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Ok guys so heres a quick little write up/review of my experience with my Cruze Eco- with a flat tire. As us Eco owners are aware... there is no spare tire, jack, or wrench given with the vehicle as stock. But what does come with the Eco is a inflation kit, with slime like - fix a flat.
I woke up early yesterday morning to go to work. I go out to my garage start up my car, and get some dash reads saying tire pressure low - reading a 1psi... i got out and took a look and low and behold, sitting on the rim- tire completely flat. After calling every tire shop in the local area, i couldnt find my Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max 215/55/17 tire.
I was really hesitant in using the slime kit, knowing that in the past the fixaflat substance makes it nearly impossible to repair the tire after it is used inside the tire. I originally tried just to use the inflator without the sealant. But would only hold a 20 psi rating, and i could hear a constant hiss. With my tire covered in snow, i couldnt exactly identify where the hole, or puncture was. I decided to go for it and use the sealant slime in the stock kit. Its a one time use slime kit for one tire, just enough to temp. repair one tire.. a replacement sealant kit costs 30$ at the GM Dealership.
Ok so here we go, i hooked up the hose to my stem, and turned her on... Right away it simultaneously filled up my tire, while pumping the sealant in, after a good 10 minutes my tire was sitting pretty at 38psi. i turned the unit off and still heard the hiss. The owners manual states to drive the vehicle immediately after a successful use of the repair kit - to effectively spread out the compound slime to find the puncture. (manual states drive 5 miles and recheck tire) I drove roughly the 5 miles and hopped out and no hiss whatsoever, i continued my 30 mile drive to the nearest tire shop- while monitoring my tire pressure via the onboard dash. Throughout my trip the tire pressure remained at 38psi and i safely made it to the shop. Got right in and had the tire cleaned up and a simple repair to the tread was all i needed, a 30$ fix, plus 30$ for a refill sealant canister. Not too bad considering- Luckily it wasnt my sidewall- because i couldnt get that tire locally for "5-7 days"... I was given the run around by tire shops saying that tire is no longer made, etc. Which is a load of $#!+.
Anyway, i see a lot of people on here being worried that their not given a spare tire, and only that inflation repair kit. But try not to be too worried, the kit worked wonders better then i thought it would, its made with a type of material that still makes the tire repairable, and doesnt mess up the pressure sensors whatsoever. The only thing is its a one time fill kit, that needs to be replaced w the refill canister ($30), and if its sidewall damage it wont be repairable with the kit and a tow is the only real option. So i can say that the only need for a spare tire is for sidewall damage where the tire is irreparable even temporarily. Here's an article i also found regarding the disappearance of spare tires in newer vehicles and their replacements. http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/the-disappearing-spare-tire.html
I woke up early yesterday morning to go to work. I go out to my garage start up my car, and get some dash reads saying tire pressure low - reading a 1psi... i got out and took a look and low and behold, sitting on the rim- tire completely flat. After calling every tire shop in the local area, i couldnt find my Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max 215/55/17 tire.
I was really hesitant in using the slime kit, knowing that in the past the fixaflat substance makes it nearly impossible to repair the tire after it is used inside the tire. I originally tried just to use the inflator without the sealant. But would only hold a 20 psi rating, and i could hear a constant hiss. With my tire covered in snow, i couldnt exactly identify where the hole, or puncture was. I decided to go for it and use the sealant slime in the stock kit. Its a one time use slime kit for one tire, just enough to temp. repair one tire.. a replacement sealant kit costs 30$ at the GM Dealership.
Ok so here we go, i hooked up the hose to my stem, and turned her on... Right away it simultaneously filled up my tire, while pumping the sealant in, after a good 10 minutes my tire was sitting pretty at 38psi. i turned the unit off and still heard the hiss. The owners manual states to drive the vehicle immediately after a successful use of the repair kit - to effectively spread out the compound slime to find the puncture. (manual states drive 5 miles and recheck tire) I drove roughly the 5 miles and hopped out and no hiss whatsoever, i continued my 30 mile drive to the nearest tire shop- while monitoring my tire pressure via the onboard dash. Throughout my trip the tire pressure remained at 38psi and i safely made it to the shop. Got right in and had the tire cleaned up and a simple repair to the tread was all i needed, a 30$ fix, plus 30$ for a refill sealant canister. Not too bad considering- Luckily it wasnt my sidewall- because i couldnt get that tire locally for "5-7 days"... I was given the run around by tire shops saying that tire is no longer made, etc. Which is a load of $#!+.
Anyway, i see a lot of people on here being worried that their not given a spare tire, and only that inflation repair kit. But try not to be too worried, the kit worked wonders better then i thought it would, its made with a type of material that still makes the tire repairable, and doesnt mess up the pressure sensors whatsoever. The only thing is its a one time fill kit, that needs to be replaced w the refill canister ($30), and if its sidewall damage it wont be repairable with the kit and a tow is the only real option. So i can say that the only need for a spare tire is for sidewall damage where the tire is irreparable even temporarily. Here's an article i also found regarding the disappearance of spare tires in newer vehicles and their replacements. http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/the-disappearing-spare-tire.html
