Car spare tyres - did you know?

[Romig1]

Don't forget, nothing is free so if your new car comes with a full size spare then you've paid for it !. There's also the extra weight in the car being dragged around for years and years to consider, makes the car less fuel efficient, and in smaller cars you lose space. The space savers are fine so if anybody has one then don't panic, they've been around for ages. Run flats are fine too. I can't see the problem - if you have a puncture you put on the spare and buy a new one anyway !. I've had two punctures in 28 years - one I managed to change myself (was a space saver so was easier and lighter to lift) and the other was a runflat so I drove quite happily to the nearest garage.

A very sound post.

[Quizzical Bob]

Don't forget, nothing is free so if your new car comes with a full size spare then you've paid for it !. There's also the extra weight in the car being dragged around for years and years to consider, makes the car less fuel efficient, and in smaller cars you lose space. The space savers are fine so if anybody has one then don't panic, they've been around for ages. Run flats are fine too. I can't see the problem - if you have a puncture you put on the spare and buy a new one anyway !. I've had two punctures in 28 years - one I managed to change myself (was a space saver so was easier and lighter to lift) and the other was a runflat so I drove quite happily to the nearest garage.

And if you have a puncture on a French motorway near Strasbourg on a Friday night with a ferry to catch and a caravan on the back? Good luck to you, but I believe that runflats are not available in France and you could be stuck in a hotel for a week or two with no car.

[Wobgoescruising]

I think if I was driving anywhere abroad again I'd take a spare whichever make of car I had especially with lots of spare room in a caravan !. Driving in France is a pain without worrying about a puncture, what with now having to carry a breathalyser kit, warning triangle, fluorescent vest (which I hear has to be in the car to hand and not in the boot !) it'll be a while before I do it again. My brother lives there, I rarely see cars that look even roadworthy when out there but us Brits appear to have to follow the rules !.
It's back to what I said earlier though, it doesn't matter if you have a normal tyres or runflats, if you get a puncture you still have to buy a new one so with normal tyres a space saver is sensible and if you have runflats and are a worrier get a spare.

[jacksparrow]

Sorry I was a little upset at the comment suggesting that a car with a spacesaver was not a proper car...... particularly that this appears to be the norm these days.

[Admiral of the Humber]

Dear Jack,

My large shiny black Japanese estate car is definitely a proper car.......and it has a spacesaver spare.

Regards
Rob x

[Wobgoescruising]

Wonder what isn't a proper car ?!.

Mind you, with the millions of recalls that Toyota make its nice to know at least the spare wheel is ok

[Dark Knight]

My car is fitted with "pimp my ride" 18 inch alloys and luckily has a proper spare
it would spoil my Gangsta cred to be nobbin about with a yellow space saver gizmo on my japanese pimpmobile

[Manoverboard]

I posted earlier ...

" If you buy a proper car like a Toyota then ' one ' gets a full spec spare tyre on an alloy wheel to match the other four "

It was strictly TIC of course but on a serious note we have always carried full spec tyres on matching wheels as a spare, we also have them rotated from time to time to ensure even wear across the axle(s).

[Dark Knight]

When my tyres are getting worn, I ring a nice young lady , who sends a man to either home or the office to change them
much more civilised than mixing with the riff raff at Kwik fit
la de dah

[Wobgoescruising]

Perfect timing - garage just rang to say my new car is in the country, available next week. I asked out of interest what sort of spare wheel and he said its a full sized. So after three new Minis in nine and a half years I'm now getting a proper car - apparently .

[Romig1]

When my tyres are getting worn, I ring a nice young lady , who sends a man to either home or the office to change them
much more civilised than mixing with the riff raff at Kwik fit
la de dah

...but I understood that "you can't get better than a Kwik-Fit fitter"?

- apparently, "they're the boys to trust"

[Not so ancient mariner]

My car (a Zafira) came without a spare wheel at all, in spite of having the space for it underneath. It came with the can of gunk that you pump into the tyre if you get a puncture - which (allegedly) gives you 50 miles at 50MPH max. Fine if you have collected a nail or similar, but no use at all if you have a sizeable hole caused by a broken bottle or the like. Also it ruins the tyre, so instead of a £8-10 puncture repair it's £80-100 for a new tyre.
So I bought the spare tyre cradle from a dealer, and fitted it myself, plus a new oe spare wheel and tyre off ebay. Total cost £130. In the first year I had the car I had TWO punctures - so it easily paid for itself.
I've now had the car for 3 years, and not had any more punctures: but I do have peace of mind in that respect - especially when having a deadline to reach Southampton with a fully laden car!

[Not so ancient mariner]

When my tyres are getting worn, I ring a nice young lady , who sends a man to either home or the office to change them
much more civilised than mixing with the riff raff at Kwik fit
la de dah

...but I understood that "you can't get better than a Kwik-Fit fitter"?

- apparently, "they're the boys to trust"

.......but significantly more expensive than the local supplier I use!

[Kendhni]

I used to use Kwikfit all the time, but now a couple of quick phone calls can find better value.
As an example my brother needed a new battery for his car .. Kwikfit wanted something like £110 whereas he managed to get it from a small independent dealer for under £60.

[david63]

My main issue with the independent tyre fitter is that they do not always know how to get the wheel covers off and end up distorting them. So far I have never had a problem with the "big boys"

[Kendhni]

My main issue with the independent tyre fitter is that they do not always know how to get the wheel covers off and end up distorting them. So far I have never had a problem with the "big boys"

Wheel covers a quality car has alloys

[david63]

Us poor pensioners cannot afford "quality" cars unlike you young whippersnappers who are supporting the economy

[Jan Rosser]

Us poor pensioners cannot afford "quality" cars unlike you young whippersnappers who are supporting the economy

David your comment made me laugh out loud - hope your post is missed by DK - his favourite subject "supporting us pensioners" will start again

[Not so ancient mariner]

ALL modern cars have alloy wheels. Steel is also an alloy!
A.P.E.Dant

[Kendhni]

Us poor pensioners cannot afford "quality" cars unlike you young whippersnappers who are supporting the economy

Less of that lip or I will kick your zimmer frame out from under you

[Kendhni]

ALL modern cars have alloy wheels. Steel is also an alloy!
A.P.E.Dant

But that is like saying a Ford Ka and a Ferrari F12berlinetta are both cars

[Stephen]

Poor pensioner! I've yet to meet one

[Not so ancient mariner]

ALL modern cars have alloy wheels. Steel is also an alloy!
A.P.E.Dant

But that is like saying a Ford Ka and a Ferrari F12berlinetta are both cars

....but both statements are undeniably true.

Anyhow, for your average 'cooking' car, light alloy wheels offer little if any practical benefit. They may (to some) look better, but are more expensive, and a lot more fragile, and the percentage weight difference, once fitted with a tyre, makes no difference to the average driver.

[Silver_Shiney]

In the good ol' days, if a tyre couldn't be repaired, they'd put an inner tube in it.

Going back to the "50 miles max" on the space savers, am I to understand then that you have to get a new tyre for that after 50 miles??

[Quizzical Bob]

In the good ol' days, if a tyre couldn't be repaired, they'd put an inner tube in it.

Going back to the "50 miles max" on the space savers, am I to understand then that you have to get a new tyre for that after 50 miles??

I think that's for run-flats. Usually it's something like 50mph limit for space-savers.