Ouch!!

[Dave_S]

Picked up a piece of tree or similar, in one of my tyres yesterday, causing it to deflate. I actually heard the tyre 'POP'.

Had a look, and fortunately the tyre had only delflated by around 50%, and then sealed with this lump of wood stuck in it.

Fortunately being less that a mile home, I was able to slowly complete the journey.

In keeping with the modern trend, of course, no spare wheel, no jack, and no wheel brace. Just a canister of liquid 'gunk'.

Knowing that once you inject the tyre with this 'gunk', it then becomes non repairable, I took the tyre to one of the local tyre companys.

Although the wooden spike was in tread, not the wall, they said the hole was too big to repair, and that the tyre was a 'write' off.

So, £175 for a new tyre (215/18 55).

The annoying thing is, that all of the tyres had several thousand miles of use left in them, and I'm due to change the car for a new one on Sept 1st.

The one thing I will never do, is to buy another car without, at least, a 'space saver' wheel. In this particular case, I could have been stuck miles from home, with a puncture, that according to the 'tyre man', was beyond the capability of the 'gunk' repair kit.

Thus having to call out the RAC, just because the manufacturer, as do many others, stopped providing a spare wheel.

I think they call it progress.

Dave

[Cyberman]

Re: Ouch!!

That's annoying.

The other year I had a nail in a tyre that meant I needed a new tyre, then two months later had another non-repairable puncture in that tyre.
Very expensive.
But at least they were only slow punctures and I could get to the tyre place without having to use space save.

[Woolley]

Re: Ouch!!

I have one of those stupid spacesaver tyres. Apparently it's not rated for towing the caravan, so if I get a puncture I have to call out the RAC. Also it stops you rotating tyres around to even out the wear.

Saving to who? Minor saving in weight, saving in cost only to the manufacturer. Not impressed.

[Dave_S]

Re: Ouch!!

I used to tow a caravan, but that was in the days when cars had spare wheels as standard. I then had a couple of 4x4's, and at least they came with a full size spare wheel, albeit I never had the need to use one.

My very last car, before going 4x4, did have a space saver wheel, and it did get us out of trouble, on one dark winter's night, 70 miles from home, when broken piece of someones coil spring destroyed a tyre. With the space-saver wheel on, we able to get home at a leisurely 50mph (the max speed rating of the space-saver wheel).

So, that space saver was a real blessing that night. BTW, we didn't have a caravan in tow.

We don't tow a caravan anymore, and now have a 2.0L diesel Qashqai (2WD). No spare wheel. no jack, no wheelbrace..

Strangely enough, it does have the space in the boot, for a space-saver wheel, but they are not supplied as standard.

Will be having another Qashqai in a few months time, when the current one is 3 years old, and this time its going have a space-saver spare wheel. Whether or not I pay for Nissan's overpriced version, or buy an 'after market' one elsewhere, I'll decide at the time.

Dave

[Nathaniel]

Re: Ouch!!

This is the main reason that I bought a smaller new car(Toyota Yaris Sprite 1.4) with a 5 year warranty or 100,000 miles, free servicing included (for 2 years), when I retired. I sold my Merc as I did not want additional expense & drain on my pensions. Perhaps I am not too happy with the size of my present car ,when I see all the larger vehicles like coaches, lorries and larger cars whizzing pase me on the motorways, but I am satisfied for the moment. My car comes with one of those space saver tyres which I had to use once so far when my tyre had a puncture.

[Woolley]

Re: Ouch!!

My wife's Yaris has a space saver too. Don't see the point since the fitted wheels are hardly huge.

With the space-saver wheel on, we able to get home at a leisurely 50mph (the max speed rating of the space-saver wheel).

Again, why? I have a Beemer and it's not meant to go at 50mph on an open road. The space for the spare wheel is plenty big enough for a full size one. Just an excuse for the manufacturer to sell you an 'optional extra' which really shouldn't be an option.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Ouch!!

Tthere was a programme about these space saver wheels/tyres on Watchdog (BBC 1)some time ago and I wonder what the final outcome was- other than to perhaps give the manufacturers something to think about.

[Dave_S]

Re: Ouch!!

Tthere was a programme about these space saver wheels/tyres on Watchdog (BBC 1)some time ago and I wonder what the final outcome was- other than to perhaps give the manufacturers something to think about.

That's about all they will do Nat, 'think about it'.

[Dave_S]

Re: Ouch!!

The space for the spare wheel is plenty big enough for a full size one. Just an excuse for the manufacturer to sell you an 'optional extra' which really shouldn't be an option.

That's the problem with my car, the spare wheel space isn't deep enough to take a full width spare, only a skinny space-saver.

Even so, there is no reason other than 'penny pinching' that the manufacturer doesn't provide one. As you say, just another excuse to charge you for an optional extra, when it should be included.

When I picked up my £175 new tyre this morning, I asked what the cost of a space-saver sized tyre would be, such as a budget Korean Hankook similar. It was £50. An aftermarket space-saver width steel rim, circa £35. Probably even cheaper on e-bay.

Dave

[Nathaniel]

Re: Ouch!!

I think a reminder should be sent to Anne Robinson at BBC Watchdog. Who will bell the cat? Perhaps one who has recently had a problem???

[2Beers]

Re: Ouch!!

I have a car that has a full size spare wheel but I cant swap the wheels around as the wheels have pressure sensors in them which means that if you swap wheels even use the spare the car beeps at you everytime you get in it.

[CountDavid]

Re: Ouch!!

... the wheels have pressure sensors in them which means that if you swap wheels even use the spare the car beeps at you everytime you get in it.

I have one like that too but there is an option within the menu that can reset the sensors to stop the bleeping.

David

[2Beers]

Re: Ouch!!

[QUOTE=CountDavid;215099]I have one like that too but there is an option within the menu that can reset the sensors to stop the bleeping.

David[/QUOTE
Unfortunately not on mine it has to be connected to the service computer to turn it off

[AndyMulhearn]

Re: Ouch!!

I'm currently driving a 1996 Toyota Corolla Solair which has a proper spare wheel. It only has 70k miles on the clock, genuine miles that is, and rumour has it that it will just keep going - it's more likely that if I have it serviced regularly I'll get bored with it before it stops running. I really don't look forward to replacing it with something that either has an aerosol can or a skinny spare in the boot. We call it Chuggaboom as it's old and that was the name of the Ant Hill mob's car in the Wacky Races...

Hmmm, as I inherited the car from my brother who died last August and he inherited it from an old fella he befriended perhaps I should call it Christine...

[Freefaller]

Re: Ouch!!

Manufacturers apparently omit spare wheels in favour of a can of gloop and a pump to save weight and cost. The former helps reduce emissions hence lower road tax.

It's stupid though - imagine standing beside your car with a ripped tyre (no can of foam will seal that) on the way to the airport for your holidays....

Has anyone else sourced a full size spare wheel and tyre & put it in? Expensive but great for peace of mind.