Spare tyres

hampshirebabe

I've just bought a new 2nd hand car, which has been converted to use lpg, which means the spare tyre is just in the boot, although it is a space saver tyre. We're off on holiday in a couple of weeks, and I'm wondering wether to leave the tyre at home and just stick a can of that tyre foam in instead.
Anytime I've had a puncture before I've called out a breakdown truck to fix it, party because I dont keep a jack in the car, but also because I've often got the kids in the car and I wouldn't want to be trying to keep them safe while changing a tyre even if I could.
So if I did have a puncture I'm either going to fill the tyre up with foam, sit and wait for a tow truck to put on a space saver tyre, or for him to tow me somewhere with a flat tyre.
Having done a bit of reasearch, I'm not sure space saver tyres are really worth having, you can only do a certain amount of miles, at low speeds, and they're not really that much smaller anyway. I'm wondering if I'd be better off getting another normal tyre to keep in the boot for general driving around, but I could really do with the extra space for our holiday.
What do you think is going to be best and cheapest?

vikingaero

Depends where you are going on holiday. Urban or far from civilisation?

I had a puncture a couple of years ago in the Scottish Highlands and was glad I had a spacesaver rather than foam/gunk - I hit a pothole hidden by water.

Foam will only fix small or tiny punctures. Any rips and tears and you are going to be waiting for a recovery truck. Then there is the problem of cleaning and removing the foam/gunk which most tyre places don't like because it takes longer and sometimes the foam masks the puncture.

hampshirebabe

We're going to harlech in Snowdonia, but we wont be going anywhere too remote. If I do take the space saver tyre though I really need to get a jack to go with it too though dont I, more money and less space too, but I will if I need too.

forgotmyname

Problem with the cans, They dont repair all types of puncture. Anything bigger than a small nail and it probably wont or anything thats not a clean hole.

Then the garage will say ahh you used sealant you must replace the tyre we cannot repair it.

Spacesavers are just thinner. They will be a similar diameter to the original tyre.

You can do hundreds of miles on a spacesaver, But limited to 50 or 60 mph usually.

Best/cheapest carry a spare and a jack.

Why wait 1hour+ for a breakdown guy to say oh you need a truck, Another hour for a truck then they take you to the closest tyre place that want £100 for a tyre you can get for £50.

I presume you have a breakdown policy, Anything in the terms about having a spare?

On the holiday is when you need a spare the most.

hampshirebabe

I have the autobreakdown cover where you pay the breakdown company, then claim it back, I'm sure theres nothing about carrying a spare in thier terms though. If I didn't have a spare them they'd have to send a truck in the first place anyway though.

gilbert_and_sullivan

A spacesaver takes up little room, a scissor or even the standard car jack should fit into the inside of the wheel together with the wheelbrace or suitable socket and T bar.

Unfortunately losing the small amount of spare wheel space is the price you pay for only paying 64 to 74ppl for fuel instead of 135 to 142ppl.

Might be worth investing in a roof box which you then have for a good number of years swappable between vehicles.

Have you researched for cheap LPG suppliers on your route and around where you are staying...http://www.filllpg.co.uk/index.php?page=lpg.php
Worlds slowest site but worth the wait

hampshirebabe

When its just in the boot, not in a well, a space saver still takes up lots of room, it might be thinner, but its not that much thinner is it? For the extra hassle of having to get the proper tyre sorted soon and back on the car, I think it'd be worth keeping a normal one in the boot.
I am thinking of getting a roof box, although I haven't got a roof rack so need that first too, and no space to store a roof box when not in use, so I'm looking at this, http://www.handiworld.com/handiholdall/handiholdall-handirack-handiduffel-x-2.html
Thanks for that website, I've been looking at another lpg site, but its not updated as much as this one, and the info on each place seems much better. Could do with a really good ap for my android phone now too.

Gloomendoom

If you do take the gunk, I'd advise taking a foot pump and a pressure gauge too. I've used it several times and the tyre has always been well below the correct pressure just using the contents of the can alone.

mikey72

I've repaired a tear in the side wall with foam. but I wouldn't recommend it. I had to take the wheel off, and lie it down to get the foam in the right spot.
The last spacesaver I had was about half the width of the standard alloy, and a couple of inches smaller diameter.

I'd go for the spacesaver myslef.

eschaton

Foam doesn't always work and you often then need to replace the tyre.

Last month I travelled through Scotland/England/Netherlands/Germany/Switzerland/Italy/France.

My car only has a foam kit so before going I bought a full size 19" alloy along with a jack and wheel brace. At least I didn't spend the holiday worrying about a puncture.

colino

Keep the spacesaver and the tools you need in the car, because if you look carefully in your handbook, you will see that you will experience a ripped tyre, not puncture, in the dead of night, miles from anywhere with no signal on your phone.