VW Up spare wheel

melbury

I was talking to a dealer this afternoon regarding a VW Take Up that I am interested in - only drawback is that it doesn't have a spare wheel, just a can of foam:(

Having checked on the VW main site, it appears that to have a full size spare as an optional extra on a new VW Up is £50, but the dealer told me it would cost £170 for them to provide one in a secondhand car.

I think it is awful that something as necessary as a spare wheel has been excluded and yet lots of gizmos that I don't want or need are considered a necessity.

Does anyone know if it is possible to get a cheaper spare wheel, or even a spacesaver?

http://www.driving.co.uk/news/ready-to-roll-why-car-makers-are-bringing-back-spare-wheels/

Why would anybody only want a 40% chance of the can of foam working when with a spare wheel is 100%.

Iceweasel

melbury wrote: »

Why would anybody only want a 40% chance of the can of foam working when with a spare wheel is 100%.

To save the £170 perhaps.c

Lots of folks don't care though.

I'm not one of them.

My car has run-flat tyres - but I have a spacesaver, a compressor with a bottle of latex fluid, and 2 cans of aerosol foam sealant.

But I haven't had a puncture for over 18 months.

I suggest you check on eBay or gumtree for a suitable wheel.

tykesi

eBay?

......

neilmcl

Not having a spare is quite normal with a lot of new cars today.

Have a search on ebay for a spare.

[Deleted User]

When I looked at the citi-go [can't remember about the Up!] a proper boot floor was an option never mind the optional spare wheel...

Only used a spare once in two decades of driving so perhaps not a big deal.

captainawsome

Had a blow out on the m6 toll in early hours of the morning last time I needed a spare. Now I'm very uneasy going on any motorway or longer journey without one. Foam is ok for (some?) punctures, but can't do much for a blowout or delaminated tyre

melbury

I think it is just an excuse for the manufacturers to save a bit of money. I have never had to use the spare wheel on my current car in over ten years, but still wouldn't like to be without one. Who would want to wait for the breakdown services to come and then have to load your car onto a lorry, simply because of a tyre? Sledgehammer to crack a nut!

timbo58

Having had an UP! previously for 3 years since they were 1st launched I can concur the spare wheel (which is only a spacesaver anyway) is optional and they otherwise come with a puncture kit and electric pump gizmo (which works very well).

Ebay is probably the only place you'll find a spare wheel FS cheaper than a dealers-I have one which I may well whack on eBay now I've read your post and reminded myself!

I think the £170 is for the wheel pack which includes the jack and wheel nut spanner to be fair.

The Up! was 2012 car of the year in the supermini class and stuffed all opposition IIRC -with good reason. Mine was the high up! 75 so top of the range with all options and the only downside I ever had with it was the fact it didn't come with DAB radio (not even as an option) in 2012 -I believe they do now.
Frankly it's always going to be easier to use the glue/pump than to change the wheel and safer too, since repaired wheel and space savers will only let you do 50mph max anyway.

gilbert_and_sullivan

If you feel strongly enough about this don't buy the car, even used, tell them why.

Enough people make a stand and refuse to buy them, new or used, and this practice of not providing a standard spare wheel will cease.

People prepared to grub around finding odd spare wheels that might fit their car of missing parts? whoever would have thought it, excellent wheeze chaps have another glass of Krug there's a fellow whilst we dream up the next con.

Richard53

melbury wrote: »

I think it is just an excuse for the manufacturers to save a bit of money.

Or to keep the price down, which is the same thing. And also I think there is the fuel consumption and emissions angle - the less weight the car carries, the better. And of course there is (according to the manufacturers, anyway) a safety angle. The car's crush zones can be designed better without a heavy lump of metal and rubber in the way.


Both my cars have space savers, and a few weeks ago I needed it. As I moved the Mondeo on my driveway, one of the front coil springs collapsed and ripped a 6" hole in the inner sidewall of the n/s/f tyre. With a space saver, I could swap them over, drive to get a new tyre, and be on my way. With a useless can of foam, I'd have had to remove the wheel and take it by other means to the tyre place, schlep it back and replace it - OK if I were on home ground, but not if I were 100 miles away.


Next car I get, it will have a full size spare, with a skinny one as an acceptable compromise. That will be a deal breaker for me. And as G&S advises, I will not hold back from telling them why.

stator

Go to a local breakers yard and pay £20 for a wheel and tyre