Dealer said this screw was not pluggable - skeptical?

I had a screw in the same spot. Noticed it while I was at a Walmart so asked them to look at it. They said it was too close to the sidewall so I bought a plug kit from them for 6 bucks (give or take). Plugged it and have not had any problems for 3 years now.

 

That’s a borderline location so flip a coin. Sure you could do it yourself with a kit or buy a new tire. Guess it all boils down to peace of mind.

 

I would try Discount Tire. Just went there last week with my car for the same problem. It is a little farther outboard than what mine was but it's worth a shot, and it was free.

 

My local gas station has thicker commerical plugs than those that come in most kits . I've used them a couple times with good results

 

It wasn't directed at any one person, just my experience with plugs, which are vilified by the tire industry, and their general success rate when used properly.

 

Plug kits are cheap and available at just about every auto parts store. This is a great excuse to do it for the first time