Have this nail in tyre: https://imgur.com/a/y5JmNB6
Have replaced it with the spare tyre now but wondering how much it will cost to repair this damage? And any specific shop recommendations in Sydney?
Thanks in advance.
Nail in Tyre - Repair Cost?
bluespider on 31/08/2025 - 21:33
Comments
Tyres are arguably the most important thing on your car. They connect you to the road and you "doubt" there will be a blowout? You willing to take that chance for a few hundred bucks?
@Muppet Detector: Well… [googles…] , i was going to say because of steering . But checking my facts first, it appears a blowout is considered even worse.
So I have to go back to saying how modern tyres … nah, nobody wants facts here.
Nope. That tyre is done. It's on a part of the tyre where a lot of flex occurs so a patch is unlikely to hold.
It doesn't need a repair, the screw is plugging the hole nicely.
And if it backs out, just give a few twists! Righty tighty, lefty loosey.
Thought you only needed to fix those if they were letting air leak out…
DIY - a repair kit should be about $20
If OP's puncture wasn't on a side wall, this is one of the few things I am happy paying someone else. Had a puncture done at Bob Jane's a month ago for about $45. I'd pay $25 just to not jack the car up myself, labour, and warranty.
Tyre shops won't do it due to the liability risk. That screw is right on the border of what might be safe so of course they're going to choose not to repair it and put themselves, the owner and other road users at risk.
@apsilon: I work at a tyre shop and we wouldn't touch this for the reasons you said. Nothing to do with wanting to sell a tyre
$45 for a puncture repair? I have this miraculous ointment that will cure everything for $100,000, pay me first, I'll deliver it later.
Do you think $45 is unreasonable? You must not value your time.
@SydStrand: I have the tools, takes about 20-30 mins to do depending on how stubborn the puncture is. I also have a Tyre inflator. Having used a mechanic before, driving to, waiting to be serviced, then driving back takes longer in my experience. Not to mention if it happens at an inconvenient time. Although I understand if you just cbf and are a high earner. Imo It's always good to have a set and the know how.
@spacemannn: So… you own the tools, including presumably a jack and tyre inflater, both of which cost a lot more than $45. Quick googling of repair kit = $30 on the low end. So the value proposition is looking poorer by the second. Driving to a service centre 10 minutes away, then spending 30 minutes on my phone and having a coffee is hardly onerous, and a lot more pleasant than doing it myself. Oh, and I get a warranty on the service, unlike a home job.
This isn't even a 'high' vs 'low' earner argument. Stop trying to portray me as lazy or gullible. I'm reasonably handy, DIY most things at home, and am loathe to call over trades, but this is a laughable amount of effort to 'save' $15.
@SydStrand: Every car comes with a Jack. Guess I just like knowing no matter where I am, regardless of time of the day or season, I can get myself out of a problematic situation. I'd recommend getting a kit and leaving it in your boot. Knowing how to do something and having the tools is always good. I've repaired my tyres 3 times (not the same Tyre. I suppose nails are attracted to me) and my immediate family members 3 times. The kit itself costs $10-15 from Ali express. I have batteries for my power tools, so I picked up the inflator for $30 from the same brand.
trying to portray me as lazy or gullible
Funny how you duck to any of those but are quick to dismiss someone else ability and commitment with a You must not value your time …
Can't safely repair a sidewall breach. A new, safer tire for under $200 is just life, unfortunately.
I tried cheapo tires on my car that doesn't do many kms and found the side walls failed in normal driving (an occasional bump from a curb or pothole). Taught me to go Korean or better after never, ever having a sidewall fail. One of the few things I have found definitely repaid buying a brand.
Three of four of the cheap tires failed within 10,000km, and always from a parking gutter nudge or any other impact on the sidewall.
I haven't had a failure like that before or since in many 100,000kms of driving.
I am sure there is somebody who drives a vehicle with kid gloves who will reply and say it was my carelessness, but if you ever hit a bump and say "I felt that" I suggest you don't drive well enough for cheapo tires (I don't, and the roads where I live aren't german auotbahns).
the puncture on your tyre seems right on the sidewall at a 45-degree angle. Do you think it could have been because someone was upset about your parking or something?"
It is an odd placement, if the driver has not recently been driving on grass or soft/muddy dirt track (maybe local tip?) then this could be a possibility.
If I was the driver I would be thinking back on any past altercations with neighbours/associates etc and whether their parking spot might be contentious or if they cut someone off in a carpark or took a spot someone else had lined up for etc.If that is the case, and it was a warning then it may happen again unless something changes.
Tempe Tyres: ~ $30ish, I think?
Some local Habibi shop, cash only: $20
Definitely not a good day for your good year. New tyre for sure. Possibly new tyres depending on the car.
I just had a near edge nail repair done for $40 on my MUX
Last time I had one of these I took it to my regular mechanic and asked if they wanted to do it, or should I keep going a bit further down the road to the tyre shop. Mechanic said he'd do it, and when I asked afterwards how much, he said no charge for regular customers. It is now my spare. I can use it to get to a tyre shop at urban speeds if I have another flat. But it was in the tread side of the shoulder, not the side wall.
If you are in the NRMA they will come out and repair if it’s safe to do.
That way you get an unbiased opinion
Really? They might put the spare on or organise a tow but repair a puncture, I don't think so.
Really? - yes!, had screw in tyre and called them. Was in house when notified they had arrived, came out and he was already plugging the tyre, without removing wheel from car.
Quite impressed. Still using the same tyre
That's a great service. RACV wouldn't go that far I'm guessing.
Most tyres are tubeless - so a breach renders them useless. If there is still a usable amount of tread on the tyre, then it could be repaired by inserting a tube. I have had a tyre repaired in the past by this method. It comes down to whether it is worth repairing & the cost of repairs. Good luck with your consideration.
You can absolutely plug tyres. I wouldn't plug this though, given how close it is to the sidewall.
As others have mentioned, you probably shouldn't repair this tyre due to the location of the screw (on the shoulder).
But if you want to give it a try, check out thisScrew that wanna be nail!
It is a screw!I have plugged shoulder and run for a while with no problem - Bob Jane didn't want to touch it. However I ended up replacing both on the same axel becaue of Safety. Wasn't cheap at $500 a pop. Unfortunately your's on the side wall - I wouldn't risk plugging it.
I have plugged shoulder and run for a while with no problem
Legs are the important things when (distance) running.
Just be thankful it's not an EV tyre. 19" Michelin EV Pilot was quoted at $800 when I popped the side wall on the top of a retaining wall post that was buried in the ground.
But the money you saved not buying petrol will pay for that tyre, perhaps even paying for the mortgage of the property that you popped the tyre on
Was this an attempt at humour?
It's up to you if you want to get ripped off, a different brand like a Continental would probably have only set you back $300 but given you 90% of the life of the $800 tyre.
The conti that I replaced it with was $520.
EV Tyre, big LOL. I got the Tesla 3 LR with acceleration boost taking it 0-100 in 3.8sec and have 20" Winrun330XL at $129 each. Haven't missed a beat in over a year and a half with them on.
$66
I guess it is not a Goodyear for you.
Already mentioned. Buy 2 new tyres to match.
It's not worth risking safety of you/passengers trying to get this repaired.
Always be willing to spend extra for things between you and the ground! (mattress, shoes, tyres)
Congrats on two new tyres. May you “tread” lightly on your upcoming journeys.
That joke fell a bit "flat".
Now we’re rolling….
You wheely think so?
don't risk that blowie
I've repaired many tyres in my time, I'm a big fan of doing it of you can as it's a big saving over replacement. I'd say this tyre is not repairable but a proper tyre shop would be able to confirm this.
I also recently got a puncture caused by broken scissors some fool had thrown on the highway and my tyre picked it up. I put on the space saver spare and managed to get to mycar, where they told me it was irrepairable so had to buy a new tyre. Fortunately the new tyre came with a 12 month warranty. Lo and behold 2 months later a nail one through the new tyre which when we took it in, mycar decided to do a free repair rather than free replace. YMMV. But as mycar is oz wide, if u puncture far from home, its a relatively easy fix as they've branches all over oz.
Dead and gone
Never try to repair a puncture on the sidewalls they constantly flex with load bearings. Just don't put your or fellow drivers' life at risk and do the right thing.
Tyre replacement is better than insurance excess
That tyre needs to be replaced from the looks of where the screw has punctured it.
Phillips head nail.
Sorry buddy i think you'll need to replace it. In my own experience, a tyre repairer specifically confirmed that they can fix my tyre because the nail didn't touch the side wall. He also showed me where the side wall is.
Have plugged tyres previously. Took 5 minutes and $15 for a kit, but not on the shoulder of the tyre.
Looks like somebody's either getting a new tyre swing or one of those swan garden beds for their front yard.
Normally it costs about $20-30, cheaper if you do it yourself, but that's an unfortunate spot for a nail, bad luck!
Plug it with a repair screw for now and wait until mycar November sale and get 2 new tyres (or 4 if AWD)
Tyre doesnt look that worn. While its good to replace tyres in pairs, if the other tyre still has good tread, you might get away with just one. Potentially, could use a spare as the other 'new' tyre.
That’s a new tyre unfortunately, no tyre repair shop will repair a tyre where there is nail on the sidewall.