No spare wheel?

Gloomendoom

londonTiger wrote: »

cant fault the dealer, spare wheel isnt something buyers look for these days, long gone in the 80s.l

Not true. We do.

In fact, when we bought my wife's car, the salesman was eager to show us that it came with a full size (alloy) spare. When I expressed surprise, he said that it had been identified as something customers want, particularly if they tow.

As I said above, my parents have just ordered a Qashquai and a suitable spare wheel is next on their shopping list.

fred7777

Ultrasonic wrote: »

What does a wheel weigh? 10 kg or so? Fuel economy savings from that are going to be minute.

Assuming:

• A 15 wheel and tyre weighs 20lb(at best)
• The US EPA is correct when they say that removing 100lbs of weight can save 1-2% on fuel economy.
• A litre costs £1.40
• A car does 40mpg

Removing a spare saves at least 0.4% (at best)
40 mpg = 8.81 miles per litre
At £1.40 per litre a mile costs 16p in fuel

A thousand miles costs £160 in fuel

If you could save 0.4% on your fuel economy you could get 4 miles further meaning removing the wheel saves you 64p every 1000 miles.:j

If i've got this right I'll stick with a spare wheel.

Richard53

MrsPBikerChick wrote: »

Fortunately both our cars now have full size spares, unusual considering mine is an 08 plate (sensible previous owner bought one) but rather fortuitous when I realised 20 miles into a 320 mile journey that I had a slow puncture on one of my front wheels.

Was the car designed for a spare, or just an inflation kit? While OH was completing the paperwork, I was looking in the boot trying to imagine how I would get a full-size spare in there. Half would rest in the shallow well designed for a kit/SS spare, and the other half would project up into the boot space. The boot floor panel would have to balance on top of that - very unsatisfactory.

If there was space for it, I would go for a full-size spare and have done with it. But there isn't, so a SS spare might be the right compromise. Love your sig, by the way.

molerat

Some cars have a false floor / spacer (thick bit of hard foam) with a full sized spare so that the mat sits flat over the wheel but obviously gives a reduced boot space.

greatgimpo

Ok then, some are happy with a can, some are happy with space savers, some want a full sized spare - fair enough. A lot depends on your own ability to solve a puncture problem, location, phone signal, nearby facilities etc.

A few people have been caught out by not getting what they thought they would be getting when buying a new car.

Is there a comprehensive list of what car is standard fitted with what option?

facade

Richard53 wrote: »

I was looking in the boot trying to imagine how I would get a full-size spare in there. Half would rest in the shallow well designed for a kit/SS spare, and the other half would project up into the boot space. The boot floor panel would have to balance on top of that - very unsatisfactory.

The space saver is miles smaller in diameter, a full sized tyre will not sit in the dish. I had to let the air out of mine, and jump up and down on it to get it in. I suspect I may need The Very Nice Man to get it out

I have an electric pump that I can simply attach whilst I wrestle with the flat tyre, and the spare will be reinflated by the time I will be ready for it.

oldagetraveller

"The space saver is miles smaller in diameter"
Not necessarily for all vehicle makes/models. My toyota Yaris has 15" alloy wheels, the "spacesaver" spare is 15". The spare wheel well is large enough for a full size wheel too. The Mk 3 Yaris has, dependent on spec., 16" wheels and a 16" "spacesaver".
However, Toyota have now stopped supplying a "spacesaver" with the Yaris. Slime instead. They will sell a kit, jack, jack handle, wheel wrench, plastic bag, caution label, tyre valve and "spacesaver" rim for £95 ish. The odd sized tyre, T125/70D 16 96M, is on top of that, if you can find one!

facade

I stand corrected

Most likely it is because I have the only car in the world that has 185/55 16 tyres :eek: (each one has to be hand made and takes until Tuesday to arrive at the tyre fitter)

Tip: type the tyre size into google before you buy a car, if there are only 2 or 3 makes of tyre in that size, at £100 each, don't buy it

Jonesya

A full size spare gives you more flexibility - you can carry on your journey at normal speeds and use the car as normal, you can get the tyre repaired/replaced at your leisure and that means you can shop around for a good price/go online and not end up being gouged by the local chain.

Only problem I find is that most tyres are now directional and you need to hunt down a non-direction tyre for the spare.

Richard53

facade wrote: »

The space saver is miles smaller in diameter

Do you mean width? A different diameter would cause all sorts of problems

Her last car (Focus) had a SS tyre which fitted neatly in the boot well. It looks as though the new one has the same rough dimensions, so I imagine the Ford SS kit will drop straight in.

Funny thing is, I have carried a can of instant tyre round with me in the back of the Mondy for many years, and also a 12V compressor. I like to have options. I think if I got a flat on the M25 and I had some foam, I would gladly use that even if it fubared the tyre, just to get off the motorway. But that is one set of circumstances amongst many. The car manufacturers now appear to give you just the one option.