Lost my spare tyre

DD265

I think I lost it anyway, it's either that or it was stolen!

Found out because the flap that covers it under the car (1997 Fiesta) was scraping on the floor. A lovely gentleman came to my aid, checked under the car and said no spare wheel - I thought that I might have knackered the exhaust - he said that the bolt (inside the boot) was very loose and it will have jumped off it's hook thing.

I don't recall a bang before the scraping, and although I could have sworn there was something in the road behind me (I drove a little further to pull in as narrow country lane) and that somebody got out of the car behind, they drove straight past me as I walked back. It was dark and visibility not the best so I might be mistaken, it may have been somebody from one of the houses going to check that their car hadn't been damaged.

I couldn't find the wheel on that stretch of road where I thought it would have dropped out (will check again in daylight), but is it worth contacting the council to let them know in case they find it?

Anybody know of the best place to get a replacement if it turns out that it really is lost?

mikey72

Say nothing, if you're lucky you'll never hear of it again.
Buy a spare off ebay.

eg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiesta-Steel-Wheel-/150733290653?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Rims_Car_Wheels_ET&hash=item2318677c9d

Weird_Nev

re run your route in daylight just to check if it's obviously in a ditch or something.
If not, ebay a replacememnt and check the retaining mechanism weekly.
They are quite well known for getting nicked off of cars that have external Spares though - vans too are chronic for it, so it could be some lovely tinker has had away with your spare. Do it 4 times and you've got a free set of wheels and tyres after all. (how MSE)

DD265

Thanks for the input, I won't bother with the council then!

I planned to check again in the morning before work so fingers crossed I'll be able to see it.

I have a really stupid question. How do I know what specification of replacement tyre I need?

agrinnall

You have 4 other tyres (I hope!) on your car, just look at one of those - it'll be something like 165/65 R 14.

tim9966

Ebay or the local scrap yard for a replacement.

missile

and get a lock to discourage the thief stealing your "new" spare wheel.

adouglasmhor

mikey72 wrote: »

Say nothing, if you're lucky you'll never hear of it again.
Buy a spare off ebay.

eg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiesta-Steel-Wheel-/150733290653?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Rims_Car_Wheels_ET&hash=item2318677c9d

Go to a scrappy, I got one for my fiesta for a tenner including a new tyre. I was so chuffed that the next time I got a flat I went and got another - I am not the only one as there was a small pile of wheels with burst tyres at the entrance to the scrapyard.

Strider590

Ummmm...... How long was it making this scraping noise? I would expect any driver to notice something like that immediately and for their own safety (and that of their passengers) stop as soon as the noise became apparent.

adouglasmhor

It sounds like it was almost immediate from their description of events.

HoofeHearted

I was on the 'receiving end' of a loose spare tyre, many years ago.

On my way to work one morning, turned off a roundabout into a side road that went slightly up hill and turned to the right about 150 yards away.
Suddenly saw a tyre rolling back down the road towards me. I was so amazed with what I was seeing that I did not manage to avoid it. It hit my front bumper and cracked it.

A minute later, a man came running down the road from the bend, in pursuit of his spare wheel. He did not know how it had happened, but had recently had a service at a garage.
We swapped details and my insurance claimed off his. Don't know if he passed the claim on to the garage.