No spare tyre ???...Be careful !!

[altea phil]

Have got a '55 1.9 tDi Stylance which comes with the bottle of sealant and mini-compressor, rather than a space-saver spare tyre, and was unlucky enough to get a puncture last night on my way home.
Fortunately I was only a few hundred yards from home when I realised something wasn't right, and managed to get home before the tyre went completely flat, so I pulled it in the garage, and took the wheel off and got my bottle of sealant out, and injected it into the tyre valve as instructed, but the bloody stuff didn't work...It just remained milky white and refused to set, even after leaving it overnight !!
When I looked at the bottle, the use-by date (which I didn't know it had ),was 12/2008, so I am guessing that the stuff has gone off, as it failed to seal the small hole in the tread !!
Unfortunately, the tyre has already been repaired once, so I have had to fork out for a replacement, but managed to get a nearly new Michelin for £35 .
But for anyone else without the space-saver spare wheel, the morale of the story is - CHECK YOUR SEALANT - IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE !!!


P.S. - ANYONE GOT A SPACE SAVER FOR SALE ???????

 

[Toxic]

I ended up getting a spare wheel. i didn't want the hassle of either something like that or you tyre being so damaged you can't use the sealant.. I still keep the compressor in the car however.

 

[Viking]

First thing I did when I got the car was pick up a space saver wheel. You're correct insofar as the sealant has a limited shelf life and I wasn't happy with the physics of the system anyway. Even roadside assistance would fail if the tyre was split in the sidewall, whereas a spare wheel can be fitted by any helpful soul who happens to be passing.

I've since got a full sized spare wheel and fitted a new tyre so when we go on holiday we're not dependant on a get you home space saver. But for day to day stuff the sapce saver stays in the car.

 

[jtmac]

I got a puncture about a fortnight ago and it was a reminder that I should get myself a space saver too. I called Breaking VWs in Huddersfield and they didn't have any then but they said that they turn up fairly regularly. Which reminds me... I'll have to give them a call and see if they've got one for me.

 

[Fl@pper]

foam stuff is junk at the best of times to be honest

if beading has gone or a decent cut in it you won't get a seal anyway

space saver is best bet