Just bought my 8 on Saturday. I spent all day Sunday on curvy windy roads and I love it. One thing though... The sales guy at the dealership convinced me that the spare tire was not required, that the nature of the tires will allow you to roll flat without damaging tire or rim, and that the tire repair kit will get you to a shop for repairs. Now I'm reading the manual and all I can say is, man, what a joke. Let me get this right: If you use the sealant, you trash the tire? And this is called a "repair kit"? I've had my fair share of punctures. Some are on the tread and can be fixed. Some are on the side or close to the side and can't be fixed. With this process, you trash your tire 100% of the time.

What about the times when you lose all pressure? Can this goopy repair strategy still have a prayer of working or are you totally hosed?

If your pressure sensor goes off and you find that you have a slow leak, aren't you better off just using the compressor to 32 psig and travel at reduced speeds to a repair shop? You have sensors to tell you if when the pressure gets too low again.

Has anybody actually used the repair kit. Did it work as advertised? I'm pretty much convinced I'm going to have to spring for a donut and mounting kit, because I think what I got is a bad idea.

I think a good number of people have come to the same conclusion. The only deciding factor that I can see is where you think you'll be when that flat comes around. Now granted, if you're in the city and can reasonably expect that your free roadside assistance can come tow you in to the shop and let them fix the flat, then you're ok. If on the other hand you are out in BFE with no cell coverage, with no sidewall damage, with no spare then I suppose the can and compressor will get you to civilization. Personally, having been a sidewall victim when I really needed to be somewhere, I'm going for the spare kit.

>>Personally, having been a sidewall victim when I really needed to be somewhere, I'm going for the spare kit.<<

That's what I was thinking. ;)

I'd still like to hear from anybody who actually had to use the tire "repair" kit. How did it work?

Originally posted by S3/P3/E2
Now granted, if you're in the city and can reasonably expect that your free roadside assistance can come tow you in to the shop and let them fix the flat, then you're ok.
That is my plan, only I am concerned that RA might not be authorized for towing without 1st trying the tire goo. I can't imagine that Hank's Towing really cares, but when you call it in they could conceivably make an issue of it. I'm hoping not.