazard warranty. Prorate the tire but you come out with the road hazard warranty as well.