Spare Wheels

[BZG Wagon]

Is there any point to them, these days? Anyone out there not bother carrying a spare?

Roughly once a year I'll get a slow puncture - nothing topping the tyre up with air won't fix in the short term, until I can be bothered dropping by the tyre shop. For long out of town trips I'd say it's essential though.

I was surprised at how heavy the GTT's spare is - it felt the same, if not heavier then one of my mags which was bloody interesting.

Thoughts?

[Bling]

Of course there is a point, tyres can still get punctured. Take it out and see how long it is before you get one. Murphy will be watching. If you're worried about weight, don't drive a whale

[Boosted_162]

Alot of new cars dont even have spares. My old Swift Sport only had a tyre repair kit in it. I bought another factory wheel for long trips but never had to use it.

I always make sure to carry a spare on the terrano seeing as i would probably be offroad when it goes flat

[Al]

Hit a decent sized rock in the Clio on the way to work. Rock had fallen off the hill after a decent aftershock. Tyre deflated immediately and damaged the rim.

No spare would have meant a long walk down Dyers Pass Road.

[ch4ng]

How well do the "tyre repair in a can" kits work?
Do they do enough to get you to the closest tyre shop? I cant see a 300ml can giving any tyre enough pressure to be able to drive with out seriously damaging it (This is assuming you get a propper flat and not a nail/screw with a leak)

[Boosted_162]

How well do the "tyre repair in a can" kits work?
Do they do enough to get you to the closest tyre shop? I cant see a 300ml can giving any tyre enough pressure to be able to drive with out seriously damaging it (This is assuming you get a propper flat and not a nail/screw with a leak)

The ones that come in new cars includes the tyre repair crap, which is basically just a glue. Spray it into the tyre, spin it around to coat the inside with it then pump it up (comes with a 12v compressor).

So either way your $&#$% if you get a blowout

But it does work, but told it makes a bloody mess of your tyres.

[BZG Wagon]

...that's what I'm thinking - electric compresser & tyre repair kit for driving around the city.

I hear tyre repair kits tend to make a mess of tyres though?

The reasons I want to bin the spare:
* It weighs a hell of a lot and the caldina is much more fun to drive when it's low on petrol (i.e. the rear comes alive with less weight).
* Wouldn't mind putting an amp in the car and moving my CD stacker to the boot. The spare tyre well would be the most logical place to put them.

Tyres seem a very reliable these days - 12 odd years of driving with no need for one yet, surely it's worth tempting fate (or murphy) a little?

[Mr Revhead]

Yeah tyre tech is pretty good these days. Punctures are fairly rare. But do happen!
And those repair kits won't help you if you hit something that takes a gash out of it.

[ch4ng]

I'd go ahead with your plan if you don't do any out of city driving. Where you can always get a tow truck. But if you do it'd be tempting murphy a

[KwS]

i carry a full size spare AND a can of that crap in the beamer. Rumor has it that BMW uses the spare to create a more even weight distribution.

[CelicaGT8]

Many cars dont have them these days, even the swift sports and they are for girls.

And they come with tyre pumps

[AE82 FXGT]

My RX8 doesn't come with one, just a tyre repair kit with a compressor new valve and some goo, says not to do over 80 also. I'm pretty sure once you use these, there is no repairing the tyre.

In saying that I've never had a puncture that has stopped me (just the slow leaks from the odd nail or bit of debris) since I've been driving.

Tyre technology is pretty good these days.

[Zitchu]

Took the spare out my Evo a few years ago, never have it in there anymore.
That said it's probably going to bite me in the ass one day

[GDII]

Not too long after I bought my MR2 I got a flat tyre. I thought, no biggie, took the space saver out of the front and preceded to take off the flatty. Then when I went to put on the spare it wouldn't fit. Spare had a 5x100 instead of 5x114.3. Had to get my brother to get me one of the tyre weld cans to try fix the puncture. Didn't work too well but luckily my Grandmas house was a 2min drive away. Drove it there and had to get the GF to pick me up and take me home which was about 20-25min drive. Luckily I had just bought a set of standard 14" SW20 wheels from Alex B earlier that week. Got in my EE90 and drove back to the MR2 and put the 14" on. Then when I took the tyre in to be fixed the tyre guys weren't happy I use the tyre weld stuff.

So after all that I think it is best to keep a spare that fits and is usable.

Then just a month ago I got my new tyres put on and got a nail in one 2 days after that. Didn't go flat but still put a tiny leak in it when the nail was removed.

[xsspeed]

Between me and the mrs we have had four flats in the last year and a bit - all caused by nails or scrap metal (worst was a broken off piece of windscreen wiper channel). So IMO, having a spare is key, esp when it happens in the wops.

[tsoob]

yup def worth it...

I have never had one for the last 8 years.

We had that massive cruise to tauranga back in april... I was the only one who needed a spare

Luckly we had a big crew with us to save the day!

[Mr Revhead]

Oh the irony! Tyre guy is the one needing a spare

[Quint]

from 1480kg to 1460kg. *rolls eyes*

Though i don't generally bother taking a spare wheel, if the car doesn't have one in it, in my experience i'm more likely to blow something in the drive train rather than the tyres. I'm 'lucky' i guess, lol.

[BZG Wagon]

from 1480kg to 1460kg. *rolls eyes*

Surprisingly it's the difference between my car being a lot of fun in the wet, vs. only a little fun.

Plus it makes room for my CD changer (currently being kicked to death under the passengers seat) & amp.

[h8wrxs]

i always carry a spare, i went for 3 years without getting a single puncture and then got 4 punctures in the space of 3 weeks last year...