C30 Tyres/Wheels : Space Saver Question

[nbuuifx]

I've never seen a space saver bigger than 16"


The idea is that the diameter is not changed when you change wheels, if you put 18" wheels on they will have a much lower profile - otherwise your speedo etc will be out. This means the 18" wheel and tyre should have the same diameter (or very close) to the 16" wheel and tyre combo.

Marginal differences are fine, as you can get a difference just from tyre wear or different brands of tyre

[froggyted]

Guys, i think you'll find that the loadfloor cover is different depending on whether you have a spacesaver spare or a full-size one; therefore for a car specified with a full sized spare the spare will indeed fit into the well properly. The spacesaver spare presumably provides a bit more cubic capacity in the boot by allowing the loadfloor cover to be lower.

[Ninja59]

if your a real loser you have tyre gunk

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

if your a real loser you have tyre gunk

Ha ha! Do they still supply those kits? Having said that i guess they save both space and weight (which translates into mpg). How many times do you ever use a spare? I doubt i've ever had to more than 3 or 4 times in over 30 years of driving, so i wouldn't have been too disappointed if i'd had one of those kits in my car, especially with having breakdown cover.

[Ninja59]

yes i think most are standard now! to lower CO2 emissions. i have never actually used my spare although i have had two punctures in about 2 years only once the RAC card though

[EricMe]

Originally Posted by froggyted

Guys, i think you'll find that the loadfloor cover is different depending on whether you have a spacesaver spare or a full-size one; therefore for a car specified with a full sized spare the spare will indeed fit into the well properly. The spacesaver spare presumably provides a bit more cubic capacity in the boot by allowing the loadfloor cover to be lower.

My 'false floor' is a flat sheet of what feels like hardboard with carpet bonded on top (and the C-max one was pretty similar). And of course it has the fancy hinged section that supports shopping bags. Result is that with no luggage in boot and bag holder not deployed I have a flat surface. Do I take it that other models would have a dished bit of hardboard hence a finished boot floor that wasn't flat ? Have to say that sounds rather strange

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by EricMe

My 'false floor' is a flat sheet of what feels like hardboard with carpet bonded on top (and the C-max one was pretty similar). And of course it has the fancy hinged section that supports shopping bags. Result is that with no luggage in boot and bag holder not deployed I have a flat surface. Do I take it that other models would have a dished bit of hardboard hence a finished boot floor that wasn't flat ? Have to say that sounds rather strange

I can't comment on the actual design, i just know that they are different loadfloor units because i had to order one when one of the hinges on that grocery bag holder shattered (Yes! I had to order a whole new floor panel! I wouldn't have bothered if i hadn't long had the car. I wasn't too pleased about it and told Volvo UK what i thought of their so-called environmentally friendly policy. If the grocery bag panel had been attached with torx bolts rather than rivets it could have been supplied as a separate part). I would imagine that the floor unit for the full-size spare would have spacers underneath and the unit for the spacesaver tyre hasn't: certainly my load area is flat like yours. Additionally, you will probably notice that the recess in the left wing trim panel falls partly below the loadfloor panel, so that if you fitted the optional accessory bin it would simply drop into the space, whereas on mine a fitting kit is needed to hold it to the side trim panel, which necessitates removing the panel. I notice that you are driving a V50 whilst i'm talking specifically about an S40, but i imagine the same would apply to both - at least with regard to the differences in the loadfloor panel; the V50 may not have the same accessory bin recess. Personally, although i know you wouldn't agree, i wouldn't have minded having just the repair kit if it meant more luggage space, since the boot area isn't as large as the S40 Classic even with the spacesaver tyre, and as mentioned in an earlier posting i've hardly ever needed to use a spare tyre in over 30 years of driving.

[EricMe]

Originally Posted by froggyted

Personally, although i know you wouldn't agree, i wouldn't have minded having just the repair kit if it meant more luggage space.

Absolutely right there - I don't agree ! I live in a rural area, half a mile along an unmade road and think I've had at least two punctures a year for the last ten years. But even when living on an 'ordinary road' I had a fair few (and I've been driving a lot longer than 30 years). Without a proper spare, life has to go on hold until damaged tyre has been repaired/replaced; the toy spare is just about up to the job of driving to tyre dealers & back twice and if the 'repair kit' is so good, why dont manufacturers fit self-sealing tyres as standard (that's a rhetorical question: deploying the sealant will almost always unbalance the tyre and the nail or whatever might steadily enlarge the hole).


One of the hinges on my grocery bag holder has been broken for ages though luckily the remaining one seems to handle the job OK so I've not bothered to enquire about a replacement.

The underside of my 'false floor' has no spacers etc - it's just a plain (and plane) sheet of (apparently) hardboard.

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by EricMe

Absolutely right there - I don't agree ! I live in a rural area, half a mile along an unmade road and think I've had at least two punctures a year for the last ten years. But even when living on an 'ordinary road' I had a fair few (and I've been driving a lot longer than 30 years). Without a proper spare, life has to go on hold until damaged tyre has been repaired/replaced; the toy spare is just about up to the job of driving to tyre dealers & back twice and if the 'repair kit' is so good, why dont manufacturers fit self-sealing tyres as standard (that's a rhetorical question: deploying the sealant will almost always unbalance the tyre and the nail or whatever might steadily enlarge the hole).


One of the hinges on my grocery bag holder has been broken for ages though luckily the remaining one seems to handle the job OK so I've not bothered to enquire about a replacement.

The underside of my 'false floor' has no spacers etc - it's just a plain (and plane) sheet of (apparently) hardboard.

Ok, well in that case i'm, er, 'floored' as to what the difference is in the panels, Eric, all i know is that the two panels differ, because i was asked whether i had a spacesaver tyre when ordering, and one way or another both end up with a flat load space. I can appreciate your preference for a proper spare due to your past experiences. With regard to the limitations of the sealant though, regardless of whether or not you used a spacesaver, a full-sized spare, or a sealant repair, it would always be a temporary fix: unless you intended to keep the full-sized spare on permanently and drive without a spare from then on, all scenarios would involve buying a replacement tyre. For those that can put up with the limitations of a repair kit the extra fuel ecomomy would at least help to pay for the new tyre.

With regard to the grocery bag holder hinges, they really are flimsy. I suspect that mine broke because i initially thought the holder made a very useful load area divider, so kept it fully deployed, which probably meant that either something heavy slid into it or it was stressed in the wrong direction when trying to access something in the rear. After i replaced it (to the tune of about £275!!!!!!) i bought some non-slip mat from Halfords which now covers the entire load area, to stop things sliding about (very effective too). It is split in two so that i can still access the luggage holder, but i now use it very rarely. I'm disgusted at having to pay so much money to replace something due to what i considered a design floor - er, flaw - but Volvo weren't interested in replacing it under the 3 year Warranty which was still in place at the time. Volvo UK told me that they weren't aware of other incidents but your experience proves the hinges are a weakpoint, which wouldn't be such an issue if you could just remove the grocery holder panel and replace it. Unfortunatentely, you will probably find that your other hinge shatters eventually because with only one present it will be subject to even more stress. Just be very careful when opening and closing it in order to prolong its service life.

[EricMe]

Originally Posted by froggyted

all i know is that the two panels differ, because i was asked whether i had a spacesaver tyre when ordering

I suspect the difference is between cars that have NO spare wheel - 'Standard' - and ones that do have (a toy) one - zero cost option. Conceivable that 'standard' ones have some sort of storage compartment stuck on bottom of the false floor panel though more likely that the panel just incorporates some sort of support area to preserve a flat floor.

Mine was ordered with the zero cost option (so without the aerosol can); a full size spare was a separate transaction (albeit included in total price).