Spare Tyre Poll

[Vecais]

Originally Posted by ExMercR

.... buyers should surely have the choice of a full size spare, space saver or tyre sealant - depending on the intended use of the vehicle.

Fully agree, and would add that each individual has different reaction to risk, so we each may chose a different solution.

Considering the vast array of other options available on each new car, an option in this regard would not overcomplicate the buying experience.

Personally I would choose a full size spare every time. I do not get flat tyres very often, but when it happens it is usually very inconvenient. With a full size spare you can continue your journey and get the flat fixed at your convenience. The other options make fixing the tyre a priority.

For the present I am stuck with the space saver and am unwilling to spend the extra to change.

[844PHW]

I'm all for choice but the options have to be available. To me, spacesavers and inflators are lazy design decisions. The real design challenge is to provide accommodation for a fullsize sparewheel while also fulfilling as far as possible a raft of other design requirements.
If all-out minimum weight is such a major emissions/environmental issue, cars should be banned from carrying passengers and should have fuel tanks that hold a maximum of 10 litres! I could go on.

The reasons why having a full size sparewheel is important include:
- Punctures occur. (ok, any workable solution would do for that one)
- There is a good chance a puncture will be too severe to be patchable by an inflator kit.
- There is a good chance that a puncture will occur when tyre centres are not open and/or in a place far from any such centre. This makes a spacesaver sparewheel doubly inconvenient. In any case there is a risk that the centre will not have the required type of tyre in stock (quite a high risk with the XC60).
- Full size sparewheels minimise the inconvenience of a puncture. You just swap with the spare and drive off as normal, not at a silly and possibly dangerously slow speed.

Reviewing the above and identifying what is not stated shows that there are actually quite a lot of issues needed to give the matter definitive coverage. However, that will have to do for now.

I do have a fullsize spare wheel for my XC60. So far I have already had one puncture, with a terminally damaged tyre, and it occurred at night. I am satisfied that having a fullsize spare wheel is the correct arrangement.

[ExMercR]

Originally Posted by 844PHW

If all-out minimum weight is such a major emissions/environmental issue, cars should be banned from carrying passengers and should have fuel tanks that hold a maximum of 10 litres! I could go on.

I think you are rather missing the point. The issue here is that governments have introduced emissions based taxation schemes - both for road fund licence, and crucially for company car tax. Emissions are heavily influenced by weight and cars are categorised in their 'default' sales condition - which is why you have to tick a box to get a space saver, rather than a sealant kit..

So, to ensure cars have the right 'tax appeal', manufacturers are ditching the spare wheel.

Don't blame the car makers.. blame the legislators.

Of course I have no statistical evidence to back this up, but I imagine the incidence of punctures per mile driven is extremely low, which is why car manufacturers think it is ok to sacrifice the spare wheel.

Clearly, this approach does not appeal to all buyers - particularly those extremely risk-averse XC60 buyers!

I have the sealant kit, as I forgot to tick the spacesaver option. I have to admit it does not cause me to lose sleep.

[XC60MY12]

Originally Posted by ExMercR

I have the sealant kit, as I forgot to tick the spacesaver option. I have to admit it does not cause me to lose sleep.

As with all insurance it's a case of risk assessment. My house has not burned down so far but I pay to insure it. About a million people drive on UK roads without insurance and, I'm sure, don't lose much sleep until they get caught.

I think the point is people want choice but there will always have to be compromises, so someone will always be disappointed.

[844PHW]

[QUOTE=ExMercR;930368.....
Don't blame the car makers.. blame the legislators.
......[/QUOTE]

I entirely agree that legislators complicate the issue, but it is a chicken and egg situation. To a large extent, the car makers lobbying influences the relevant areas of legislation in the first place, so I don't let them off.

[844PHW]

Drat, I didn't notice it was a multiple choice poll. How to I cast another vote?

[darbs]

Originally Posted by 844PHW

Drat, I didn't notice it was a multiple choice poll. How to I cast another vote?

it's not possible. i only cast one too and can't cast any more. if you've only cast one, i guess that shows your favoured option anyway. if you were to cast more than one, i guess it might dilute your opinion somewhat.

[crossedover]

TBH I think not supplying a full size spare is as much about cost as anything - full size tyre plus full size alloy is a fair chunk to add on.

But also, when you have 18 inch alloys with fat tyres that's a lot space to find and additional weight to carry.

I've gone through a fair few cars over the years, and I haven't had a full-size spare for I would guess 15 years.

I'm quite happy with a space-saver. It's not ideal but at least you have a get-out-of-jail that you can sort you out until you can resolve the problem properly.

My last car, a BMW, had run-flats and that was ok too. At least you can continue your journey and get the car to the tyre dealer.

As I said in the other thread, repair kits are a disaster where the damage is too severe for them to work as happened to me. I don't mind that risk in an Elise, but not in a car like the XC60 when I am likely taking my family somewhere.

[Lancahire]

It is wrong to call them Space saver spare wheels, in my humble Opinion.

For most manufacturers, they are "COST SAVING spare wheels"

I think having the spare wheel attached to the back door, such as a lot of 4x4 vehicles including older model LR discoverys and most LR defenders can be a time saving measure for motorists. What happens if you have boxes and luggage in the boot, it may take you ten minutes to unload the boot before you can access the spare wheel.

Those vehicles which have the spare wheel mounted under the cargo compartment are also a problem. The nuts and bolts and fixings can sieze up if the spare wheel is ignored and neglected until it is needed.

[weble]

As i will be using my car for towing, im gonna say full size spare as it's the only real option. There was a case once of a chap (with a Nissan IIRC) who had a flat, they came and put his space saver spare on, which wasn't suitable to use while towing, but because they'd fitted his spare, which was inflated and ment the car was then mobile. They wouldnt do anything else to help him out even though he couldnt tow his trailer on it leaving him stranded!

As Volvo's are popular towing cars, it would, to me seem the way forward.

I've had to take the space saver out my S80 and replace with a full size