Carrying a Spare / Space Saver in a Non-Spare Fitted Car

Andy__C · 26 Sep 2023 at 14:00

Last week is the third time my car has had an irreparable tyre wall puncture. Second time while the wife was driving and this was stuck on a country lane in the dark waiting for recovery until 11pm. We've also been stuck for 4hrs following a 5hr drive on hols waiting for recovery..... but I won't moan on.

I have a Merc CLA Shooting Brake (220d '19, AMG 225/40 R18) - it doesnt' carry a spare. I was wondering whether anyone has managed to find an elegant way to carry a spare when their car is not fitted to do so. I don't mind a space saver but I'm certainly looking for options of how not to take 5hours for a recovery when someone can pop a spare on in 15mins and drive to a tyre fitters.

Obvs the tyre-weld type liquid sealant hasn't done a job. I also need to consider whats going on with the tyre wall splits when I've never had one in 20yrs of driving other cars and the last 3 years the merc (and those R18s) have had three.

Any thoughts gang?

Armageus · 26 Sep 2023 at 14:13

You can certainly get wheels that *should* fit - e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175907161417 or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163598272489

However the issue is obviously how much space they take up in your boot.

The other potential issue is that depending on the size of the brakes on newer cars, sometimes the space saver can only be used on the rear of the car, meaning if you get a front puncture, you have to swap a rear wheel to the front, and then fit the space saver to the rear.

If it's tending to be a sidewall split, have the wheels been kerbed at all?

alexp999 · 26 Sep 2023 at 14:39

I did this for my Fiesta before a road trip. You can get nice fitted bags to store them in, in the boot.

sovietspybob · 26 Sep 2023 at 14:41

Lots of people with Mk3 MX5's would buy a space saver spare and one of the parts sites sold a bag to put it in the boot. It's not perfect but probably the best you'll get in a modern car.

Kenai · 26 Sep 2023 at 14:57

It's a product I've thought there's probably a bit of a gap in the market for - an independent space saver spare wheel with tools in a carpeted box that you can leave in the boot (for cars without dedicated space which are becoming more common) but in reality with the amount of space it would take up etc. etc. I doubt many people would actually be interested, especially if it wasn't able to be tailor made to slot exactly into the boot of their particular car.

Home

No Spare Wheel? Check your boot. Be Prepared,

www.roadhero.co.uk

Something like that's probably a decent bet

Andy__C · 26 Sep 2023 at 15:09

Armageus said:
You can certainly get wheels that *should* fit - e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175907161417 or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163598272489

However the issue is obviously how much space they take up in your boot.

The other potential issue is that depending on the size of the brakes on newer cars, sometimes the space saver can only be used on the rear of the car, meaning if you get a front puncture, you have to swap a rear wheel to the front, and then fit the space saver to the rear.

If it's tending to be a sidewall split, have the wheels been kerbed at all?

Thanks, I think that 17" spare may be the option and will have to squeeze it in somewhere, especially on road trips (Dog will not be happy!)

I wish I could give a solid answer on the kerbing, the wife will never fess up! Judging by the alloy scuffs that keep being added I'm going to say yes.

I don't mind swapping the wheels around, anything is better than some of the shockers we've had with roadside assistance.

bazzastan · 26 Sep 2023 at 17:20

i found out the hard way i then bought a 2nd hand mv2 the same as my other wheels off marketplace for £30 with a decent tyre.

Blackjack Davy · 4 Oct 2023 at 05:19

My car didn't have a spare only a can of goop that proved to be utterly useless when I had a flat there a space for a tyre though so I bought a space saver though I wish I'd bought a full sized in retrospect

d_brennen · 4 Oct 2023 at 07:10

Mine had a space for a space saver but instead a foam insert, pump and goo in the boot. Looked into replacing it with a space saver but found out that it wouldn't fit over the front brakes anyway. Ended up buying a spare alloy as I can't be doing with swapping two wheels etc. in an emergency. Almost fits in the wheel well, makes the boot floor a bit lumpy

bainbridge · 4 Oct 2023 at 07:40

The Mrs's car has a space saver fitted but has never had a puncture in 60k miles.

My car doesn't have one and I've had 2 punctures!

My punctures on both occasions were flats that I only found out about when starting the journey, so I was in a safe place.

BUDFORCE · 4 Oct 2023 at 07:50

Yet another reason modern cars are getting worse.

Engine system gimped to meet emission standards, check.

Over engineered unnecessary electronic systems, check.

Spare wheel replaced by useless spray rubbish that doesn't work, check.

I dunno why you'd bother getting a nice car these days anyway, so many restrictions and traffic everywhere there is no point in trying to have an enjoyable drive, it's just a chore these days. And the state of our roads, and complete disrespect from other road users. Might as well get an old banger and Mad Max it.

No one pulls out in front of you if you are driving something that is taped together.

Terminal_Boy · 4 Oct 2023 at 08:06

Had a visitor snag a raised curb with the sidewall of the front passenger tyre of their rented Nissan Juke a couple of months back. On board puncture repair equipment was a can of tyre weld and a 12V inflator.

Which would have been fine for your normal puncture, but **** all use when there’s an L shaped tear in the sidewall that I can put my whole hand into. The super annoying thing was that the tray under the boot carpet had was made to hold a space saving wheel, jack and wheel brace as well, but the hire company were cheap ********.

Luckily, they were only 15 minutes drive away and had pulled off the road into an empty car park So I didn’t have to worry about being run over whilst getting the wheel off. Unluckily, the only tyre place open was the local Feu Vert (Green Light) which is the French lovechild of Halfords and KwikFit, so my visitor’s wallet was suddenly €200 lighter.

Rroff · 4 Oct 2023 at 08:18

Terminal_Boy said:
Which would have been fine for your normal puncture, but **** all use when there’s an L shaped tear in the sidewall that I can put my whole hand into. The super annoying thing was that the tray under the boot carpet had was made to hold a space saving wheel, jack and wheel brace as well, but the hire company were cheap ********.

That is how most Nissans come now

albeit the hire company could have got a space saver themselves. The tyre weld is utterly useless - I carry plugs just in case.

bainbridge said:
The Mrs's car has a space saver fitted but has never had a puncture in 60k miles.

My car doesn't have one and I've had 2 punctures!

My punctures on both occasions were flats that I only found out about when starting the journey, so I was in a safe place.

I've not had many but so far that has been my experience, so far never had a puncture on a vehicle which has a space, had punctures on vehicles without...

cheesefest · 4 Oct 2023 at 16:27

I don't have a space saver tyre or that useless tyre puncture wound gloop most cars have.

In my previous car, I had one which I used. About 7 years ago, I was driving down an A road and pulled over to let an ambulance through on flashing blues. Due to the kerb was fully covered with weeds and grass - No Mow May happened back then, I couldn't see the state of the kerb. BANG! Puncture in sidewall of front passenger tyre. I was only 10m from a layby so drove with emergency lights to the layby. The kind driver behind me was an AA mechanic on his day off and changed the tyre to the space saver for me. Drove to my usual tyre place about 20 mins later.

Don't understand why car manufacturers ditched the spacesaver tyre as probably weighs along with the jack etc about 10kg. That's not going to affect emissions at all....