New cars with no spare tire (Governments fault)

[gjohnsoniv]

A friend of mine has a Mini Cooper, and there isn't even a spot for a spare tire on the car. He says the cars come with Run Flat tires. The bad thing is they only lasted him something like 20,000 miles and then it cost well over $1000 to replace them. Twice! This last time, he just replaced them with regular tires and says he prays he doesn't get a flat.

Sure about that? I have a spare in mine.

[2.ooohhh]

Sure about that? I have a spare in mine.

Yep, all depends on the year and options of the Mini.("S" models do not have a spare due to the exhaust routing using the area taken up by the standard model's spare tire well) Most newer BMWs don't come with spares either.

[gjohnsoniv]

Yep, all depends on the year and options of the Mini.("S" models do not have a spare due to the exhaust routing using the area taken up by the standard model's spare tire well) Most newer BMWs don't come with spares either.

I didn't think about the S but the exhaust does route right under where the spare for mine is.

[jtmaze]

Sign me up for the 270mpg VW. Change my weekly gas bill from $90 a week to $15. I can make the car payment with that. Who cares if it only goes 99mph. As I get older I realize I don't need to get there that fast anyway.

[TMF]

Sign me up for the 270mpg VW. Change my weekly gas bill from $90 a week to $15. I can make the car payment with that. Who cares if it only goes 99mph. As I get older I realize I don't need to get there that fast anyway.

The trick is to determine whether it is economical when you run the number against the increased cost of the vehicle, replacing the super expensive battery later down the road and the increased cost of your home electric bill from charging your car each day. Consumer report came out with the numbers a few years ago and it didn't add up to savings for the average life of ownership.

[Murgatroy]

I have a fullsize spare (on a matching factory wheel) on the wife's truck. I have a full size spare (of custom size to match my current wheels) in my hotrod. I have a a full size spare of matching size and wheel for my classic.

 

My brand new Mustang has a space saver spare. I haven't had the time to get a matching spare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I take nothing for granted. Before I drove off as the new owner of ANY of my vehicles I took an immediate inventory of the condition, location and usefulness of the spare tire, battery location, jack location and storage room for a small toolbox and jumpercables.

 

All of my cars have these at a minimum.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to add:

 

My wife would be thrilled with a can of fix-a-flat and an aircompressor. It is faster, less effort AND she would know how to use it.

 

I am nearly certain that cars are required to carry this if they aren't equipped with a spare tire from the factory.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Murgatroy

[peejman]

The trick is to determine whether it is economical when you run the number against the increased cost of the vehicle, replacing the super expensive battery later down the road and the increased cost of your home electric bill from charging your car each day. Consumer report came out with the numbers a few years ago and it didn't add up to savings for the average life of ownership.

 

 

 

Yep.  Hybrids and electric cars are generally not an economically viable option to a modern car.  Battery technology just isn't there yet.  Saving the planet is expensive. 

 

 

 

 

...  Before I drove off as the new owner of ANY of my vehicles I took an immediate inventory of the condition, location and usefulness of the spare tire, battery location, jack location and storage room for a small toolbox and jumpercables.

 

All of my cars have these at a minimum.

 

 

Edited to add:

 

My wife would be thrilled with a can of fix-a-flat and an aircompressor. It is faster, less effort AND she would know how to use it.

 

I am nearly certain that cars are required to carry this if they aren't equipped with a spare tire from the factory.

 

 

Our cars have the same stuff.  It's amazing to me how many people don't have jumper cables. 

 

And please consider fix-a-flat as a last resort, especially if you have aluminum wheels.  Not only does it completely gunk up the inside of the wheel and make it very difficult to balance, something in the fix-a-flat goop attacks aluminum.  I've seen aluminum wheels where it had been used that had considerable corrosion under the goop. 

[Murgatroy]

 

 

And please consider fix-a-flat as a last resort, especially if you have aluminum wheels.  Not only does it completely gunk up the inside of the wheel and make it very difficult to balance, something in the fix-a-flat goop attacks aluminum.  I've seen aluminum wheels where it had been used that had considerable corrosion under the goop. 

It was said mostly in jest.

 

To be honest, she doesn't know how to use fix-a-flat either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which is why I have already taught my seven year old to change oil, do a tune-up and change tires.

 

We start on engine rebuilding this summer.

[TMF]

Yep. Hybrids and electric cars are generally not an economically viable option to a modern car. Battery technology just isn't there yet. Saving the planet is expensive.

What's more, that I didn't mention, would be the increased cost of interest and financing if you didn't pay for it outright, along with sales tax.

All in all, even if fuel was $5 a gallon, it would still be cheaper than driving a hybrid. A person is better off getting a rice burner for the time being if they want to save of fuel costs. The notion that hybrid cars would have any significant impact on air pollution is silly. Power doesn't come from unicorn farts. It has to come from somewhere.

[2.ooohhh]

Yep.  Hybrids and electric cars are generally not an economically viable option to a modern car.  Battery technology just isn't there yet.  Saving the planet is expensive. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our cars have the same stuff.  It's amazing to me how many people don't have jumper cables. 

 

And please consider fix-a-flat as a last resort, especially if you have aluminum wheels.  Not only does it completely gunk up the inside of the wheel and make it very difficult to balance, something in the fix-a-flat goop attacks aluminum.  I've seen aluminum wheels where it had been used that had considerable corrosion under the goop. 

I won't use the aerosol cans of tire sealer as they are the ones that corrode AL and also can make tire dismounting very dangerous due to flammable gases escaping the tire upon the breaking of the bead.

[Guest TankerHC]

One of the notes mentioned in Motor Trend was that the dealers have a choice, Reduce weight and not pay the fines and penalties, or give up paert of the safety ratings. The spare in the trunk factors in to their safety rating.

 

I think  Ill take the Engineers who worked on the designs and now write for MT and C&D, it was a fuel factor, which is why they will be going to more expensive composites in exhange for fuel economy. The same reason VW built a 1700 pound car that gets 250+ MPG.

[daddyo]

Spare tire is like carrying a firearm.

 

I'd rather have one and not need it.... you know the rest.