# Best course with slow leaking tire **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2024, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310 "2024-11-16T00:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/81 "2024-12-02T22:44:34Z")
I’ve had both kinds. My current car has real-time actual air pressure and tire temperature sensors. Funny but just yesterday winter finally arrived in Miami and with it cold (60s) overnight temps. So yesterday morning the car started whinging about 4 under-inflated tires. Stopped at the gas station to add 5 psi all around and now HAL is _much_ happier. 🙂 This week seems to be the week for tire issues. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/82 "2024-12-02T22:56:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Funny but just yesterday winter finally arrived in Miami and with it cold (60s) overnight temps. Below sixty degrees? That’s gotta be scary cold for Miami residents. Hope everyone is OK. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/83 "2024-12-02T23:35:17Z")
The humans are doing OKish. It’s about 630pm, NWS sez the temp is 66F, and I’m eating dinner outdoors wearing 2 shirts and a jacket. And I’m uncomfortably cold w stiff hands and frozen ears. The iguanas are already _not_ happy. If it gets 15F colder they start entering suspended animation and then they plummet uncontrollably out of the trees where they go to hide & sleep. It’ll be raining paralyzed iguanas. Probably not until Jan, but it happens every year. I swear I’m moving someplace warm for the winter. This ain’t it. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/84 "2024-12-02T23:59:27Z")
I made this for a Florida resident after the last big chill: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/qyXFuCs.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/qyXFuCs) ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/85 "2024-12-03T06:15:57Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I realize you’re not a new car kinda person, but your next used car will almost certainly have it. Yes, the last new car I bought (for cash) was a 2000 Mustang Cobra. Mostly a garage queen (had a T-bird grocery-getter and lived a couple miles from work and rode my bike in half the time). Considering how much a new car depreciates when you leave the dealer I got a pretty good price for a clean, low mileage car. It was the last car I sold - the other three needed repairs for more than their worth. Though the 2003 Nissan Micra (paid £700) I had to sell in March was still a good motor and I’d paid the same garage £750 the year before to pass the MOT. Once again, they went on a fishing expedition and it was £750 again. I suspect the guy who bought it had the welding kit and ramps/jack to do what was needed on the undercarriage and a mechanic friend who’d wave his magic wand and make the non-leaking power-steering leak vanish. Just like this time with the rear seat belts - never before showed up in a MOT report (you can see all of them online here) > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > am guessing this is because the rear seatbelts are rarely if ever used; a lot of mechanical mechanisms tend to get “gummed up” when not used. So definitely a thing to inspect in a MOT. I reckon this place didn’t go on a fishing expedition like the one in Bath else I’d have another car up for sale to vultures with welding kits and mechanic friends for the MOT. Even though this guy had no idea what replacement parts cost (and this is when he omitted saying it was the rear belts) my WAG is a 3 point rear restraint (I think you can get away with just one) would be 1-2 hours labour plus about £40/£80 for the parts. I’ll put the seat-backs back in - they didn’t need to remove them. Not going to fix even one seat belt. Next December the seat will be set aside and I’ll roll the dice on what they’ll find. Nobody is going to pay much for a used car with no rear seat (even I wouldn’t) so this Aygo has its’ last owner. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/86 "2024-12-03T15:31:45Z")
Crooked mechanics profiteering on required inspections are a scourge. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/87 "2024-12-03T15:37:08Z")
My local council have their own garage that they use to maintain their fleet of municipal vehicles. They also offer MOT tests to the general public, but they don’t do repairs for them. So there’s no incentive to find phantom faults. Plus, if you go when they’re short staffed they let you sit in the vehicle while it’s up on the ramps and operate the steering etc. lots of fun in a convertible with the top down. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/88 "2024-12-03T15:39:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Okay. I have the dumb kind but was imagining PSI monitors that report the numerical PSI for each tire separately. I have a hybrid kind; it’s got a TPMS sensor in each tire but only a single “(!)” light on the dash. The DIC will also display a low pressure message when you start the car but for whatever reason they only give a single indicator so I need to take my gauge & figure out which one(s) it is; cheap/stupid/lazy design. The Toy displays both front PSIs & then both rear PSIs in the DIC & her car displays all four on one screen. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Funny but just yesterday winter finally arrived in Miami and with it cold (60s) overnight temps. **@mods** , can we start a coat drive for a Doper in need; it was all the way down to 60°s overnight in Miami. 😲 that’s about 30° higher than what it is for me outside, _right now_ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/89 "2024-12-03T16:27:07Z")
> [@JacobSwan](#): > > They also offer MOT tests to the general public Wow, I would like that. Also. all for the mods creating a new thread for Miami in the F’in 60’s. If I can do my 9 ÷ 5 math that’s late springtime and I’m in the south of the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/90 "2024-12-03T16:49:07Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > I have a hybrid kind; it’s got a TPMS sensor in each tire but only a single “(!)” light on the dash. I had a car with the single display. The first time it came on (once I figured out what that “U” with an excite mark inside it means) I checked all the tires - pressure was fine. Took it to my mechanic, described what was happening, he asked “did you check the spare?”. D’oh. 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/91 "2024-12-04T08:12:31Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > The tire is 10 years old. It’s against the rules to touch it. > > So ‘Fix-A-Flat’ here we come. From what I’ve seen on youtube and heard, using Fix-a-flat leaves so much gunk inside the tire that nobody may want to touch it for repair. Maybe you can locate the flat with the soap suds method and use a plug + glue; while the patch you wanted might be better, a plug is supposed to last the lifetime of the tire. It’s (fix a flat) really meant for a case LSLGuy mentioned about Spiderman getting a flat out in the boonies. In my case I considered it yet really wanted this thing patched or plug it myself. Folks here told me to check the rims and that blew bubbles. I imagine so would fix-a-flat but I’d have destroyed the tire. After all this I’ve added two air pumps (one USB chargeable and the other cig lighter pluggable) and a stainless 300 mm breaker bar to replace the useless tiny lug wrench. It’s not even used as a lever to crank up the car with this Playskool jack, which needs upgrading to a decent scissor jack. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/92 "2024-12-04T13:52:53Z")
Amen to your last comment, brother! When My wife or I get a “new” car, one of the first things I do is put a nice flashlight and a tire gauge in the glove box. Then I put a breaker bar (or a nice J\*\*\*\* wrench), an air compressor, and a set of folding wheel chocks in the back. If I don’t like the look of the jack, I’ll put one of my scissors jacks in the back as well. But never Fix-A-Flat. I’d rather put a tire plug kit there and try to use that than put Fix-A-Flat in my wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/93 "2024-12-04T13:56:06Z")
What is a “J\*\*\*\* wrench”? What offensive word are you obscuring? And you carry a scissors jack in the car? Aren’t those really heavy? ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/94 "2024-12-04T14:02:30Z")
J\*\*\*\* = Jesus. I didn’t mean to imply profanity…just trying to be respectful about a common term that I often say, but don’t write. Sorry. A scissors jack is not very heavy at all. At least, not nearly as heavy as a hydraulic jack with the same weight rating and stability. A 2-ton might be 8 - 9 pounds. Besides, I take out the cheap jack that came with the car (if a jack came with it all). Some of the advantages of scissors jacks are (1) they can often be used at more locations on the car than the standard jack included with the car, (2) they can be oriented for a bit more stability, (3) they can be run up and down with a drill, which is helpful in the garage, and (4) they can be used for purposes other than just lifting the car. I have used them, for example, to push a crushed fender away from a wheel so the car could be driven. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/95 "2024-12-04T14:30:58Z")
Scissor jacks are the typical kind of jack a car comes with. They lift from their center. In my Aygo, the jack starts off from the end and has a metal hand-crank (rather than the kind that used the lug wrench) and it does the job. At least on level ground with flake board underneath. Today I saw a pretty nice scissor jack for £28 that has maybe a 150mm crank that you can also slot in a 17mm socket (comes with) and even use a drill (so I can use my Makita - not typically in my trunk). After my first attempt on the lugs with the tiny thing Toyota provides, I knew I needed more leverage. Maybe this jack on Amazon would have done yet I was even considering wrench extenders when I got the breaker bar. 300mm of leverage and the nuts came off like butter. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/96 "2024-12-04T14:36:48Z")
Every vehicle I’ve owned in the last 20 years came with scissors jack in its standard tire-change kit. It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered any of the alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/97 "2024-12-04T14:40:34Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > From what I’ve seen on youtube and heard, using Fix-a-flat leaves so much gunk inside the tire that nobody may want to touch it for repair. From personal experience: Discount Tire will patch it Firestone Tires will not touch it due to company policy. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/98 "2024-12-04T14:55:21Z")
Very true, but my experience has been that standard scissors jacks supplied with cars too often have specialized heads to mate with a designated lifting point or have a very limited range. If I’m lucky, I can sometimes use the storage space intended for the standard jack to store a better one. I can’t remember which car it was, but I ran across a jack recently that had sort of a vertical or diagonal screw. It literally relied on fitting into the lift point or it couldn’t be used for any other purpose at all (that I could see). ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/99 "2024-12-04T14:56:12Z")
We’ve got an outfit here called Belle Tire. They fix valve/rim leaks for free, perhaps with the hope that when you do need tires, you’ll come to them. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310/100 "2024-12-04T15:06:46Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > From what I’ve seen on youtube and heard, using Fix-a-flat leaves so much gunk inside the tire that nobody may want to touch it for repair Tire shop won’t touch it in any case. So the Fix-A-Flat doesn’t really matter. The tire is in great shape but is over 10 years old. I suspect a rim leak. Take it off the rim and put it back on. But they won’t do it. (this should be in the Get the Government off my Back thread). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-course-with-slow-leaking-tire/1010310.md?page=6)