A puncture now equals a breakdown !

On-the-coast

my EV (common suv styling) weighs 2.2 tonnes. It also has different size tyres front and rear.
When I had a puncture a few years ago the AA offered to tow me to a tyre fitter but on phoning around no tyre fitter within 60 miles had that size / rating in stock. I had to have it towed home and then a mobile fitter came round a few days later. It would have really messed up a holiday. I now carry a tyre plug kit - as well as a jack (and yes I would only plug in certain circumstances)

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980971#Comment_81980971

No manafacturer operates their own breakdown service, at best the offer a skinned app or phone service, but the reality is most just offer a "free" AA/RAC/Green Flag subscription for three years.

Breakdown services can be hit or miss, breakdown in a big city in the middle of the day and they will be with you in thirty minutes, breakdown on a country road during a holiday rush and they can easily take 6-12 hours to arrive.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980972#Comment_81980972

Pretty sure most tyre places are equipped with telephones so that you can check ahead.

soolin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980971#Comment_81980971

My cars are old although as a family we've had them all from new. However I've never relied on a manufacturer or dealer to change my wheel at side of the road, on the 2 occasions in the past 40+ years it has happened to me travelling alone I've always called my breakdown service who have changed it for my spare at no cost.

I'm out of date with new cars and what deals are offered, but do manufacturers now arrange breakdown cover as standard or is it still just the usual 1 or 3 month deal (or whatever) where you get RAC cover or similar as part of the deal in buying a new car?

The last time I had a tyre go it actually burst, so not a slow puncture, It was on a busy dual carriageway. I managed to limp it to side of road and a passing motorist pushed me to a safer spot a few yards away. AA came, changed my wheel and I was back on the road within 90 minutes (I was a sole female in the car). That was caused by something falling off the back of a skip lorry in front of me , and as several pieces of debris went straight under my car I was advised to get it checked underneath at a garage as soon as possible in case something else had been damaged - luckily it was just the tyre.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980977#Comment_81980977

I'm guessing that the last thing a car manufacturer is likely to emphasise when trying to flog you a brand new shiny enhancement to your lifestyle is what happens when it breaks.

subjecttocontract

Whats the problem with having a spare wheel ? If you want reasonably hassle free onward travel after a puncture then carry a spare wheel.

flaneurs_lobster

No manafacturer operates their own breakdown service, at best the offer a skinned app or phone service, but the reality is most just offer a "free" AA/RAC/Green Flag subscription for three years.

Well maybe one does…

https://www.granturismoevents.com/story-the-legendary-rolls-royce-incident-in-sweden-in-1986/

(there are dozens of versions of this story, was around before t'net)

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980975#Comment_81980975

Not just EVs, our last ICE car came with 3 years breakdown, I believe their Approved Secondhand vehicles come with 1 year.

Since circa 2006 none of our cars have had a spare wheel. In the first one it had the well for one but it had been filled with the electronics for the convertible roof so whilst a Golf could have a spare at the time the Eos couldn't. Cars since have been the same with a can of gunk and a pump instead with no space for one to be added.

Only our merc had a tendency to get punctures but with the tyres being so low profile you couldn't even feel it. Thankfully was never far from home so was able to limp home and get it sorted

facade

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980949#Comment_81980949

The Spring has the spare wheel well, and Dacia do offer the kit as a phenomenally expensive accessory. Plenty on eBay at half the price brand new, but I probably won't bother, I'll just put a pack of tyre strings in the back- most punctures are screws that have fallen out of cowboy builders pickups & vans that string will fix.

(The accessories like rubber mats are comedy money, you'd think it was a Maybach rather than a Dongfeng….)

user1977

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980987#Comment_81980987

Indeed, nobody's stopping you from putting a wheel and a jack in your boot. But I would say I've been driving since the 80s and the only time I've had a flat has been at home. I can see the argument that it's excessive to constantly carry bulky spare parts/tools for a particular type of "breakdown".