Do you need a spare tire?

[Svensk Anga]

I suggest getting a rim to match the other four and a new tire. Then do five tire rotation. This way you always have a spare that is very similar to the three good tires. Some vehicles (Subaru's) apparently can damage AWD systems if one tire is different than the others.

The matching rim spare is of some value as it should extend the life of the set 25%. A junk yard rim and used tire may just be dead money. A very old spare might be questionable for safe operation.

 

[DrRoy]

Tires/rims can be damaged far beyond being repaired with a pump/sealant kit. It could be a problem when you bend a rim while driving a remote mountain road in Montana out of cell phone coverage.

Not having a genuine spare is a risk. Some tire failures can be managed with the sealant, but rim or sidewall damage cannot.

 

[MRG]

Not having a genuine spare is a risk. Some tire failures can be managed with the sealant, but rim or sidewall damage cannot.

Agree.

Even having a proper spare doesn't always gaurentee anything but it helps. When I was about 19 borrowed DM's car rainy winter/spring day hit a pothole and flattened two rims on the right side. Well at least it was the 70s and rims were cheap mom and dad were out of town and never knew.

 

[T-Minus]

For me, it's simple: no spare = no sale. We are shopping for a road-trip SUV and the lack of a genuine spare tire took the Audi Q7 off our list (much to the dealer's chagrin). As a matter of fact, customers and dealers are turning up the heat to provide a spare as an option:

quattroworld.com Forums: AoA now offers a standalone spare wheel/tire for the 2017 Q7 (4M).

I will not buy a vehicle that I plan on using for travel, only to be sidelined in the middle of nowhere, with no cell coverage, with a sidewall tear. And yes, this happens. If I were shopping for a pure suburban grocery-getter, then maybe. But for my intended use, hell no.

 

[NW-Bound]

... Well at least it was the 70s and rims were cheap mom and dad were out of town and never knew.

Dad: "This car now drives weird. It keeps pulling to the right."

Mom: "Nah, it's just your imagination".

 

[Rustic23]

Just talked to the dealer, spare kit installed $400. Full size tire. A little high, but I'll go with it.

 

[Car-Guy]

I realize that flat tires are a "relatively" common problem, but personally, I've never be "stranded" by a flat tire. (with or without a spare).... I wish I could say that about other car problems.

Cars today are much more reliable (IMO) than cars of 30+ years ago, but when stuff breaks now, I am much more concerned that I won't be able to fix it on the side of the road with my traveling tool kit.

 

[eytonxav]

Maybe I've been lucky, but I can only recall using the spare tire only 3 times in 50+ years of driving.

 

[aja8888]

I realize that flat tires are "relatively" common, but personally, I've never be "stranded" by a flat tire. (with or without a spare) I wish I could say that about other car problems.

Cars today are much more reliable (IMO) than cars of 30+ years ago, but when stuff breaks now, I am much more concerned that I won't be able to fix it on the side of the road with my traveling tool kit.

Yeah, when your in-the-fuel-tank fuel pump quits, roadside fix is not in the cards.

(I'd like to see a poll on how many drivers can actually know how to change a tire on their car and can state they can do it)

 

[MRG]

Maybe I've been lucky, but I can only recall using the spare tire only 3 times in 50+ years of driving.

Where we used to live they were regular as in several yearly. Roads were all gravel and when the county graded twice yearly old nails, screws, and other debris were stirred up, then picked up. I carried a hydraulic and a 4 way lug wrench, seldom was the spare under the truck as I'd just have to pull it out a few weeks later. One that scared me silly was getting out to check the mail, turned around and my truck's RR was completely flat. Huh, I was doing 60 a few seconds ago. A 3" rock, smaller on one end, punctured the tire, immediately flat.

I recall a woman giving the guy at the tire place a major
a$$ chewing. She claimed that he was in cahoots with the grader operator. He was apologetic to her but clearly an innocent beneficiary.

Ah, and my property taxes were 85% less.

 

[Car-Guy]

(I'd like to see a poll on how many drivers can actually know how to change a tire on their car and can state they can do it)

And for those who think they can , have they tried it with the factory supplied POS they call a jack? I have seen a few factory supplied jacks that were "ok" but many are an accident waiting to happen.

Reminds me of the old bumper jacks (I still have several of them). They work better for stretching barbed wire and pulling fence posts and poles out of the ground. And that can get dangerous too.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

A few years back was en route to the Airport to go home after a business trip. Got a flat just a few miles from the airport. Have AAA, but they would not have been able to get there in time for us to catch the flight. Luckily, the rental car had a spare, and in a few minutes we were back on our way to the airport. Without that spare we would have missed our flight.

Another time I had a flat on a busy freeway out of state, with a trunk full of suitcases, I opted to call AAA and have them change it. One does not always have to change their tire themselves, but there are still times it is good to have a spare, and know how to change it.

 

[Ronstar]

Had a flat this past February in our 2001 Acura in Arizona. No problem - pulled over, got out the spare, changed the tire and took off. Spacesaver spare. The problem was that the spare had about 10lbs of air. And it took us about an hour to find a gas station with an air pump. There seems to be a shortage of gas stations with air pumps these days.

Got a flat in my truck a few years ago in Illinois. About 0° out. I was about 5 miles from home - called DW and she brought me gloves and my coveralls and a hat. It was dark and I could only see by having DW pull behind me with her lights on. A cop pulled over and asked if I needed help. I said no. He and DW sat in their warm cars watching while I changed the tire. Now I carry an extra set of clothes with me in case of trouble on the road. I average a flat every year or 2.

 

[Fedup]

I don't know if I have a spare tire or not. But I have AAA for road insurance.

 

[aja8888]

I don't know if I have a spare tire or not. But I have AAA for road insurance.

They don't carry spare tires for folks. They will tow you to a garage though, even if it's 200 miles away. In West Texas, that's a possibility.

 

[Ronstar]

They don't carry spare tires for folks. They will tow you to a garage though, even if it's 200 miles away. In West Texas, that's a possibility.

I like AAA, but I'd rather have a spare than go through a 200 mile tow.

 

[Fedup]

They don't carry spare tires for folks. They will tow you to a garage though, even if it's 200 miles away. In West Texas, that's a possibility.

Not here, it's dense, most likely 50 miles at most. But my husband always checks before we go on a long road trip. We bought this car in 2013 so have not had time to check yet.

 

[omni550]

Flats sometimes occur at inopportune times, too.

A friend of a friend was driving her several-months-old car home to Ann Arbor, MI on the afternoon of Dec. 31 (which was a very cold day with snow on the ground. BRRRR.) About 20 miles from home, she gets a flat tire while driving in a rural section of a major freeway. She pulls over and calls the 800-number that the vehicle manufacturer had provided for complimentary road service. This being late the afternoon of New Year's Eve, it takes about 2 hours for the service guy to show up. He pops open her trunk, takes a look around, and informs her that she doesn't have a spare tire. (Unbeknowst to her, her car came with the 'inflator kit' instead). Without further ado, he jumps in his vehicle and takes off!

By this time, it's dark and cold out. She's still sitting on the side of the highway with a flat tire. She then calls AAA. They come out after an hour or so, take a look at the flat tire and tell her that it has a large cut in the sidewall and the inflator kit will not be able inflate her tire. She asks if AAA can tow her car to a nearby dealer and they do. With it it being NYE (followed by New Year's Day and the weekend when dealerships in the area typically are closed), it will be three days before the dealership is even open!

She then ends up calling a cab to take her to the airport (15-20 miles away) where she is fortunately able to rent a car. By this time, all her NYE plans have been shot.

On Monday, she contacts the dealer (where her car had been towed). They don't have her tire size in stock (as it is one of these odd-ball sizes that no other models use) so it is another day or two before the dealer can get the tire she needs. The replacement tire is also quite expensive. That, the cab fare, plus the total of 6-7 days of car rental makes this a very expensive flat 'repair' indeed.

She does buy a full-size spare afterwards to prevent this from happening again.

omni

 

[aja8888]

And then there's the story about my DW using my 2002 Dodge RAM pickup on a rainy night when I was in Oklahoma on business. She was coming back from hauling stuff for step daughter when she hit a concrete curb in a construction zone and blew both tires on the passenger side. Cost me two new tires and new wheels. Oh, the tow was free with AAA.

 

[frayne]

Being an old scooter rider, I have a little air compressor that operates off the car battery in addition to a battery pack. Can't remember the last time I had to use a spare but I have taken the jack out and used it here and there. I'm too cheap for AAA.

 

[meierlde]

Not having a genuine spare is a risk. Some tire failures can be managed with the sealant, but rim or sidewall damage cannot.

Actually even with a spare it makes sense to buy a 12 volt tire pump and carry it with you. Then if you have a slow leak you can pump the tire up and limp to a tire place. (Plus eliminates the need to find a tire inflator). They cost from $20 up. With that and a can of sealant you can have both modes.

 

[travelover]

Actually even with a spare it makes sense to buy a 12 volt tire pump and carry it with you. Then if you have a slow leak you can pump the tire up and limp to a tire place. (Plus eliminates the need to find a tire inflator). They cost from $20 up. With that and a can of sealant you can have both modes.

Agreed. I've used mine several times to help out others and also to inflate a slow leaking puncture enough to save me changing to the mini-spare. Not every gas station has air these days and those that do charge for it.

 

[ponyboy]

Yes...you need/want a spare. Cant believe cars are now being sold without one. When you negotiate a price make sure you negotiate a spare tire/jack...whether they bump an extra $200 off the total price...whatever works.

 

[mpeirce]

Yes...you need/want a spare. Cant believe cars are now being sold without one. When you negotiate a price make sure you negotiate a spare tire/jack...whether they bump an extra $200 off the total price...whatever works.

My diesel doesn't have a spare. If you look in the spot where the spare would be, there's a DEF tank there...

 

[samclem]

My diesel doesn't have a spare. If you look in the spot where the spare would be, there's a DEF tank there...

Uggh.
Well, that's two big "wins" for the environment. The pig pee (DEF) helps with the diesel exhaust, and a car stuck on the side of the road because it doesn't have a spare is not creating any emissions.