No spare tyre

molerat

Kim_kim said:

I had to drive somewhere tonight & I was on the motorway & I had a thought, if I had a blow out on the motorway & I called the AA, what can they do?  I’ll bet they just tow you home?  They don’t carry spare wheels & that aerosol isn’t going to fix it! 

AA patrols carry a multi-fit steel spare & RAC patrols carry a universal alloy spare wheel for 5 stud fit and they reckon they can get 90% of cars able to drive to the nearest tyre repair shop.  I suspect most other breakdown organisations carry something similar.  They had to come up with a solution to the increasing number of no spare punctures they were called out to.

https://www.theaa.com/about-us/newsroom/innovation-and-technology/aa-multi-fit-wheel

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/rac-innovations/how-the-rac-universal-spare-wheel-fixes-no-spare-breakdowns/

John_

Kim_kim said:

John_ said:

Are you going to be comfortable changing the wheel yourself if you ever suffer a puncture?

If not, then the aerosol is a decent method to get you home. Another option is run-flat tyres which you can continue to drive in when flat, meaning that you don’t even need to stop and get get out of the car.

I’ve never changed a tyre, I know the theory but I’ve never done it.  No I wouldn’t attempt it. 

I thought run flats were determined by the car, certain cars had run flats, certain cars didn’t.
I’ve paid for my next two tyres now anyhow.  

Some cars come with them as standard, but most can have them fitted.

John_

roddydogs said:

AdrianC said:

roddydogs said:

And if the valve is at the bottom?

Move the car forward slightly. The nice thing about wheels is that they rotate.

X 4 ? No need for sarcasm.

Another benefit of car wheels is that they all rotate at the same time, so no, not x4.

ontheroad1970

John_ said:

roddydogs said:

AdrianC said:

roddydogs said:

And if the valve is at the bottom?

Move the car forward slightly. The nice thing about wheels is that they rotate.

X 4 ? No need for sarcasm.

Another benefit of car wheels is that they all rotate at the same time, so no, not x4.

You are assuming that the valve end is in the same position on all 4.  That's unlikely to be the case.

photome

Kim_kim said:

I had to drive somewhere tonight & I was on the motorway & I had a thought, if I had a blow out on the motorway & I called the AA, what can they do?  I’ll bet they just tow you home?  They don’t carry spare wheels & that aerosol isn’t going to fix it! 

they do carry multi fit spare wheels, but they are not likely to change it on a motorway, and if they fit it they will want it back, so they will follow you somehwere to get it changed ASAP.

photome

Kim_kim said:

AdrianC said:

photome said:

Kim_kim said:

AdrianC said:

Kim_kim said:
I put air in my tyres for the first time ever recently.

I didn’t know how you knew when you’d put enough in, so I left the car running & filled the tyre & then eventually the dash showed enough was in it :-) 

Kim, I don't want to sound patronising here, but this is basics. This has been part of the driving test since 2003...

You should be checking your tyre pressures (as well as the tread, and the lights, and the fluid levels) regularly - ideally weekly.  There's going to be a prominent sticker on the car to tell you what they should be. Do you have a friend who can show you want to do?

I get my car serviced, and I do ask a male friend to check my tyres every now and then.  

It really is something you should do, a simple gauge like this one  for £10 will also measure tread depth, others are available

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-equipment/tyre-inflators-and-pressure-gauges/halfords-digital-tyre-pressure/tread-gauge-239116.html

Trimmed link.
But even shoving a coin in the machine at the petrol station will do the job...

My car tells me how much air is in them.  

Does it tell you the pressure or just that the pressure has dropped, it def wont tell you the tread depth

Kim_kim

photome said:

Kim_kim said:

AdrianC said:

photome said:

Kim_kim said:

AdrianC said:

Kim_kim said:
I put air in my tyres for the first time ever recently.

I didn’t know how you knew when you’d put enough in, so I left the car running & filled the tyre & then eventually the dash showed enough was in it :-) 

Kim, I don't want to sound patronising here, but this is basics. This has been part of the driving test since 2003...

You should be checking your tyre pressures (as well as the tread, and the lights, and the fluid levels) regularly - ideally weekly.  There's going to be a prominent sticker on the car to tell you what they should be. Do you have a friend who can show you want to do?

I get my car serviced, and I do ask a male friend to check my tyres every now and then.  

It really is something you should do, a simple gauge like this one  for £10 will also measure tread depth, others are available

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-equipment/tyre-inflators-and-pressure-gauges/halfords-digital-tyre-pressure/tread-gauge-239116.html

Trimmed link.
But even shoving a coin in the machine at the petrol station will do the job...

My car tells me how much air is in them.  

Does it tell you the pressure or just that the pressure has dropped, it def wont tell you the tread depth

Tells you the pressure on each wheel & if it’s below range it flashes a warning on that one, so you know where the problem is.  

nottsphil

AdrianC said:

photome said:

Kim_kim said:

AdrianC said:

Kim_kim said:
I put air in my tyres for the first time ever recently.

I didn’t know how you knew when you’d put enough in, so I left the car running & filled the tyre & then eventually the dash showed enough was in it :-) 

Kim, I don't want to sound patronising here, but this is basics. This has been part of the driving test since 2003...

You should be checking your tyre pressures (as well as the tread, and the lights, and the fluid levels) regularly - ideally weekly.  There's going to be a prominent sticker on the car to tell you what they should be. Do you have a friend who can show you want to do?

I get my car serviced, and I do ask a male friend to check my tyres every now and then.  

It really is something you should do, a simple gauge like this one  for £10 will also measure tread depth, others are available

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-equipment/tyre-inflators-and-pressure-gauges/halfords-digital-tyre-pressure/tread-gauge-239116.html

Trimmed link.
But even shoving a coin in the machine at the petrol station will do the job...

You don't even need a coin if it's just to check the pressure. At least I believe that was the situation several years ago, although I've only driven hire vehicles since.