Auto Repairs

[retina]

You don't ...

Originally Posted by slandrum

... need a low tire pressure sensor.

All those sensor and monitoring things are mostly useless IMO. Let them crap out and forget about them.

When you see the tire is not the expected shape then top it up. No need to complicate everything with electronics that mislead you with false negatives and false positives.

The same for all the "fitness" things people wear.

_{Also, did you know that you can be tracked by the serial numbers in the wireless sensor transmitters?}

[VBCurtis]

Tire pressure sensors have dramatically reduced crashes due to tire blowout. The average (USA) driver simply doesn't check tire pressures, like ever; and a slow leak becomes an overheating tire becomes a freeway blowout.

[kriesel]

Most hybrids have low-tire-pressure indicators. The fuel economy display. It takes a lot of energy to heat a tire to failure. That costs more fuel per km | mile | furlong | picoparsec.

[Dr Sardonicus]

Two other things it might also be worth checking are oil and coolant levels.

Back to tires, though - a lot of new car models are being sold with no spare tire! It seems that eliminating the extra weight increases gas mileage slightly. And, of course, if you get a flat tire and don't have a spare, your fuel consumption decreases dramatically!

[kriesel]

Originally Posted by Dr Sardonicus

if you get a flat tire and don't have a spare, your fuel consumption decreases dramatically!

Well, eventually. But metabolic rate may increase. Or perhaps cease.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by Dr Sardonicus

Two other things it might also be worth checking are oil and coolant levels.

Back to tires, though - a lot of new car models are being sold with no spare tire! It seems that eliminating the extra weight increases gas mileage slightly. And, of course, if you get a flat tire and don't have a spare, your fuel consumption decreases dramatically!

The ones without a spare generally have a canister which will fill the t{i,y}re with a quick-setting foam. The result generally has enough range to get you to somewhere for a proper fix.

My current car is of this type.

[slandrum]

Originally Posted by xilman

The ones without a spare generally have a canister which will fill the t{i,y}re with a quick-setting foam. The result generally has enough range to get you to somewhere for a proper fix.

My current car is of this type.

Not any that I've seen in the US. They just now expect you to call and get it towed.

[frmky]

My spare-less car in the US did not come with any tire repair equipment, but I now have a plug kit, compressor, and foam canister in the {trunk,boot}.

[retina]

Originally Posted by slandrum

Not any that I've seen in the US. They just now expect you to call and get it towed.

Then make sure you never leave the phone coverage area for the more fun places.

Is that just another way to keep the sheeple under control? We wouldn't want them going to places where we can't monitor their activities.

[Uncwilly]

The new Mini's come with "run flat's". They are good for about 80 kph and about 80 km.

[VBCurtis]

Lots of the cars without spares use run-flat tires, where you can drive many (like 30-50) miles at < 50mph to get to a tire-repair place. Most every BMW have these run-flats, which work primarily by having a sidewall so stiff that it remains mostly round when punctured. The downside is reduced ride quality, as the tire is so stiff it doesn't absorb small impacts well.

The fix-a-flat kits leave gunk all over the inside of the wheel; this gunk makes future tire balancing difficult, so it should be cleaned when the offending tire is replaced.