Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

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Devils Advocate
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Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Devils Advocate » Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:51 pm

I've heard lot's of people ruing the demise of the spare yet none of my cars have one and I've not lost any sleep over it in any way.

However, with the Spanish trip looming I'm now having nightmares of a 6 inch rip in one, probably in the depths of the Spanish plain with vultures circling over head and the Mrs. calling me not fit to burn.

What do you seasoned European road travellers do in this instance? I'm half tempted to try and find a spare alloy and tyre and lob it in the car. Can't decide on this one yet!
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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby ajtg1952 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:38 pm

Not and easy decision. Either buy a skinny one that fits or make sure you have good breakdown cover.

Friend of mine drives a new MX5 and the dealership told him not to worry as Mazda would get to him within 2 hours. Aye right! He ripped a tyre on a metal bar sticking out into the road when he in the North of Skye. He phone Mazda but they subcontracted to a local garage in Portree. They arrived just over an hour later in a van and asked him where his spare tyre was?

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby El Cid » Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:49 pm

Your car five star cover should cover that. A tow to the nearest tyre depot and a new tyre fitted but don't drive in the Scottish highlands!

My last car did not have a spare, just a pump and some gunge to put in the tyre. I never had to use it, but I have used the €10 canisters you can buy anywhere. Worked all right on Madam's car.

I have a spare in my new car, but it's only a space saver emergency wheel just to get you to the nearest tyre centre with a 50kph limit. I only got it as it was compulsory if you wanted a decent sound system as they put the woofer in it! It does sound good, but hopefully I will not have to use it. I'm quite happy to have to replace a tyre as the car came with a 4 year warranty, including damage (for any reason) to the tires. I doubt they could risk that in the UK with all the potholes!

Ref the emissions sticker and breathalyser in France. You don't need them as the emissions thing only applies in four cities and you are not going near any of them. The breathalyser requirement was cancelled a couple of years ago. Strictly speaking, you still require one, but they can't fine you if you don't have one! You will have to have the jackets and triangles, but you need those in Spain. Spare bulbs are still required in France, but not in Spain.

I still think you should bring that fluorescent green excuse for a sports car rather than the Beemer, just so I can see you drive it up your track!

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Devils Advocate » Thu Aug 31, 2017 5:32 pm

Thanks for the thoughts guys. Yep, a space saver is the perfect answer I think and after googling easily available. Car came with a compressor and tyre gunge but not much use if it's a rip in the side wall.

Looking at a 3 week European breakdown plan now but it's looking like rip off territory to me at the moment.

Hahaha, as for taking the green beast Sid, it'd be left straddled atop the first Spanish speed hump it had to cross......oh and I'd be on my own in it with the Mrs flying out instead :mrgreen:
I mentioned the Morgan but even that suggestion fell on deaf ears.
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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby wollie » Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:47 pm

If the well is there i would buy a wheel as this space is good for nothing else.
I do not understand why the powers that be ever allowed this to happen "cost?"
You likely be ok but i like 5 wheels with car..

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Enrique » Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:57 pm

Probably has run flat tyres so could get to a tyre place or service station for longer recovery.
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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby dxf » Thu Aug 31, 2017 10:29 pm

Hola

My Yaris came with a space saver spare but with the option of a full size spare. I can't remember the cost but having had a sidewall ripped high above Cañar in the Alpujaras - I decided the full size spare was worth it. I should add that my lady passenger took one look at the electric jack and electric wheel nut remover and took charge doing all the work herself - declaring it was easy to change my wheel!

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Devils Advocate » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:53 am

Thanks for that. I've put the word out and a couple of the lads have space savers and full size spare wheels I can borrow and put in the car so I think I'll do this rather than rely on the compressor and gloop method haha.

As an aside, I removed the run flats earlier on in the year and they are stacked up in my garage..........horrible things.
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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby AkoAko » Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:38 am

We opted to pay an additional €100 for a traditional spare wheel when we bought our Ford , heard of to many instances where the stuff that came with the car was not up to fixing the flat and although we are covered by breakdown services its a lot less hassle and certainly much quicker to just change the wheel and deal with a repair or replacement at a convenient time .

Theres no reason why someone cant carry both .

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Devils Advocate » Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:42 am

I take it the Ford has a dedicated place/wheel well to put the spare? Problem is mine would have to go in the luggage area.
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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby AkoAko » Fri Sep 01, 2017 2:13 pm

I guess so but i have no idea where , assume its under the carpet in the boot area , hopefully i never have to look for it . :lolno:

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Devils Advocate » Fri Sep 01, 2017 2:16 pm

Hahahaha, great answer lol!!
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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby ajtg1952 » Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:38 pm

My last BMW had a full size spare under the floor of the boot. I had never looked at it until I got a puncture and changed the wheel when I discovered it had a space saver wheel under the spare. That's going to the opposite extreme!

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby wollie » Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:59 pm

My first bmw is a 1983 e21 which i bought about 5 years ago,
The original spare wheel and tire were never used,
Michelin tire with metal dust cap...

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby El Cid » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:11 pm

The problem with the latest car designs is that they only have space under the boot floor for a skinny spare. If they used a full size spare (bearing in mind that the latest cars have much wider wheels than a few years ago) it would raise the boot floor by at least 5cm which would have a big impact on the advertised boot space, which the marketing people would have a fit about.

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Manchesteral » Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:46 pm

Both my cars have full size spares, if yours doesn't just buy one from a scrapyard and stick it in the boot !

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby telboy » Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:25 am

Am I living in the past? II last bought a new car back in 2004 when I moved to Spain - Is this new practice with car dealers?
Car companies advertise cars are starting at XXXXX€ - Didn't these items normal come as standard, now they are extras i.e. Spare Wheel, Air Condition, Radio etc.

terry

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby AkoAko » Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:09 am

Nope , ours was €100 spare wheel , €1000 Air con and Radio , €10 for cup holder , €200-500 choice of colours but red was standard so no additional charge . Even the price quoted for bog standard basic was €1000 less than we could have bought it for with cash , they deducted €1000 to advertize a low price but in reality you only get that €1000 discount if you take our Ford Finance and yes its then costs even more . :crazy:

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby markwilding » Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:19 am

Things have changed over the last few years. I bought a Kia Sportage 6 years ago with a spare tyre. I part exchanged it a year ago for the newer model and no spare but many more extras. There is a kit that will help me get to a garage.

One thing I will definitely not be doing is go to a scrap yard to look for a spare and stick it in the boot. I'm not sure what I will do should I get a puncture, either have a go at a quick repair or call the breakdown service.

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Re: Modern cars, no spare wheel. Worried?

Postby Devils Advocate » Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:25 am

telboy wrote:Am I living in the past? II last bought a new car back in 2004 when I moved to Spain - Is this new practice with car dealers?
Car companies advertise cars are starting at XXXXX€ - Didn't these items normal come as standard, now they are extras i.e. Spare Wheel, Air Condition, Radio etc.

terry
I can only assume Sids comment about advertised stowage space is the reason for this crazy idea of sending cars out without a spare or even the facility to store one.
A space saver whilst not ideal is better than nothing and wouldn't need a huge well but they seem to think a can of gloop or a compressor is all ok.

As an aside I tried for an experiment using one of those cans I had in stock on an old flat tyre at a friends garage, I failed 100% to get the tyre inflated to anything like usable. God knows how you'd fair with it in an emergency.
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