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Author Topic: Spare Tyres  (Read 2127 times)

Colin Bishop

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Spare Tyres
« on: April 16, 2010, 07:25:17 pm »

No, not mine - although it does need attention!

Like lots of new cars these days mine came without a spare wheel. Just a squeezy (not pressurised) bottle of latex gunk, a spare valve core, a compressor and some complicated instructions. Can you imagine struggling with all that at the roadside on a wet night? And it's only effective against small punctures on the tread. Drop the wheel in a pothole and blow the tyre and you are looking at resuming the journey on a breakdown trailer. Even if the gunk works, I'm told that a lot of tyre fitters will refuse to repair the tyre and insist that you have a new one because it costs too much to clean the gunk off.

Do they do this just to save money or is the idea to save weight and so reduce the official emission figures?

In any event, I have bought a fullsize spare wheel and will have a proper tyre fitted on it tomorrow. Not enamoured with the idea of a space saver as on my car you are not supposed to fit them on the front which means wheely musical chairs if you get a front tyre puncture. And then it's just 100 miles at 50mph to get you to a tyre shop.

It used to be so easy in the old days - off with the old and on with the spare and away you go. Is this progress?

Colin
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DickyD

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2010, 08:31:04 pm »

For once I agree with you Colin. I have a Motability Zafira with the same gubbins. Motability tell you, if you get a puncture, phone the RAC dont even bother trying to use the other gubbins.
I see a lot of the manufacturers are now offering a spare wheel as an optional extra. %)
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2010, 08:42:12 pm »

Good advice Richard (not sure about the 'for once'?  {:-{)

There is usually a suitably sized hole in the boot as other countries probably still insist on a proper spare. Given the current state of the roads around here I think it is essential. Neighbouring West Sussex have come up with a new wheeze - putting a big yellow notice up saying 'This Road is Damaged'. They were dead right too...

Colin
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gondolier88

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2010, 08:44:35 pm »

Yes we have three 'temporarily surfaced' roads near us- one of which has been temporary for over 15months...... Thats longer than some of the patch road repairs round here last!!!!

Hey ho.

Greg
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chingdevil

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2010, 09:32:34 pm »

My Vectra does have a full size wheel as a spare, but having driven hire cars with them and having to use one, yuk. I am like Colin I think they want to save weight and make their emissions look good when they are not.

Brian
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HS93 (RIP)

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2010, 09:46:25 pm »

Our car has no spare but you can run for 125miles on a flat at near normal speeds,no space for a spare just Two big batteries to charge batteries off, also some cars that have wheel wells will  only fit  a small wheel so check before you buy a spare, or there goes the boat space, I would prefer a full sized spare but remember there are also some cars that have wider rear tyres than  fronts so you would need two..

Peter
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Tug

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2010, 09:51:05 pm »

I just have to mention, with my other vehicle with split two piece alloy wheels,  with the green goo in the tube for 'puncture proof tyres'
the tube perrished most way around the seam where the rim joins together.
Now I have tubes without goo, at the front particularly.

As a bye when I bought my robin estate, [posh us] a spare was not sold with the car as it put the beast over weight, you bought it seperatly.
(it was fitted with plastic windows, but damage one and they didn't sell you plastic only glass, I suppose if you get it overweight it is OK but dealer won't)
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Number 6

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2010, 08:48:27 am »

My good wife has got a Peugeot 206cc (cabriolet). That only had a can of that puncture repair stuff and a small compressor to plug in the lighter. Before had chance to get one of those spacesaver tyres (full size wheel wouldn't fit) she had blowout, tyre off wheel, the works! She was on main road in Wales near the reservoir at Bala, no phone signal, miles from anywhere! What fun, had to walk miles, call out Green Flag, they were brilliant by the way. They were talking about how many cars nowadays have spacesaver or no spare at all, they think it can be potentially dangerous as you can be stuck for an excessive amount of time at the roadside just asking to be hit, especially on motorways, all for the sake of the manufacturer not fitting one. It should be a mandatory requirement for all cars to have a proper full size spare wheel. Needless to say the first thing done on her return was to get a spacesaver, got one for £20 off ebay, brand new. Be safe out there, Number6. :-))
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Greggy1964

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2010, 09:32:33 am »

I've only had one car with one of those skinny emergency wheels, they are about as useful as b**bs on a fish! O0 {-)

I ditched mine and got a proper wheel from a scarp yard and sacrificed space in my boot for it  by bolting it to the floor pan:-))

You don't want a spare wheel smacking you in the back of the head  :o while in a shunt! :-))

The whole idea of a car without a spare wheel exactly like the other four to me is ludicrous :((
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Number 6

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2010, 01:25:32 pm »

I agree entirely, the trouble with the mrs 206cc is that a full size spare wont physically fit in the boot space while still being able to drop the roof. Stupid design, shouldn't be allowed. Like my dads 7 seat Zafira, doesn't have any spare at all, even with all that space, ridiculous! Number6
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DickyD

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2010, 05:58:19 pm »

All my other Zafira's had spare alloy wheels, my new one has a pump and a canister to seal the puncture. Money saving exercise.
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Netleyned

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Re: Spare Tyres
« Reply #11 on: April 21, 2010, 06:28:16 pm »

I've been to look at a new MPV today
No spare just a pump and a can of goo
£100 for a space saver wheel which has
to hang under the car in a cage open
to everything that can be thrown at it
When the vehicle is over 20K I think
a full size alloy/steel wheel should be
part of the deal.
They will give me £500 worth of DVD
with screens for the back seats that
I cant watch when I'm driving but wont swap
for a proper spare
Might keep what I have with a full size spare


Ned
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