First flat with a GT3.....
03-13-2010 | 10:22 PM
#17
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 53
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Goo worked for me -- up to a point. My wife and I had taken the 08 GT2 to Zion National Park last November from San Diego. Had a great trip up. The next morning (Monday) I noticed that the right rear was flat. It has a 325 cross section.
I rolled the car until I could see the problem: a big screw head sticking out of the tread almost dead center. I used the goo following the instructions. Worked fine, had no problem at all. Didn't even get any of that white stuff on me. Of course, it helped that the car was parked in a parking lot and there was no traffic buzzing around.
The goo sealed the puncture perfectly. For the next three days we drove the car throughout the park. There was no loss of pressure.
I immediately called the Porsche dealer in Las Vegas and ordered a new tire. I was planning on dropping by on Friday to have it changed on our way home.
On Friday I made it to I 15 without any problem. However, after about 10 miles going south on I 15 at about 75 mph the pressure was dropping like a stone all of a sudden, as indicated by the tire pressure monitor, the display of which I was keeping an eagle eye on. As I was slowing down and pulling off on the shoulder the red alarm came on. I was down to about 40 mph by that time. Fortunately, there was an exit about 1/4 mile ahead. I crawled along the shoulder and parked the car. The screw had come out and there was goo al over the back of the car.
At no time was there any instabiliity at all, even when the tire was basically flat at about 40 mph.
Lesson learned: don't exceed about 65 mph if the puncture is caused by something with a big, heavy head (too much centripetal force).
I called Porsche Road Side Service and they sent out a flat bed (actually a truck with a really low trailer). That service worked like a charm. 5 minutes after I called I got a call back telling me the truck would be there in 40 minutes. It showed up 5 minutes early. The driver called me a few minutes before he showed up. The service called back later to make sure everything was OK.
I loosened the front spoiler -- that was necessary.
The driver, Randy Barlow, co-owner of Streamline Automotive Inc., was highly competent and the nicest and most helpful guy you could imagine. It was a bit strange seeing the GT2 in the rear-view mirror following us on the trailer.
No problems getting to the Porsche dealership in Las Vegas and getting the tire changed in 40 minutes, during lunch hour. The people at the dealership were most helpful and professional. The rest of the trip home was uneventful.
At home, I had a hell of a time to get the goo off the back of the car and from inside the wheel well. The sticky back was coated with fine particles of dirt and sand. The spoiler creates a low-pressure area behind the car which sucks up some amazinly big pieces of dirt if you go fast enough. I tried various things. Tar remover worked, but is hard on paint. The best stuff was a citrus-based liquid called Dissolve It. I had to clay and wax the rear after all that dirt had come off.
The screw had punched a hole into the inner fender liner when it flew out. Had to replace the liner. Part had to come from Germany. Took three days by FedEx. I have tire insurance, but the claims adjuster refused the claim on the spot. He wanted someone to inspect the car and tire -- the following Monday! The broker who had arranged for the insuurance went to bat for me, however, and three months later I got a check for the full amount. It had been a brand new tire, my first replacement set.
The two truck driver recommended I buy the black puncture fixing inserts, not the red ones. I did. Have quite a collection now in the trunk.
I rolled the car until I could see the problem: a big screw head sticking out of the tread almost dead center. I used the goo following the instructions. Worked fine, had no problem at all. Didn't even get any of that white stuff on me. Of course, it helped that the car was parked in a parking lot and there was no traffic buzzing around.
The goo sealed the puncture perfectly. For the next three days we drove the car throughout the park. There was no loss of pressure.
I immediately called the Porsche dealer in Las Vegas and ordered a new tire. I was planning on dropping by on Friday to have it changed on our way home.
On Friday I made it to I 15 without any problem. However, after about 10 miles going south on I 15 at about 75 mph the pressure was dropping like a stone all of a sudden, as indicated by the tire pressure monitor, the display of which I was keeping an eagle eye on. As I was slowing down and pulling off on the shoulder the red alarm came on. I was down to about 40 mph by that time. Fortunately, there was an exit about 1/4 mile ahead. I crawled along the shoulder and parked the car. The screw had come out and there was goo al over the back of the car.
At no time was there any instabiliity at all, even when the tire was basically flat at about 40 mph.
Lesson learned: don't exceed about 65 mph if the puncture is caused by something with a big, heavy head (too much centripetal force).
I called Porsche Road Side Service and they sent out a flat bed (actually a truck with a really low trailer). That service worked like a charm. 5 minutes after I called I got a call back telling me the truck would be there in 40 minutes. It showed up 5 minutes early. The driver called me a few minutes before he showed up. The service called back later to make sure everything was OK.
I loosened the front spoiler -- that was necessary.
The driver, Randy Barlow, co-owner of Streamline Automotive Inc., was highly competent and the nicest and most helpful guy you could imagine. It was a bit strange seeing the GT2 in the rear-view mirror following us on the trailer.
No problems getting to the Porsche dealership in Las Vegas and getting the tire changed in 40 minutes, during lunch hour. The people at the dealership were most helpful and professional. The rest of the trip home was uneventful.
At home, I had a hell of a time to get the goo off the back of the car and from inside the wheel well. The sticky back was coated with fine particles of dirt and sand. The spoiler creates a low-pressure area behind the car which sucks up some amazinly big pieces of dirt if you go fast enough. I tried various things. Tar remover worked, but is hard on paint. The best stuff was a citrus-based liquid called Dissolve It. I had to clay and wax the rear after all that dirt had come off.
The screw had punched a hole into the inner fender liner when it flew out. Had to replace the liner. Part had to come from Germany. Took three days by FedEx. I have tire insurance, but the claims adjuster refused the claim on the spot. He wanted someone to inspect the car and tire -- the following Monday! The broker who had arranged for the insuurance went to bat for me, however, and three months later I got a check for the full amount. It had been a brand new tire, my first replacement set.
The two truck driver recommended I buy the black puncture fixing inserts, not the red ones. I did. Have quite a collection now in the trunk.