Do you need a spare tire?

[braumeister]

I have carried a small 12 VDC compressor in my car for a number of years, and it has saved me some grief a couple of times, and saved my neighbors even more. It's not the fastest air pump, but it takes up hardly any space and always gets the job done.

Mine is similar to this one:
Amazon.com: BETOOLL HW0154 Car Tire Portable Compressor Inflator DC 12V: Automotive

 

[mpeirce]

and a car stuck on the side of the road because it doesn't have a spare is not creating any emissions.

That's why the car comes with run flat tires.

 

[Car-Guy]

That's why the car comes with run flat tires.

Good thing cars with run flats have TPMS.... (Assume they all do?) I had one go to zero air pressure a few years ago and I would not have known it except the TMPS told me. Car dove okay and the tire looked inflated to look at it.

Fixed it in a few minutes with a tire repair kit without taking the tire off.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

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.

I don't know about other states, but in California every service station is required by law to provide air and water for free to customers. Many stations here have air or water with a coin slot, but you don't need to pay. Just go to the counter and ask them to turn on the air or water. They are required to do this, I have never had any problem at any station here.

 

[Telly]

A few years ago we rented a Kia Soul on a trip. It was the last year of the original design (2013). It was a nice little car, loved the tight U-turns it could make. But a bit tight on luggage space behind the rear seat.

At the first hotel, after I pulled the suitcases etc. out, I thought I'd lift up the floor cover and see what the spare looked like... No spare, and no place to put one! OK, must be undercar... nope! I took the owners manual in to flip through that night, and found there is no spare, but there IS a helpful can of tire sealant Of course, the tire sealant can was missing from the rental car. Someone told me that it was common for rental companies to pull out all of the easily-pilfered items, that they store them till they sell the cars. Don't know if that is true or not. But that would explain rentals where BOTH sets of keys are on the same key ring, which was made of stout steel, welded at the juncture. So no keys could be separated.

Anyway, I want a with-us spare for any vehicle we own.