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I think you were extremely lucky.

The purpose of the Michelin self-seal tire is to slow down the air loss around the nail to allow you to drive to a purposeful destination, such as home or to a tire repair shop.

After my first nail, I now carry a 12v Slime air compressor so that I can increase the distance I may need to drive home. I have had 4 nails/screws and with all 4 of them; the first was plugged and the remainder required replacement; because my Chevy dealer stopped plugging them.

My latest Friday night: the air compressor got me to 41 and 33 when I arrived home, 35 miles away. I have not driven since and I now see the tire is visibly flat.

I have decided to order one today from Pep Boys with Road Hazard repair, keep the old tire and have it properly Michelin plugged and purchase a generic wheel and keep it in my garage as a "spare" for when this happens again.

Then future nails will either be Road Hazard replaced (with my spare in use during ordering a replacement) if it is the Pep Boys tire, or if not: put my spare in use while I have it Michelin plugged.

I have been told in the past that these Michelin self-seal tires should only be plugged once before replacement.

After 65,000 miles, purchasing 4 tires randomly seems pretty fair to me.
I've also got an OEM wheel/tire combo at home, purchased from the repair depot after a collision, for $50. (Damage was cosmetic, but not repairable.) Used it once. Wife hit a road hazard, had the Bolt towed home by AAA, and paid the AAA driver $20 to swap out the flat, for my spare. (Took him less than five minutes.) Replaced the bad tire at my leisure.
 
If you're talking about a plug kit, don't fool around with the auto parts store junk. I have plugged dozens of tires, but have had almost 0% success plugging a tire with a cheap kit. There's a HUGE difference in the quality of the hardware you get with these kits, and I would bet there's a big difference with the plugs themselves, as well.
So if you can't find a decent kit at an auto parts store, where do you find it? Amazon? How do you tell the good kits from the bad?
 
Please offer me a link for a Los Angeles tire dealership that claims they can get them:

Costco and Pep Boys online both show no availability!
Why does it have to be Los Angeles? Discount tire direct ships all over the country either to your local shop or directly to your door - here in TX they are showing shipping in 7 days for a set.

You seem to be taking it as gospel what a local dealership is telling you? Why? There might be regional shortages, but the tire is by no means discontinued. Depending on what you buy and where you buy it you might have to wait a bit - when I was ordering 345mm Nitto Invo's for a project I had to wait a few weeks, wasn't a big deal. If I had to guess, the dealership telling you it's discontinued is just some sneaky way of getting you to buy any other 215/50/17 set they happen to have on hand at the dealership that day.

Just checked -- there's no absolute need for self seal - there's plenty in stock of the regular Michelin Energy Saver All season in OEM size available all over the country, and it's $50 cheaper per tire.

If the tire truly is toast and unable to be repaired, you could throw a dirt cheap set on all 4 corners (installed) for less than the cost of 2 Self seals. Use them as a temporary set till you can get your hands on the ones you really want. How good would a set of tires at $75/corner be? not very good, but if a matched set is the goal and you only have to run them for a few weeks, it's just a stop gap solution.

I have roughly 900 miles on my EUV, and the Michelin Energy Saver line doesn't really impress anywhere except efficiency. This was the same experience I had with them on my 2017 Volt, amazing low rolling resistance, but sucks in the wet and not confidence inspiring in dry grip. Depending on the efficiency hit I'm highly thinking of ditching them soon for some CrossClimate 2's since they are a year round tire infinitely better in light snow and ice which will be coming soon.
 
Hello, I'm curious to know what more experienced bolt owners are doing for the possibility of a flat tire. I've had my 23 bolt for a couple of months, and this is the first time I've ever driven a car without a spare. It's a little unnerving, especially because I live a very rural area. In about a month I'm putting on winter tires that are not self sealing, and that makes it even weirder to be driving around without some way of fixing a flat.,,,,

... I've also thought about the sealer/compressor route, but I don't know anything about how well they work.

Any comments/advice are really appreciated, thanks!
I'm old school (or maybe just old) and used to having real full-size spares.
But in truth the very few occasions I've had to deal with a flat in the last 50+ years of driving were probably coming out to my driveway and finding a flat... No on the road stuck somewhere. And I'm not to0 happy about mini-spares because if you put them on the drive wheels and have mismatched rolling radius from left to right side driving more than a few (20?) miles can AFAIK do serious drive train (CV joint or differential) damage.

I guess how much of a flat-tire-backup-plan you need depends where you drive and whether it would be an annoying inconvenience to get stuck waiting for a rescue tow or catastrophically dangerous, or something in between.
I carry two cans of fix-a-flat, plus one of those electric inflator pumps that has it's own sealer goo. Yes.... It's possible that I could have a flat that neither the self sealing tires or either of those would fix it. It's far more likely that I'll never get a flat, or that if I do it will be in a situation where it's an inconvenience requiring a road rescue call/tow.
Would a third party mini-spare be better insurance? Sure.... but I use all of that under hatch-floor storage space and not worth giving it up for that extra insurance.
 
Got the name of a Tire shop who actually knew what Michelin Self-Seal tires are and how to fix them!

He removed the nail, plugged the tire and charged me $15; and I gave him a $10 tip! I then went out and drove a personal record 330 miles for an Uber day of driving!

Gives me plenty of time to determine the true status of the future of Michelin Self-Seal Energy Savers.
 
Why does it have to be Los Angeles? ...showing shipping in 7 days for a set.

Just checked -- there's no absolute need for self seal...
Obviously you have no need for your EUV on a daily basis; I drive Uber, so I have a daily need; and the cost of my tire purchases are tax deductible.

And with the need for space for Uber passengers' luggage, any size spare is not an option for me.

I have now had 4 nail/screws and ever since the first one, when I went out and purchased a 12v air compressor; I have never had the need for using my AAA or other towing for nails/screws. I add air and either drove home or right to the dealer.

Hence Self-Seal is a must for me! And now I have a stable source for repairs...

YMMV!
 
Obviously you have no need for your EUV on a daily basis; I drive Uber, so I have a daily need; and the cost of my tire purchases are tax deductible.

And with the need for space for Uber passengers' luggage, any size spare is not an option for me.

I have now had 4 nail/screws and ever since the first one, when I went out and purchased a 12v air compressor; I have never had the need for using my AAA or other towing for nails/screws. I add air and either drove home or right to the dealer.

Hence Self-Seal is a must for me! And now I have a stable source for repairs...

YMMV!
For not knowing how much and how far I drive, you sure seem confident in knowing my needs on the road. I do 80-100 mile a day commute 4 to 6 days a week depending. So saying things like "obviously you don't need your EUV on a daily basis" comes off as a little daft. If I'm not working I still use the car 7 days a week

I still don't understand why you are taking the word of someone at a car dealership about tires - a simple google search will confirm that Michelin Self Seals are in fact not discontinued by any stretch. Even if they were there's plenty of options to maintain mobility if your car is your source of income. A basic set of Bridgestone DriveGuards are far more robust than the SelfSeals. Sure you'd sacrifice some efficiency and ride quality but you'd be able to continue even with a catastrophic sidewall blowout.
 
I guess how much of a flat-tire-backup-plan you need depends where you drive and whether it would be an annoying inconvenience to get stuck waiting for a rescue tow or catastrophically dangerous, or something in between.
Yup. My last flat (a few years ago on my van) was here, almost 100 km from cell service and the nearest paved road. I haven't needed the spare in my Bolt yet, but when I need it I really need it.
 
I have been told that plug repairs are supposed to be temporary and that the tire should be patched from the inside. I also know that plugs are commonly used and never touched again. What is your take?
Depends on the plugs. The ones I use are considered a permanent repair on anything up to 18-wheelers.
 
So if you can't find a decent kit at an auto parts store, where do you find it? Amazon? How do you tell the good kits from the bad?
Amazon or a truck stop. I bought mine at a truck stop, but you can probably get a better price online. Mine is a Blackjack T-Bone kit. Can’t say enough about it. I’ve bought 2 or 3 more as gifts.
 
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Why does it have to be Los Angeles? Discount tire direct ships all over the country either to your local shop or directly to your door - here in TX they are showing shipping in 7 days for a set...

Just checked -- there's no absolute need for self seal - there's plenty in stock of the regular Michelin Energy Saver All season in OEM size available all over the country, and it's $50 cheaper per tire.
For not knowing how much and how far I drive, you sure seem confident in knowing my needs on the road...
It was a rhetorical response based upon your apparent lack of knowledge of my needs while: (1) questioning my need to replace it in Los Angeles and telling me they ship in 7 days from Texas and (2) telling me I have no need for self seal.

And I did say: YMMV!

But thank you for your suggestions.
 
Hello, I'm curious to know what more experienced bolt owners are doing for the possibility of a flat tire. I've had my 23 bolt for a couple of months, and this is the first time I've ever driven a car without a spare. It's a little unnerving, especially because I live a very rural area. In about a month I'm putting on winter tires that are not self sealing, and that makes it even weirder to be driving around without some way of fixing a flat.

I pulled up the rear cargo area false floor, pulled out the styrofoam cradle for the charging cord (which isn't in there anyway, it's in my garage) and it looks like there's enough room for some sort of spare. Anyone know more about that? Fitting a jack and tire iron in there might be a different story. I've also thought about the sealer/compressor route, but I don't know anything about how well they work.

Any comments/advice are really appreciated, thanks!
Hello, I have in the car a small tire inflator I can plug in the cigarette outlet and a can of emergency green thing to seal. Is an emergency fix, you must go to a tire place to fixed in a safe way.
Is a video I watch years ago. You can remove all the stuff and foam from the trunk. Is room for a tire. A small jack, be sure the sealer is safe for the pressure sensor $45.99
 
I carry a plug kit and a portable inflator, but have had several cars without spares, and on each one I have had to get a tow at least once. The tires on the Bolt are not "run flats", and the self seal does not work perfectly. A blow out or sidewall cut is not repairable and you cannot drive on it. One of my Bolt tires just got a nail in it and ended up with a slow leak, even with the self seal tires. But all my tires had poor tread and I replaced all 4 of them yesterday.

You could purchase a spare that will fit, if I remember right the one for the Sonic might be the same fit. Many places sell jacks and lug wrenches. Here is an example of a kit you can buy:

Thank you. I now have that link bookmarked. It is a good thing to have. However at sometime I will be too old to change a tire yet not willing to give up driving.

Yours, JonLeonard
 
I’m cheap so my spare tire solution is pure Pick-n-Pull. A full size steel rim and 215/60R16 tire from a Chevy Cruze, a jack from an S-10 (Blazer?), a lug wrench from my collection, an old rag to wrap up the jack and wrench to keep them quiet, and a garbage bag to wrap the tire. My Bolt is an LT so there is no amp in the well, so that is where the jack and wrench went. I had to trim a little of the foam away to get the tray to fit back down. I left out the cover portion of the foam for a little additional height, wrapped the tire and squeezed it to the passenger side. I have the upper floor accessory and it closes over the tire and the seats still fold just fine. Since I already had them, I also carry a 12V compressor and a can of Fix-A-Flat. Overkill is good.
This was my solution as well. I needed the comfort level of a spare. I also have AAA who will come and change the tire.
 
If you've picked up a screw, nail or other piece of metal in the tread of a tire, I highly recommend the Nealey Tire Repair Kit. I came across this when researching spare tires and finding the few times I tried to use a standard rope repair kit frustratingly hard to use.

After getting the Nealey kit I purposely put a screw into a tire while it was mounted on my car. It was a pretty worn tire I was going replace in the spring and was about to mount my winter tires. I was able to remove the screw and use the Nealey Kit to plug the hole with it mounted on the car in about 10 minutes.

Can't believe their solution isn't better known. Their "secret" is the makeup of the rope plug and the closed-eye needed. It's a cotton cord impregnated with uncured butyl and silicon rubber. The Nealey cord, along with the closed-eye needle, patches the tire from the inside. By turning the tool 3 half turns and pulling the repair back through the hole, you form a circular, knot like patch on the inside of the tire both PLUGGING THE HOLE AND PATCHING THE INSIDE of the tire. On tires driven at high speed the heat causes the repair to melt or "cure" into the puncture and adhere to the casing of the tire. This video explains it well:

I now carry my Nealey kit which I've added a small cordless screw driver with embedded flashlight, a drill bit for reaming out the hole if needed, pliers, a small spray bottle of soapy water, air compressor and a razor. I've used the Nealey kit about a half dozen times so far with no issues after tens of thousands of miles. The photos below are the last nail I picked up a few months ago. When I finally replaced the tire I took a photo of the patch to see what it looked like on the inside.
Tire Wheel Automotive tire Hood Light
 
I bought a 16" compact spare with the same vertical dimension as the stock 17" from this guy. It fits just fine in the space below the false floor. The last time I called for a tow I sat on the freeway shoulder for 2 hours waiting.
Thanks for the info. My 2022 Bolt EV with less than 300 miles on it had a front tire blowout with the valve and sensor completely gone and had to be towed to dealer and found out that if I didn't purchase a tire and wheel warranty all costs were my responsibility. I believe this was a defective tire to begin with since there was no damage indication of what cause this to happen. Waited over 2 hours for OnStar (trial period) tow until police arranged for a faster tow and I cancelled Onstar. I'm today ordering this Ebay spare kit. Sealer and compressor were useless in my case, and next set of tires when the time comes I will consider "run flats."
 
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