Wow, what a night...

[Franks89-911]

Went out for my usual weekend joyride with a buddy down the street. Going out US78 east towards Stone Mountain for all you Atlanta types. I drive out 25 mi, he drives back.

Rear left tire went flat about 5 miles into our trip. Oh no, I thought...no AAA and a 30 yr old compact spare, compressor & jack I've never used or tested is all i have up front.

Able to pull off at next exit and get off the freeway onto a long turn off.

Cars still whizzing by at 55+. Very dark night. No street lights on turnoff. We're gonna be roadkill soon out here. Buddy out there flashing cars with his phone so we don't become pureed, while I frantically get spare out - hey where's the jack??? Oh there it is tucked down in there - and get compressor out of frunk and pray HARD. Dear God let all this stuff still work!

This weirdo jack with a crank works! Awesome. Bet dad never pulled it out in 26 yrs. Get wheel off ground...wait, gotta loosen lug nuts first dummy, that jack will topple over like a domino! Car goes back down , loosen lug nuts, car goes back up, take wheel off.

Went to inflate the spare. Turn on compressor and dead silence. Oh yeah gotta turn the car on! Car now on, flip compressor switch...silence. Noooooooooo.

Turn socket around in cig lighter, maybe its just not connected up. Success! Spare now pumping up. Wow that thing looks weird with air in it. Totally lopsided, no way that thing gets us home. My buddy says we're doomed.

Ok, put spare on tighten lug nuts, lower car and we are outta here...Uh oh...someone's pulled over. Sketchy dudes, two of em. I'm not exactly in the best part of town either. They are walking up here..slowly. Too slowly. Or maybe not slowly enough? Feels wrong. Maybe I'm just too scared? Even my buddy who loves and trusts all says " oh $#it." If John is scared then we're goners. Glad he's here because I'm 5'8" 170 and he is 6', 220. "Y'all OK, we saw the flashing lights?" Oh, they just noticed its a Porsche. We're dead. "We're OK guys, we appreciate you, got this wheel on and ready to go, thanks for stopping to check on us." "You're welcome have a good night."

Not dead, OK, faith in humanity restored, fire it back up, wheel doing OK, limped home at 25 mph on back roads. Dropped john off home, sorry you didn't get to drive her tonight, Back to bed with wifey and kids asleep & none the wiser. WHEW!

Moral of the tale:
Check your jack, spare, compressor etc periodically for proper function
Tires (Michelin pilot sport) probably too old. Shoulda replaced sooner. 2008 from sidewall info. I was living on borrowed time I guess. No more than 6 yrs?
Trust your fellow humans more. Thanks to you guys for stopping, wherever you are.

[douglas bray]

Sounds better than but's ex at the midway point of your drive.

[Puma]

I love a happy ending.

[PCA7GGR]

"Sketchy dudes, two of em."

Spent a week in Atlanta for a conference at Stone Mountain. Told my host, "Atlanta is a nice place".

"The only problem with Atlanta is that its surrounded by Georgia", was his reply.

[GH85Carrera]

I check the compressor on occasion. I also carry a can of fix a flat. If it is just a slow leak or a nail, fix a flat is way better than the spare. The tire shop will hate you but tough. I also have a tire plug kit in the car. With a plug or a fix a flat I hope to avoid using the spare.