No Spare Tyre

[Maydup]

I've changed my car and now have one that offers no spare tyre; just a bottle of stuff to squirt in the valve if I need it.

I know this is quite common now but having hit a random object on a motorway recently (in my old car) which resulted in a serious puncture, I was really glad of a space-saving spare wheel.

I might buy one for peace of mind or am I just being old fashioned? What do others think about this trend away from spare wheels.

[douglas9401]

I'd buy a space -saving wheel at the very least and if the space is available a full size one.

I'd also make sure that the existing nuts or bolts were suitable and if no get a set of them too.

[barry1010]

I insist on a proper spare wheel, that's how old fashioned I am

[Dagman]

Hi Maydup, yep, go buy a spare, scrap dealers will have one suitable and a car jacking kit/wrench if you need one. Imagine getting a flat in the middle of nowhere, the liquid stuff only seals small holes on the tread area too so it may not work anyways. I got a spacesaver for my ford cmax, only £50. Make sure the spare isn't worn or too old.

[Dagman]

Yes douglas well thought, some alloy wheel nuts aren't always ok for steel spares. The scrap dealers would probably help if your not sure.

[Maydup]

Thanks all. I think I'll buy a new spacesaver on-line.

Are you saying that I might need different wheel nuts for it? Doesnt it just fit over the rods as the normal wheel does?

[Canary42]

That stuff is a big con. It will not work for serious damage, and the "repaired" tyre can only be used for "light" driving and will have to be surrendered (leaving you without one) for permanent repair.

I was looking into acquiring an extra tyre as a spare when my driving ban rendered it all academic.

[maggiebee]

Glad I've read this post. I don't have a spare either and worry about getting a flat. Will investigate.

[Maydup]

I had a space saving wheel in my old car and although I was restrcted to 50 miles an hour, it got me home over 200 miles away from the insident. It was perfectly OK to go back as a spare afterwards too, so it wasnt a single use tyre/wheel, just a smalller one to save space and weight.

[douglas9401]

They only have 3mm of tread so definitely need to be replaced as soon as possible.

[Maydup]

With any luck, its not needed again Douglas, or if it is, its just another single journey to get home or to the tyre place.

I'm looking at space savers online. I can buy a new one for my make and model car for appox £100 - £125 including a tool kit. I just need to work out whether I need a 16, 17 or 18" wheel ..... Off to read the manual .......... hopefully its in the spec.

[jourdain2]

I bought a car with one of those 'get you home' spare wheels. When I had a puncture I was 8 lonely country miles away from home and it was a very tense journey. I bought a spare to keep in the boot. I certainly would not trust a squirty thing.
I have refused to buy a car because it didn't have a decent spare.

[bhg481]

Tyre repair kits are useless for large holes or holes in the tyre wall - they just do not work. On top of that, if you use it it makes the tyre unrepairable because garages are not keen to spend the time cleaning it well enough to be able to repair it.
I was always against space-saver wheels but the current car did not have enough space in the boot for a full-size so I got a spacesaver. I've used it on at least 3 occasions in the 15 years I've had the car and, provided you have it at the correct pressure, it's perfectly OK. The only problem is what to do with the full-size when you put the spare on. Answer - my wife made a bag to put it in (because it's bound to be wet and dirty when you have the puncture) and it goes in the boot or the back seat.

[Maydup]

Did you buy the spare online jourdain?

[jourdain2]

No, I was in France at the time and my line was 1 hr. per week on a rickety phone line! I went to a reliable garage and asked them. They found one for me.

[bhg481]

Incidentally - most cars have wheel BOLTs nowadays, not wheel NUTS

[Maydup]

Agree with you bhg, I was very relieved to have the space saver when I needed it. I put my luggage on the back seat and threw the punctured tyre in the boot on top of a couple of bags for life!

[bhg481]

My tragic puncture was in France when we clipped a rock at the side of the road and punctured the tyre wall; a blow-up kit would have been useless. It was 40 miles to the nearest garage, which would only sell me a pair and could get them in two days. That resulted in over 120 miles of driving on the space-saver.

[bhg481]

jourdain - did you check the pressure in the space-saver before you used it? The first time I used mine the car didn't feel very stable and I found the pressure was down. Blowing it up to the correct 60psi made the car drive prefectly well, allowing for the 50mph speed limit on it.

[SlackAlice]

I've always insisted on having a spare wheel (minimum space saver) when I've purchased a car.
When you tell the car dealer it's a dealbreaker, you would be surprised how fast the dealer can be in finding you one as part of the "deal"!

[barry1010]

The squirty stuff is another dangerous, stupid idea for motorists, same as turning motorway hard shoulders in to 'smart' lanes