The cost of a blown tire

[FigLeaf]

A bit of good news, a bottle of replacement sealant can be bought on the internet with shipping from UK for ~$59:
http://www.care4car.com/viewcart.php?changerow_quantity=144043_1
also it can be found on UK eBay for even less, however I don't know if they would ship to US.
Still, even with those prices spare tire from Altima sounds like a better solution.

 

[rtaheri]

A bit of good news, a bottle of replacement sealant can be bought on the internet with shipping from UK for ~$59:
http://www.care4car.com/viewcart.php?changerow_quantity=144043_1
also it can be found on UK eBay for even less, however I don't know if they would ship to US.
Still, even with those prices spare tire from Altima sounds like a better solution.

FWIW, I purchased the item above. It does ship to the US. The sealant was £20.95, which is ~$32:
http://www.care4car.com/productdisplay/productid/231/Continental_Compressor_and_Tyre_Sealant_Kit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I bought two of the kits above, and the shipping to the US was £16 or ~$25, which is certainly reasonable and only a few dollars more than the shipping cost for 1 can. BUTTT...!! beware: it does not exactly fit the LEAF emergency repair kit. The can of sealant is 560ml, which should work as well as the Leaf's 450ml bottle. But the hose fits the compressor that is sold on the care4car web site, not the Leaf's. Since you are supposed to replace the hose every time you use the compressor with the sealant, you still have to buy the hose.

I was about to return the kit to care4car, but called the local Nissan dealer first. They said the can of sealant costs $171!!! But they do sell the hose separately for $24+tax. So I think I will buy the hose from Nissan, hold on to the can of sealant I bought from car4car, and toss their hose.

Anybody see a better solution?

Thanks,
Reza

 

[smkettner]

Tow truck seems better.

 

[HighDesertDriver]

Tow truck seems better.

For our situation where we are normally 30 miles or less from home, flat-bedding home courtesy of Nissan is also our choice #1. The bottle will be reserved for situations where I cannot wait.

Having said this, our new #1 choice will soon be a compact spare under the trunk. We joined the pothole club on Friday night, pinching a hole in the sidewall and watching the low-pressure light come on within 15 seconds. Being only 2 miles from home and knowing the tire was ruined beyond temporary fix or permanent repair, we continued home at a cautious speed. Good news / bad news: the wheel was not damaged, but there were no replacement tires in stock locally. We should be back on the road this afternoon after the new tire arrives from the warehouse.

 

[Volusiano]

If you plan to buy and use the sealant can (whereever from), plan on paying to replace the TPMS on the tire as well, since the sealant will probably gum it up and render it unusable afterward. Those are not cheap, either. I think in the US, they run around $150.

I would only use the sealant can as a very last resort, only if you can't call a tow truck.

 

[rtaheri]

Agreed: the sealant is the option of last resort. But this is what happened: I also hit a curb and punctured a hole in the sidewall. But not realizing that's what had happened, I tried to follow the "manufacturer's recommended procedure", and used the sealant and the compressor to fix the tire. Only then did I see the piece of sidewall rubber flapping in and out with the air pressure .

So now I have a wasted sealant bottle and a messed up hose. As much as I don't want to use the sealant again, I hate the thought of never having the option, and a messy hose that will make the compressor useless. So I wanted to replace both.

But going forward, I have also purchased a spare tire off a 2011 Altima. Once I get it, and maybe even put it on for a test, I will post an update.

Thanks,
Reza

 

[TonyWilliams]

Having said this, our new #1 choice will soon be a compact spare under the trunk.

Remember, you can put a deflated spare in the trunk, and use the supplied Nissan tire pump when needed.

 

[smkettner]

If it is an actual emergency I will call 911, otherwise I will wait for a tow.
But then I don't even carry a cell phone :lol: So I will be the one flagging down a fellow motorist or walking.
To each their own, I just don't plan to be in the middle of nowhere considering the range of LEAF.
My truck OTOH definately has a spare, air pump, and a can of tire goop in the toolbox.

I probably should sell my $171 can of Nissan goop. I am not sure what is special about it compared to a can from the autostore.

 

[HighDesertDriver]

Having said this, our new #1 choice will soon be a compact spare under the trunk.

Remember, you can put a deflated spare in the trunk, and use the supplied Nissan tire pump when needed.

Very true, and that will have to be our initial approach. Not that I need another project, but I'd like to get it out of the way rather than have to continually maneuver things in the trunk or choose when to carry it. I'll be able to jump-start from your work, and perhaps my contribution to the larger effort can be to design a fastened cover or 737 type fairing.

 

[Harv]

I did burst my front driver side tire last week, rather badly, after hitting the curb @ 10 mph. Had to be towed flat bed. Glad to have AAA premium membership as didn't have to pay anything for that. Replacement tire at a dealer cost $168. Not too bad I guess, as compared to some other quotes.

 

[TomT]

I have to ask the obvious question of why people go to the dealer for a tire? Almost any tire dealer is going to be less expensive and perhaps more convenient...

I did burst my front driver side tire last week, rather badly, after hitting the curb @ 10 mph. Had to be towed flat bed. Glad to have AAA premium membership as didn't have to pay anything for that. Replacement tire at a dealer cost $168. Not too bad I guess, as compared to some other quotes.

 

[garygid]

One generally needs to be taken somewhere that has,
or can obtain, a suitable matching tire.

Now, I have one in my garage!

At http://www.onlinetires.com/about_us.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (in Cerritos, CA)
they have our tire for $90 plus tax and shipping. So, about
$100 to $110 to you most anywhere in the USA, I suspect.

 

[HighDesertDriver]

I have to ask the obvious question of why people go to the dealer for a tire? Almost any tire dealer is going to be less expensive and perhaps more convenient...

I did burst my front driver side tire last week, rather badly, after hitting the curb @ 10 mph. Had to be towed flat bed. Glad to have AAA premium membership as didn't have to pay anything for that. Replacement tire at a dealer cost $168. Not too bad I guess, as compared to some other quotes.

No tire dealers in our area had the correct matching tire in stock and I would have paid extra, say $20-25, if our dealer had been able to get us back on the road immediately. Since a tire had to be ordered regardless of who we went with, we ended up going back to the local dealer because they had given us a $50 maintenance & parts credit when we purchased the car. Final out-the-door cost: $103.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I had the same issue when replacing my tire. in fact I do you are the best I could do was monday 4 a tire blowout that happen thursday night. so I ended up replacing it at firestone on saturday morning

 

[LakeLeaf]

Tow truck seems better.

Absolutely.

However - it really goes against my senses to not be completely self sufficient. I need to do a better job adjusting to this ever increasingly connected world we live in.

 

[NYLEAF]

I got a flat tire this morning at about 1am. I first called Road Side Assistance, but since it was a Sunday at 1am, they were only going to pick up the car and take it to a holding facility, and then drop it off at the Nissan dealer of my choice (within reason) on Monday morning. They said I would have to make my own transportation arrangements to get home. I was 15 miles from home on a Sunday morning at 1am -- no thanks! I called the Tow Truck that Nissan was going through, and the driver offered to take me to some 24 hour tire repair shops for $80 cash. I almost went with it, but I declined. I happened to get the flat outside of a friend's apartment, so I woke him up and got him to use his AAA Gold card to get me a free tow to a tire shop that claimed to have the correct tire in stock. They didn't have an exact match, but it's the right size and it's a Bridgestone, so I took it. ($185 including tax).

So, yeah, having a spare would have been very nice. It's unfortunate that the towing service offered by Nissan is so limited.

 

[rtaheri]

I got a flat tire this morning at about 1am. I first called Road Side Assistance, but since it was a Sunday at 1am, they were only going to pick up the car and take it to a holding facility, and then drop it off at the Nissan dealer of my choice (within reason) on Monday morning. They said I would have to make my own transportation arrangements to get home. I was 15 miles from home on a Sunday morning at 1am -- no thanks! I called the Tow Truck that Nissan was going through, and the driver offered to take me to some 24 hour tire repair shops for $80 cash. I almost went with it, but I declined. I happened to get the flat outside of a friend's apartment, so I woke him up and got him to use his AAA Gold card to get me a free tow to a tire shop that claimed to have the correct tire in stock. They didn't have an exact match, but it's the right size and it's a Bridgestone, so I took it. ($185 including tax).

So, yeah, having a spare would have been very nice. It's unfortunate that the towing service offered by Nissan is so limited.

When this happened to me, also on a Saturday night, Nissan said they would have to take a car to a holding facility because they didn't want to accept the liability of leaving the car unattended at the dealership. But the tow truck driver agreed to take me to the dealer anyway. And, I left the car there with an "early bird" form with my key. It stands to reason: The dealer already accepts cars left at the dealership unattended for early bird service. Of course in this case, the lawyers of many entities (tow company, roadside assistance company, etc.) get involved, so one has to charm the tow truck driver.

Reza

 

[TomT]

This is one of the reasons why I have AAA Plus. Anywhere I want to go within 100 miles of the incident, no questions asked...

I got a flat tire this morning at about 1am. I first called Road Side Assistance, but since it was a Sunday at 1am, they were only going to pick up the car and take it to a holding facility, and then drop it off at the Nissan dealer of my choice (within reason) on Monday morning. They said I would have to make my own transportation arrangements to get home. I was 15 miles from home on a Sunday morning at 1am -- no thanks! I called the Tow Truck that Nissan was going through, and the driver offered to take me to some 24 hour tire repair shops for $80 cash. I almost went with it, but I declined. I happened to get the flat outside of a friend's apartment, so I woke him up and got him to use his AAA Gold card to get me a free tow to a tire shop that claimed to have the correct tire in stock. They didn't have an exact match, but it's the right size and it's a Bridgestone, so I took it. ($185 including tax). So, yeah, having a spare would have been very nice. It's unfortunate that the towing service offered by Nissan is so limited.

 

[planet4ever]

This is one of the reasons why I have AAA Plus. Anywhere I want to go within 100 miles of the incident, no questions asked...

... so long as you don't use it more than three times in a year. I used it twice last year (once for a blown LEAF tire) and got a reminder of that limit from AAA.

Ray

 

[garygid]

I think that:
The Nissan towing for the LEAF is "better" than Nissan's towing for other cars ... something like 100 miles to home/dealer/charging-spot/repair, and not just the closest of those, right?