I have seen this trend as well on all the used cars I have been inspecting.
I don't like the idea at all. If I get a new car, unless its a high end car), I will be fitting a full size spare in the truck, even if it means I loose a little cargo area.
TPMS are not cheap for the part alone, then depending on the company you also have to have the dealer program the new one in.
I didn't know there was a can of the goo that doesn't destroy the sensor, that would be good but the goo in general can ruin a tire or rim for that matter.
I remember a customer came in, they put two cans of that gunk in the tire. well it went everywhere, and the stuff that actually landed on the rim hardened pretty good, and was a pain to clean off.
You guys aren't techs so you don't have to worry about the dirty part, but I personally am not a fan of that stuff.
I agree with Sean here, If you can get a good tire plug kit go with that option, cause 9 times out of 10 its a nail that gave you the flat and not a cut in the side wall, which the goo wouldn't be able to close up anyway.
AAA is a great thing to have, I don't have it though -_-
I agree with you on not changing the tire on the side of a busy high way, unfortunately my last experience with a flat on the 4Runner left me just that, and on the fast lane side of the highway as well, can I tell you how scary it is to change a flat on a lifted truck as tractor trailers blow by you at 70+ miles an hour, oh and its starting to snow -_-
Companies I think are smart in adding the goo to benefit themselves as well, I mean come on, instant need of new sensor right there right off the bat, then again the general public has no idea how to put a tire plug in, or let alone change there own tire anymore so I guess its a catch-22.
I look forward to further reports on how well the beads work, I am def thinking this is going to be a project in the spring time to try out.
The TRD rims I have for some reason just don't like holding on to the weights as well as I thought would, for the first few months I had them, I actually traced where the weights were on the rim and carried spares with me.
After a long trip if I saw some were missing I would hammer on new ones -_- yes I am that particular about balanced tires it drives me up the wall!