'24 Subaru Outback - New Owner Diary

"My mechanic tells me that the current protocol in the tire industry is to remove the tire from the wheel and patch over the puncture from the inside."

Yep. It's been that way for years. Personally I'd not seen one instance of a pro shop using the plugs. We weren't allowed to use plugs when I was in fleet maintenance, either. That was a no-no.

But things I think have changed. Now "plug AND patch" seems to be the norm.
 
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BeerHunter said:
My mechanic tells me that the current protocol in the tire industry is to remove the tire from the wheel and patch over the puncture from the inside. However, IMHO that seems more like the industry's way of steering more work to tire shops, a good many of which are managed by liars and crooks (sounds like guberment must be involved)!
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I've been using the same tire shop for over 20 years. I met them through the racing / track community. To my knowledge and recollection, of ALL the tires I've had repaired there, exactly ZERO of them have been removed and repaired from the inside. And this is the "car guys'" shop in town. Very high reputation in the car guy community for decades.

That said, I add that of all the plugs they've done for me over the years, exactly ZERO of them had to be re-done.
 
Racer88 said:
I've been using the same tire shop for over 20 years. I met them through the racing / track community. To my knowledge and recollection, of ALL the tires I've had repaired there, exactly ZERO of them have been removed and repaired from the inside. And this is the "car guys'" shop in town. Very high reputation in the car guy community for decades.

That said, I add that of all the plugs they've done for me over the years, exactly ZERO of them had to be re-done.
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It's been the same for all the plugs I've repaired myself. Even the tires I needed to plug with less than 5K miles on them lasted all the way till I needed to replace them without needing to be redone (for that puncture). Like I said, I believe it's a ploy for more business for tire shops, many of whom are liars and crooks!
 
BeerHunter said:
Like I said, I believe it's a ploy for more business for tire shops, many of whom are liars and crooks!
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So... (no surprise to me)... my shop is NOT lying and are not crooks. Imagine that.

Of course, I've entrusted them, quite literally, with my life. Before a track day, I took my car there to bleed and replace the brake fluid. The last thing I needed was my brakes to fail at the end of the front straight where I'd be going 135 mph and slowing (very quickly) to make a 90-degree left turn at about 60 mph. If the brakes fail, there is a very hard sun-baked tire wall that would likely be only slightly less "painful" than a brick wall.
 
I've only used a few plugs, but none ever failed me. One pertinent issue of a tread puncture is did it hurt the steel belt? Usually if the nail or screw is narrow enough that it doesn't do terminal damage to the belt medium, you're good.
 
Racer88 said:
ALL of the tire shops I've been to in the last few decades use a plug. Nothing more.
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sounds like they're to lazy to remove the tire and repair from the inside, like its supposed to be done. I keep my own supply of PATCH-PLUGS at work in my tool box. Our express guys like to plug tires and send it. More often than not, I see the car weeks, sometimes a month or 2 later, with a tire leak. Then I charge 0.6hr labor to remove the tire and fix it correctly. and Permanently. Especially on Run-Flat tires. On those a patch-plug is the only DOT approved repair for the tire.
 
NavyVet83 said:
Our express guys like to plug tires and send it. More often than not, I see the car weeks, sometimes a month or 2 later, with a tire leak.
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Interesting... over the (many) years, I've never had that happen with a plug. Not even after a long period of time, never minding weeks later.
 
bkbrno said:
Don't know if you have seen these before but: Dynaplug® Pro Xtreme

Way better than auto store plug kits. Only good for nail and screw size holes but that is 95% of my punctures in the 10 years I've had this tool. If Dynaplug can't do it, you probably need a new tire anyway.
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I got the Dynaplug Pro Xtreme in the stainless steel version (vs aluminum). It was more expensive. But it appears to be a VERY nice "bit of kit." I almost look forward to fixing a flat! LOL! Preferably on someone else's car.

I am a bit of a tool nut, and this definitely satisfies that craving.

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Racer88 said:
I got the Dynaplug Pro Xtreme in the stainless steel version (vs aluminum). It was more expensive. But it appears to be a VERY nice "bit of kit." I almost look forward to fixing a flat! LOL! Preferably on someone else's car.
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Go drop some nails on the neighbor's driveway :)
 
Got my windows tinted today! Did the whole car, even though the rear windows were already factory tinted. Did the Llumar Formula 1 Stratos (their top tier film). This way all the windows have 97% IR (heat) rejection.

Not the best photos, but besides the usual benefits from tinted windows, it completes the "blackout" theme.

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What percent tint? Last car I had tinted I went with 20% sides and back. 3M good stuff. My "guy" is an artist and will do "unauthorized" shades where he is not supposed to. 35% is "legal" on the front sides but it makes a 4-dr look dorky. ;) We NEED tint here in FL, helps save interiors from sun-baking and keeps the interior cooler. Also prevents skin cancer...

I believe you can also put 5% on the windshield. While not much for darkening, it keeps the UV rays out. :)

But don't EVER get tint from one of those parking lot "tint monkeys". :rolleyes: Instead of using the proper darkness tint they will double up layers to achieve the darkness desired. After a year the layers will start separating... :eek:

This guy drove a delivery van in RI for 20 years. :eek: Like one of those Grumman flat side types with the sliding doors and big windows. Side window tint is illegal in RI... :rolleyes: (at least it was when I lived there)
 

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Bobster said:
What percent tint? Last car I had tinted I went with 20% sides and back. 3M good stuff. My "guy" is an artist and will do "unauthorized" shades where he is not supposed to. 35% is "legal" on the front sides but it makes a 4-dr look dorky. ;) We NEED tint here in FL, helps save interiors from sun-baking and keeps the interior cooler. Also prevents skin cancer...

I believe you can also put 5% on the windshield.
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This tint shop gives you a choice to go legal or illegal. I went legal. I don't need any problems nor draw any unnecessary attention to myself. So, I went 30% on the front windows. But this film filters 97% of IR (heat) and 99% of UV.

You cannot go below the AS-1 line on windshields. So basically just a "visor" strip at the top. I did not get anything on the windshield.

Here is an infographic of the FL tint laws:
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Bobster said:
But don't EVER get tint from one of those parking lot "tint monkeys".
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The place I went to is a local family-owned business (brick & mortar) that's been around for over 40 years and has very good reviews. The sign on their door says, "We fix $99 tint jobs." :)
 
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Racer88 said:
This tint shop gives you a choice to go legal or illegal. I went legal. I don't need any problems nor draw any unnecessary attention to myself. So, I went 30% on the front windows. But this film filters 97% of IR (heat) and 99% of UV.
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I stand corrected on "30%" (vs 35%). What % on the back?

I have been pulled over ONCE for "over" dark tint. 😎 Tooling down I-4, came over a rise and there is a state trooper on the median, glance down at the speedo, ok--about 75mph--limit is 70, shouldn't be an issue. He pulls out, pulls me over, I open all the windows because I just smoked a blunt-- JUST KIDDING! :D

I DID pull halfway onto the grass on the side of the breakdown lane and open the driver's window and look for him in my mirror. Where the fuck did he go? Then I hear a tap on the passenger front window which I open all the way. He informs me he pulled me over for the dark tint and asks me to close the window halfway, which I do. He pulls out a little meter and places it over the glass and informs me my tint looked a little too dark but it is OK and sent me on my way. He was probably looking for the numbnuts that drive around with 5% which is stupid. :rolleyes:

20% is really not that bad. It IS a little difficult backing in the dark especially if raining out but so are less light-blocking shades...
 
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Bobster said:
I stand corrected on "30%" (vs 35%). What % on the back?
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I actually don't know. The back windows came tinted from the factory. But that's just dye in the glass to make it darker. The factory tint does not offer any reduction in UV / IR (heat). But I liked the darkness level of the back as they came from the factory. They didn't need to be any darker. So, for the back windows, we applied an almost clear film that still rejects UV / IR.

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Bobster said:
20% is really not that bad. It IS a little difficult backing in the dark especially if raining out but so are less light-blocking shades...
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Well, now most cars come with back-up cameras. I'm starting to get used to using it.
 
Cloudy day makes for better photo lighting. Before & after tint.
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"Come to the Dark Side." - Darth Subie
 
Bobster said:
You need to put your car in there and change the text to "If your husband drives one of these, he's definitely having an affair." then send it to her... :D
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Or... "If your husband drives one of these, he's a stud, and you should ravage him tonight."
 
I'm not sure where the murdered out Outback fits into the spectrum. It really needs a Coexist sticker with guns instead of letters to further cloud the waters.
 

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