Ok.....husband got a flat tire in my car yesterday. I don't have a spare but we tried to use the kit. Well, the plastic orange piece that you try to remove the valve stem with broke off inside. So.....I can't repair it with that. Now that the piece is stuck inside the valve area we figure we can't try anything else right now and I don't want to void anything to do with the warranty. I get a tow truck an hour and a half later and it's towed to the dealer.....bear in mind...it's Friday evening...service is closed till Monday. So I manage to get a loaner car and now I wait till Monday.....all for a flat tire! Guys...get the spare if you can. I also heard that if you use the kit it ruins the tire....anyone else know about this?? Well, at least I can have them switch out my winter tires while there, so I guess it's not the end of the world. I love this car and it's sometimes frustrating though! What are your feelings on the tire kit?? Thanks gang!

 

You don't need 'the kit' for a flat tyre! Just the compressor, unless there is a puncture.

 

Another stroke of bad luck their cruzdreamer. Just yesterday someone posted a positive experience with the flat tire kit. According to the manual it recommends getting a new tire after filling it with that gunk. Others have even mentioned "it possibly" ruining your TPMS sensor...

Well, I requested the spare tire with my pre-order but don't drive around with it since I live in the city and hailing a tow-truck or cab isn't too difficult should the fix-a-flat fail. But when I go on extended road trips, I toss the spare tire in the trunk for insurance.

 

Good idea Brothervoodoo...I may get the spare and do the same. BTW...tire would not hold air...so no air compressor would work.

 

Sorry 'bout the flat. That's exactly why I got the kit. If I'm somewhere convenient I can always have any tire shop pull the tire off the rim and patch it, but the thought of having to wait all weekend to let the dealer fix it would drive me nuts. Plus, if the tire goop really does ruin the tire then at nearly $200 a pop for a tire, my spare kit will have paid for itself if in the car's lifetime I ever get more than one flat.

 

I have carried a puncture repair kit for years. No flats in this car, but I have fixed 5 or 6 punctures over the years.

Also had a couple of sidewall cuts and a blowout. Spare fixed those, but I will need the cellphone if that happens with the 8.

 

From what I've read on this forum so far, seems like most of the people who ended up with a flat tire wished they had the Spare Tire kit. Seems like Most chosed not to use "the Kit" either because they know they can repair the tire later and don't want to ruin it or the Kit was no help to them. The other gripe I hear about the Spare Tire is that it is yellow and take up lots of Trunk space.

Thanks to All who posted their flat tire experience here. From what I learned here, I think I'm going to order the Spare Tire afterall . (Probably going to spray paint it black if it IS as ugly as most people described it :D )

 

you do with the flat if you get the spare kit? Put it in the back seat? Unless you have a 16" auto, the 18" won't get in the trunk. I did have one flat, a slow leak. But luckily I was at home so I just jacked and removed the flat, took it to the dealer in my Miata (sticking out the trunk) and had it repaired. No problem since. The thing is, more and more sports/sporty cars are coming without donuts and using runflats. From what I read, runflats will become the norm (sorry if anyone is a Norman) in a few years. I know, I know! It's risky, but so is life in general.:p

 

On the orange tool, I have broken mine to. I was just going through the parts and thought I would bleed a little are and make sure the compressor worked. Well one of the tips broke off.

To get it out I took a pick (dental tool type) and pressed it into the plastic then I was able to pull it out. It was a pain. You might be able to get it out with a T-Pin or something similear.

I never thought about telling Mazda because I was just messing around. I dought that many people have used the kit so they don't know it could be a problem. I bought a cheep metal version and through in my kit as a replacement.

One quesitons did you have no air in the tire when he tried to pull the stem out? I figured mine was tight due to it being full of air, maybe i was wrong.

 

My car came without the spare tire kit but my step father who has a yellow 8 got one with his car and didn't want it.

He ended up giving it to me and we swapped out interior trunk peices so I had no cutting to do which is required when you don't have the kit but then install it afterwards.

I just didn't feel comfortable not having a spare tire plus what if you have a blow out, the compressor and the can of fix it isn't going to help.

BTW I bought him a set of clear markers and clear bulbs for his car as a thank you gift and we both walked away happy !!

 

It's only ugly when it's mounted on the car. And for good reason - to make sure you remember that it's only for short-term use. The rest of the time it's tucked inside it's black vinyl pack and attached to the mounting bracket. in the trunk.

 

Ditch the goop and get a real puncture kit with a reamer, plugs and cement. It will fix what the goop does, but without ruining the tire or anything else. Weighs sever ounces less as well.
Then just use the compressor to fill itup.

 

This is what I done as well. While I have not had a flat, I am better prepared to handle the situation if it does arrive. I recommend this for anyone not having the spare tire kit.

 

Is flat tire repair covered under roadside assistance? That would be the best choice...here in NJ lots of people get killed changing tires on our busy roads.

 

Although I carry a 'puncture kit' (probably 6 bucks from Wal-Mart) in my trunk, I'm beginning to think about replacing my 040's with runflats. I currently have about 10,000 miles on my original 040's, am assuming I will get another 10,000 miles of service from them, am becoming increasingly annoyed at the relatively loud 'tire noise' of my Potenza's.

225/45/18 runflats don't seem to be readily available from tire companies; not much tire choice from which to choose. So, I'm continuing to search, hoping the size becomes more . . available.