Mum is getting a Mini that doesn’t have a spare wheel or run-flats so I’m looking to put together a repair kit for her.
A small compressor will be easy enough but what sealant? I’m tempted to get a decent bottle of wheel milk from JRA but I’m guessing there may be better options for car tyres. Tyre weld?
Whatever stuff I use I want to put together the easiest kit to use (so not removing the valve core would be good).

the standard spray can stuff you get from halfords seems to work ok unless the tyres torn.

Def. get one of the ones that’s a aerosol based – be easier for her to use.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000Y8WB8W/?tag=hydra0b-21&hvadid=9550942389&ref=asc_df_B000Y8WB8W

these do work ..

i got a half inch long gash in the tread of one of my offroad tires – found my spare was an old 7.50 x 16 – the other 4 wheels were 235/65/r16s (much smaller OD) so threw that in to get it back to the carpark.

Its still inflated just now , ive still got it on the vehicle to let me push it around my drive when working on it . Will be replacing it ASAP.

I would treat it as a space saver – drive slowely and straight to the garage.

I have also used it to seal up porous alloys on a golf without removing the tyre. Garage didnt seem that fussed when i told him about the tyreweld in there at tyre change time.

For a compressor don’t get something cheap that will crap out when she needs it and I would suggest one you set to the correct PSI and leave a sticker on the pump saying what pressure to put the tyres up to.

Not sure how good this is: http://www.costco.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/cos_8,cos_8.5,cos_8.5.2/139579

Does the car not come with a standard repair kit?

I would suggest one you set to the correct PSI and leave a sticker on the pump saying what pressure to put the tyres up to.

This is a good idea – I was going to get a digital one that would memorise the correct pressure.

Does the car not come with a standard repair kit?

I need to check this shortly.

Will she be able to use the repair kit? My sister’s new car has a compressor/tyre sealent kit in it, if she does get a flat I reckon she wouldn’t have a clue what to do with it. Think spares are on the way out as plenty of people haven’t a clue how to change one and would just ring breakdown recovery or a garage. Dunno if this is a good thing or not, replacing a tyre on the motorway is damn scary but dunno if i’d be without one, no repair kit will patch something like this

Are you sure the car doesn’t come with a repair kit in the boot? My car doesn’t have a spare but has a compressor and big bottle of sealant in the boot well.

i was thinking that too. Had a hire car that came with a tin of tyre weld and a compressor.

Just make sure she has a mobile (and fag-lighter) and is a member of a breakdown company.

Google says the mini comes with a tyre repair kit. If its a used car just checks its there though.

Have used Tyre weld, good stuff.

Only any use for nail or screws popping the tyre, a gashed side wall it won’t fix.

Dead easy to use, take off valve cap, screw on can hose, empty can into tyre, it put my little R13s up to 50psi, drive carefully to nearest safe place, recheck tyre pressure, had to let mine down to 30psi, and off you go if it’s sealed up.

It will render the tyre useless as garages won’t repair or tube up a tyre thats been “tyre welded” thats what they told me.
Also it will affect the balance of the wheel, mine wobbled at motorway speeds.
Got 3000 miles before it went flat again 🙂

It works, but has limitations, would use it again, but replacement tyres are cheap for the little car i have now, so faced with writing off a tyre or trying to change to the spare one on the hard shoulder before being scooped up by a dozing trucker……tyre weld everytime

YEp got a can of tyre weld in mine and the missus car (Bravo). I’ve used it with all of my bangers, the Vovlo esp had some big old nails in it, so dumped the tyre weld in and was good for a few thousand miles after..

If the mini was supplied with RFTs and they have been changed by the previous owner to non-RFTs then there will be no repair kit

Turns out the Mini does not come with RFT (never did on this version apparently) and it does come with a [foam] repair kit – though I’ve been told it does render the tyre unrepairable.
May still get a little compressor and sealant anyway.

May still get a little compressor and sealant anyway.

Is a compressor and sealant not what the repair kit is made up of? It is on my car.

the pack which comes with the fiat 500 is really good. you may be able to get one on ebay.

Is a compressor and sealant not what the repair kit is made up of?

Salesman said it’s a foam that seals and blows up the tyre – not sure a compressor is involved but the latter sounds better.

The stuff i used, think it was holts tyre weld, the gas and foam/sealant is in the one can. Never bothered trying but you can get a MTB kit.
Not really anything to go wrong, no compressor to plug into the fag lighter, no valve core removal or trying to pour in sealant first then trying to inflate. Just screw on the can, inflate and seal in one hit in a few minutes.

Without sounding rude, if it is a compressor kit, show your Mum how to operate it, same with seal n flate/tyre weld.
Put some in Mrs Aces car, she can’t get the wheel nuts off so even with a spare she phones the RAC for help, at least with tyre weld she could do a quick fix if possible, limp the car to the nearest services and then wait for a rescue.

The garage that replaced mine, said the sealant reacts with the tyre and renders fixing not possible, i asked if the tyre could just be tubed instead, again not doable. There could be an element of Health and safety rules to this. As you would expect the inside of the tyre was coated in sealant, and it had gone off/dried out, the excess had formed into little rubber like marbles which caused a bit of wobble at speed.
Think it’s around £8 a can, quick and simple and cleaner than swapping a tyre on the motorway 🙂
Oh and the safety bit, your supposed to change the tyre fairly soon in case the sealant fails. As i had a spare wheel, and another can… i drove from Somerset all round western Scotland and back, and had a few months use of the tyre before the sealant failed, then it was a slow puncture, swiftly followed by new tyre.

FWIW my old 2004 bmw mini came (new) allegedly with run flats (on steels), and denfintely came with a kit including spray sealant and a pump/pressure gauge that you plugged into the 12v lighter socket. Worth checking if all this is still in the car (and works!) before you shell out IMO