How many of you picked up an inflatable and put it in your trunk?

How many of you have suffered flats with 19 rims and had to wait for the flat bed?

How many of you have had a trip ruined because of a flat?

What are some alternatives (besides an inflatable) to the flatbed?

 

I have one I only use on road trips, but I put it in the back seat, not the frunk. And I keep a patch kit, 2 tire sealant cans (just in case) and an air compressor in a kit in the frunk at all times.

 

I have a second hand (eBay) Porsche compact spare in the frunk. Never used it.

 

John: do not fret about it. Get AAA Premium Membership and chances are you will never use it.

 

I've had a flat where the Tire gunk got me home, still had to flat bed it to the tire shop the next day. Since then, I got a patch kit and threw it in the frunk along with another can of gunk.

Of course I have the OEM inflator.

 

Tire plug kit and a cell phone.

 

1st position: Careful driving and considerable reliance on luck (potential for industrial fasteners in the main parking lot at work).

2nd position: Frequent full surface tire inspection (every time I wash my car) looking for excessive wear, cuts, and possible screws, nails, etc.

3rd position: Plugs and plugging tools. Takes care of basic punctures across most of the tread area. I asked the tire installer (TruLine in Bellevue) to teach me how to plug tires, which they did on other customers' tires. Discarded tires, not good tires. I've now had hands-on practice successfully plugging tires. The idea is to plug them, then drive my car normally to a professional tire shop for a proper patch repair.

4th position: Standard Porsche tire goop. I made sure my bottle of goop is up to date and ready to go. And I have the older one, too, as backup for my backup. I also test my battery-powered compressor every 3 months or so to make sure it remembers how to run and inflate tires.

5th position: Cell phone and flat bed.

I thought about a compact spare, but I elected to trade the permanent hassle of wiping out most usable storage space for a random and relatively infrequent risk of major inconvenience. Also, we use the back seat, so wrestling a filthy 295 rear tire and wheel, plastic bag or not, into the back seat would elicit its own major trauma. Plus, according to my wife, I have unusually great skill at putting unpleasant thoughts completely out of my mind at will.

 

great stuff, thank you everyone.

 

Happened to me earlier this year. I was 3 miles away from destination and I damaged the sidewall. I do have a plug kit and gunk/compressor but it wasn't going to help me. Called AAA to get it towed 110 miles back to home. AAA premium covered 100 miles.

 

CSAA Premier Membership - 200 miles towing.

 

Had a spare in my 996 C4s. Felt naked without it in the 997. Bought one on the Bay wide enough to clear the calipers. One day after receiving it and putting it in the frunk, was pushed out of my lane by an SUV overtaking me at a curve on a 2 laner and nudged the curb with the resulting sidewall blowout. I could hear the air coming out. The spare came in handy. It lives in the frunk and although my car is a DD, I still find enough space for groceries etc. And I have AAA platinum.

 

How wide was "wide enough to clear the calipers?"

 

I never had a flat tire in my 996 C4S in over 100,000 miles of driving. I haven't had one in my 997 either.

 

Another inconvenience to consider when mounting a spare is how to stuff/secure the flat tire in the car once you're back on your way. It will fit in the rear but not without some effort. I bought and carried a 996 collapsible spare, carried it for years and never used it. No longer have it - depend now on the sealant or roadside assistance. This whole topic is moot for those with CL wheels.

 

"How wide was "wide enough to clear the calipers?"

I think the same size that comes with a 996 C4.