On Thu, 22 Dec 2016 22:13:52 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 12/22/2016 8:29 PM, Frank Baron wrote:

In the past 20 years I can
think of three tires needing repair.

Wow. I seem to have at least one a year, and sometimes more (lately).

I drive about 22,000 miles a year and the worst case is to add some air
a couple of times. Present car has 25,000 miles and for the first time
I had to put air in one when the TPM went of when it was 7 degrees one
morning.




If flats were as uncommon as you seem to feel they may be, then why hasn't
the spare tire gone the way of the dashboard oil pressure gage?

Ah, it pretty much has. Many cars have a can of air now.



I don't know any guy who would call someone else for something as simple as
changing a tire though. It almost takes longer to make the call to AAA than
it does to change the tire yourself. Even if it didn't, you'll be waiting
for the truck to arrive far longer than it takes to change the tire.

It was dark, about 35 degrees and raining. Took the guy about a half
hout to show up and do the change. Meantime I shopped in Home Depot.

The first time was a dozen years ago. I ran over a body bolt and it
made a big hole in the sidewall. Car was about two months old. I took
the other car to work. Dealer came over, took the tire off and mounted
a new one, put it back. No idea how long it took them but I lost no
time. Had to pay for the tire, of course.

When I was a teenager driving a '53 Merc with either used tire or
recaps, I changed many tires. Found a better way.



In 44 years I've had 5 tires go flat "on the road" 3 of those on one
trip due to faulty valve stems (on the PT Cruiser on PEI), 1 due to a
cinder in the black hills of the Dakotas at -40 on the '69 dart, and
one on a sunday afternoon on the '63 Valiant (with no bumpers so I had
to jack it by the trunk lid.) I've had a few go flat on the driveway
that could be aired up and driven to the shop.
I've never had one damaged to the point it was not repairable due to
running flat. Both of the ones that failed flat on the road were down
low enough on tread that I ended up replacing the full set shortly
later.
I'm a former auto mechanic and I won't "patch" a tire in the field
unless I have to.
I patched a lot as a kid on the farm (tube type on wagons) and bikes,
lawn tractors etc., and a LOT in the shop as a mechanic.