Had anyone used Fix-A-Flat before? How does it work really? I assume it's not a permanent fix for a flat tire. So how long does it keep a flat tire inflated?

The reason I'm asking is that my Z is sitting in front of my house with a flat tire. I'm taking it to the shop once I receive the new tires in the mail. But I don't want to drive the Z with the donut! I'm trying to see if this product can help me inflat the flat tire enough to drive the Z to the shop (should be less than 20 miles away).


http://www.fixaflat.com/

 

Fix a flat gets you from point A to point B and will only work if the damage to the tire is not too large. It's like this foamy crap that fills the tire up and hopefully the hole.Honestly, with the prices of high performance tires, I would not us fix a flat and chance that it may fail and end up chewing up the sidewalls driving on the damaged tire. Also, problem with fix a flat is sometimes when you use it the tire shop can not find the hole because it's sealed up. Then you take the tire home and the sealant fails again and you are back to square one. I would take the 10 minutes and put the spare on. It's a full size donut (rolling diameter) just not in width.

 

Not to mention that Fix-a-Flat isn't to be used if you have a Tire Pressure Monitoring system -- like the Z (except for the base) has.

 

Some high end sports cars are coming with no spare tire and a can of fix-a-flat if the car doesn't come with run-flat tires.

I used it once when I bought it at a gas station while in a bind. Held long enough for my 15 mile drive home on the freeway (at slower speeds) and kept the tire inflated through the next morning long enough for me to get the tire fixed at the shop.

 

Do you have TPS? Any ill effects? I've heard the guys at tire shops HATE the stuff b/c it's a b!tch to clean out.

 

fix a flat is garbage. Yah it might work temporarily...but when you bring it to a shop to put a patch in it the rubber cement wont stick well and the patch will fall off eventually. Other places just plug the tires which means what??? that **** stays IN your tire, ruining your rim, and throwing the wheel off balance. And if you have chrome...dont even think about using fix a flat.

 

doesnt wrk. went through 3 cans, still didnt hold air

 

buy a plug kit, buy a air pupm that plugs into the lighter or is foot pumped, than use soapy water to find the air leak(the leaking air will make bubbles)

easy to plug a tire

 

No I was in my wife's Accord on 225/40/18 tires (I only mention this because of the sidewall profile that was much smaller than what's on my Z). As the product is intended, it was a stopgap measure to get me to the shop the next day and it worked for me.

What are you trying to accomplish? You say that you don't want to drive on the doughnut until your tires get in but you also want to make it to the tire shop 20 miles away. Does this mean you're also going to daily drive until the new tires arrive? If that's the case then I would rather use the doughnut.

 

I'm actually driving a company rental car now until my Z is fixed. What am I trying to accomplish.. hmm.. I just want to be able to take the Z to the shop when the tires arrive. I still have the flat tire/wheel on right now and I don't want to put the donut on. Not only that I'm lazy, but I also HATE to drive on donut!

 

Do as stated above or if your too lazy then spend the money to have it towed

 

I would not recommend this product. For very small holes it works but at the expense of filling the inside of your rim with junk which is a PITA to clean. Also I have heard of it throwing off your balance and screwing up your TPS sensors.

 

The only reason it throws the wheel off balance is because theres water in it. And it will screw up the sensor.

 

I heard that if you use it you need to get a new tire. The wheel wont be able to be balance any more. I would just tell you to take the tire off, get a friend or anther car to take you to a tire shop to get it fix.

 

I didnt really give a crap about my tire and Im looking to trade the car in but fix a flat has kept me going for almost a week now with a hole throught sidewall.

 

I would throw the spare on there in that case. Your chances of a blow out are a lot higher when the sidewall is damaged plus I would not trust fix a flat. If you read the directions it is just used as a temporary thing and should be taken in for repair ASAP. Just my

 

yeah i am not sure how it works but i know my friends car didn't come equipped with a spare tire but a can of the fix-a-flat stuff. he hasn't had to use it so i don't know if it will work well for him or not if he ever gets a flat.

 

I am a store manager for Discount Tire and yes as it has been stated it will ruin the air sensor and yes it is moisture in the tire that is not good. If it stays in the tire for a long time it ruins the tire from the inside, also when it gets in the hole it also rust the steel in the tire. Fix a flat is a temp thing if you have to use it get it taken care of ASAP

 

fix-a-flat got me out of bind once... enought to get me to a tire shop and fix it right... but don't get that stuff on your paint.. it will destroy it

--mike

 

Not trying to sound ignorant, but I hope this car has a blow out and it's totaled.