The demise of the spare wheel

Haggisman

Haggisman

Haggisman

Soldato
Joined
6 Oct 2004
Posts
19,283
Location
Birmingham
Just a rant really, but what is it with new cars not having a spare (even a space-saver) as standard? Seems they all come with a useless repair kit, which best case scenario will render an otherwise repairable tyre useless, and worst case scenario leave you stranded at the side of the road covered in goo!

I just bought a 2006 Honda Civic (spare is an option) and Honda want £200!! for a 16" space saver and the bolt to secure it in the car :eek: I could almost buy a complete set of (albeit rubbish) alloys for that!
 
Same issue when I bought my civic. The glue kit even has an expiry date lol more money making scheme for them.

Managed to buy the official space saver wheel off gumtree for £60
 
Yeah I was pleasantly surprised when I collected my new Kuga yesterday and during the handover we found a space saver spare not the normal repair kit/compressor I was expecting.
 
kmax86 said:
Same issue when I bought my civic. The glue kit even has an expiry date lol more money making scheme for them.

Managed to buy the official space saver wheel off gumtree for £60
Click to expand...

Yeah i've been looking for one on there/ebay, but they all seem to be 15" and I need the 16"!

Found a shop selling the kit for £120, so just going to have to fork out I think :(
 
Weight and space saving is the driver behind it.
BMW's use runflat tyres and other manufacturers provide repair kits.

My new Golf came with a space saver wheel which is helpful. Having driven 3 years on runflats - the comfort improvement on normal tyres is very noticeable
 
Mine doesn't even fit, I just keep it because it's nice for the weight distribution. One day I'll bin it when I get round to moving the battery to the boot.
 
Haggisman said:
Just a rant really, but what is it with new cars not having a spare (even a space-saver) as standard? Seems they all come with a useless repair kit, which best case scenario will render an otherwise repairable tyre useless, and worst case scenario leave you stranded at the side of the road covered in goo!

I just bought a 2006 Honda Civic (spare is an option) and Honda want £200!! for a 16" space saver and the bolt to secure it in the car :eek: I could almost buy a complete set of (albeit rubbish) alloys for that!
Click to expand...

My A3 came with a spare?
 
kmax86 said:
Same issue when I bought my civic. The glue kit even has an expiry date lol more money making scheme for them.
Click to expand...

Definitely, by the time you've had to buy a new tyre after using the gunk (and a new bottle of gunk to replace the previous gunk) you may as well just go and buy the spare wheel first as last. :mad:
 
In a bit over 25 years of motoring, I've needed to put the spare on twice ... but I totally agree with the OP. When you need it, you REALLY darn well need it ...

I'm sure I would be a cack handed plonker with one of those repair kits so give me a real wheel every time.
 
It is annoying. I had to spec it as an option on my 2015 Fiesta ST.

Just seems pretty stupid when you buy a pretty decently spec'd car and they list all the options on it and then you come to ask, "so does it have a spare wheel?"...."uh, no sir you have to pay extra for that".
 
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Personally if I was in the middle of France with my family, I'd rather shove some gunk in the tyre than change the wheel on the side of the autoroute. I think it makes sense.
 
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