Continental Conti-Seal tyres

[Sir Tigger KC]

Last year a friend of mine bought a new Seat Alhambra.  It was fitted with Continental Conti-Seal tyres which allegedly are self sealing.  They have a layer of 'goo' inside that should seal a puncture! 

So recently my friend took his son to football and after the game came back to the car to find a flat tyre!!    The Seat Alhambra dosn't come with a spare wheel or jack!!    So he ended up calling a friend who came out with a jack and axle stand and they removed the wheel and took it to the local tyre shop, where they said that generally with Conti-Seals if the 'goo' dosn't seal the puncture then they are unrepairable!!   

My friend ended up buying a new budget tyre and he is now vowing that there is no way will he be buying Conti Seals as they wear out!! Fair enough!!   I've said that he should take it up with the Seat dealer and Continental, but was the Tyre shop right or have they used it as an excuse to flog him a new tyre?? 

[RobG]

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/conti-seal-the-tyre-that-seals-its-own-punctures-590.php

[05omegav6]

Sounds like a convenient excuse for: A. selling a new tyre and B. not actually knowing how to deal with the puncture repair

Whatever caused the puncture ought to be evident inside it, be it a nail/screw etc. if the tread is over 3mm, and the puncture isn't on the shoulder or sidewall, the it should be repairable, or really obviously knackered

Looks to be readily available for 17" and 18" Omega wheels

[Entwood]

From their web site ..

.............The "Conti Seal" contains a sticky viscous layer on the inside of the tyre casing from shoulder to shoulder that seals punctures made by objects up to 5mm in diameter.......

{My bold and underline}

Now IMHO ... 5mm diameter is NOT a very big hole, and other than a nail or screw, all the punctures I have had have been splits or cuts a fair bit bigger than that ... so I'm not at all surprised it didn't work.

At the lakes this year we tried to use a bottle of "goo" to fix a fairly small split in a tyre ... and failed abysmally. It would seal whilst stationary, but as soon as rotation got involved the tyre flexed and the "seal" split ..... 

[Sir Tigger KC]

It was a screw, not sure how big though..    But the sealing system didn't work... 

I don't think he kept the tyre as he was supposed to be doing various taxi runs for his 4 kids that day, so I think it was a bit of a stressful situation and bought the £60 budget as a quick fix.... 

[Lazydocker]

From their web site ..

.............The "Conti Seal" contains a sticky viscous layer on the inside of the tyre casing from shoulder to shoulder that seals punctures made by objects up to 5mm in diameter.......

{My bold and underline}

Now IMHO ... 5mm diameter is NOT a very big hole, and other than a nail or screw, all the punctures I have had have been splits or cuts a fair bit bigger than that ... so I'm not at all surprised it didn't work.

At the lakes this year we tried to use a bottle of "goo" to fix a fairly small split in a tyre ... and failed abysmally. It would seal whilst stationary, but as soon as rotation got involved the tyre flexed and the "seal" split ..... 

It was interesting to try (thanks Broocie ) but, to be fair, it was right on the shoulder of the tyre

[doz]

What year is his Alhambra? Mine has a spare wheel

[05omegav6]

What year is his Alhambra? Mine has a spare wheel

Guessing the new one

[Sir Tigger KC]

Not sure exactly, but under a year, so 2011/12.

A similar thing occured a couple of years ago when another friend hit a pothole at speed in an 03 Audi TT, which broke the bead on the tyre!!    That was when he discovered that the car had a can of 'goo' and no spare wheel!! 

Not being very mechanically minded, he tried to squirt the goo in only for it to spray out everywhere!!! He called me and when I turned up he was a sticky mess!!!    We tried to get the tyre to sit properly but no joy and he ended up calling the AA.

He then discovered that he didn't have recovery and that the AA man was a jobsworth who made him bend over for the small fortune to tow him the extra 2 or 3 miles past the free tow limit to get him home!! 

[Rods2]

Having had an average of a puncture a year, since I've been driving cars, I won't have a car with no spare wheel. If in the future I buy a newer car without one. Then I will buy an extra wheel and jack to carry with me.

The third-world state of our road, with their potholes is only going to make a flat tyre due to wheel damage a more and more common occurrence, which no goo is going to fix. 

[Andy B]

Having had an average of a puncture a year, since I've been driving cars,  ....

Christ! Where the hell are you driving? I reckon I've had no more than a dozen punctures in over 30 years of driving! 

[Vamps]

Having had an average of a puncture a year, since I've been driving cars,  ....

Christ! Where the hell are you driving? I reckon I've had no more than a dozen punctures in over 30 years of driving! 

Less than a handful for me, possibly only 3 or 4..... + 1 3 weeks ago on swmbo car, me feeling poorly, simply called out our local independent to change the wheel and then get a new tyre on and change them back again a few days later.....

[Rods2]

Having had an average of a puncture a year, since I've been driving cars,  ....

Christ! Where the hell are you driving? I reckon I've had no more than a dozen punctures in over 30 years of driving! 

If somebody has dropped a bolt or nail on a road anywhere in the South of England, one of my tyres will find it. 

[Andy B]

Having had an average of a puncture a year, since I've been driving cars,  ....

Christ! Where the hell are you driving? I reckon I've had no more than a dozen punctures in over 30 years of driving! 

Less than a handful for me, possibly only 3 or 4..... + 1 3 weeks ago on swmbo car, me feeling poorly, simply called out our local independent to change the wheel and then get a new tyre on and change them back again a few days later.....

I was erring on the optimistic side 

[r1]

i sell a product called puncture safe that is simalar  works very well and mine is biodegradable so just washes out if needed but as its as good as a perm repair most people dont bother.
most tyre fitters dont want to know as they dont know how to handel the stuff so the simple way is to get rid and sell another one,
they are fitters not fixers.