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A couple of months ago I bought a new [to us ] car which has a space saver spare wheel which you can't use on a motorway or exceed 50 mph.
Within a week the wife had a puncture which was a nuisance but it was near our house and I was able to get it fixed quickly.
But next week we are going to Scotland, a fair way north, and I am having visions of looking for a puncture repair in the Highlands on a Bank Holiday weekend. Sounds like a nightmare.Is there anything you can do to get round this, short of buying a full size wheel and filling the boot with it? Is it worth getting any of these various cans of stuff that promise to re-inflate and seal the tyre?
I just don't want to trundle south at 50mph on A roads looking for a repair.
You'll be lucky if you can get anywhere near 50mph on a highland road on a bank holiday.
There are no motorways North of Stirling anyway. As above you will be lucky to manage 50mph when it's busy.
Personally I hate space savers and would buy a proper spare wheel.
Are they limited for miles as well?
[Edit] - breakdown / recovery cover may cover this?
they are.
despite all the rules etc on them - i without fail on any long journey see at least 1 .... usually on the motorway.
The only limit on mileage is the amount of tread on the tyre but at a max of 50 mph.
If there is space for a full sized spare then check ebay for one, in either alloy or steel.
Buy some Holts tyre sealant. If you get a puncture tyre the sealant first which is surprising good and should it not work then put the space saver on.
When using the tyre sealant make sure your jack the wheel up. If you can see the puncture make sure it's at the bottom or wait until you see some liquid escape the tyre then rotate it.
One of my pet hates.
So you've filled your car with shopping, get a puncture, put your "space saver" on, and then have nowhere left to put your full size flat.
Oh, and how about a side order of dramatically reduced braking on one corner?
I wouldn't buy a car that didn't have a full size spare.
Blimey what a bunch of drama queens 🙂
What's the average puncture to mileage ratio? I imagine I get one per 100,000 miles.
I did pay for a full size spare wheel though 😉
Most new cars don't come with a spare at all, so be grateful that you have anything.
Temporary 'space saver' wheels are fine for the job intended: i.e. to get your car mobile again so you can get to a tyre fitters and get the proper tyre repaired/replaced.
Contrary to popular belief, you can use them on the motorway- just not at more than 50mph. There is no distance limitation but obviously get it changed asap.
I wouldn't buy a car that didn't have a full size spare.
that narrows your choice a bit for your next one. Some don't even get that, just a "puncture repair kit"
Temporary 'space saver' wheels are fine for the job intended: i.e. to get your car mobile again so you can get to a tyre fitters and get the proper tyre repaired/replaced.
Indeed, which is fine if you're pootling around town. But if you're several hundred miles from home on a wet Sunday night... not so much.
"Full size spare" is a top priority requirement for me as well. Along with "boot I can lie down flat in" 🙂
Found this too, my now old E Class had a steel spare, our new (to us) VW Caravelle doesn't have a spare just the gunk and pump as the dealer upgraded to larger alloys. I'm considering buying a steel spare for peace of mind when towing.
I'd rather run flats. Better that than having to get out and do something (thinking of my wife obviously ;))
What's the average puncture to mileage ratio? I imagine I get one per 100,000 miles.
This - and I reckon I do better than that. Certainly the chances of getting one (in a car) on any given journey would not be high enough to get my knickers in a twist. Our car has no spare - just a can of goop. I have sleepless nights - but fortunately not about the drama of the day when I get a puncture.
In my younger and dumber days, I got about a week of upwards of the motorway speed limit on a space saver wheel. I didn't die.
I think they are more capable than you think.
In 25+ years of driving I've had 1 puncture. I wouldn't worry about it.
I punctured in Falmouth, fitted the space saver and drove back to Wokingham without any worries.
Rejoince in the 25% ish improvement in MPG you get from driving on the motorway at 50 rather than 70.
Really not something I'd worry about.
On the subject, my brother is not a man for great wisdom but he did give me some advice that I'll take to my grave: "If the spare wheel is attached to the outside of the vehicle, test the bolts every so often". Because nothing adds to the joy of a flat quite like discovering you can't get the spare off the bottom of the van.
Not just outside - space savers live in a water trap in many boots, ours included. See also - practice using supplied jack (ours is remarkably good but a bit of a Krypton factor to get unbundled) and that the wheel nuts can be taken off - I have a spare wheel nut spider in the car, the supplied wrenches just don't have the leverage..
And loosen the bolts while wheel is still loosely on the ground...
(Can't beat getting the wheel off my first car, GSA, get car on uneven surface, jack up hydraulic suspicion, and voila offending wheel is in the air, no need for a jack.. )
moral dilemma.. i ve just bought 5 space savers from an mgf to use on my marina as they are wider and brand new 185/65 tyres.. mind you 50is rarely achieved in a marina.
My wifes mini has the can of sealant, absolute garbage. Rather have a space saver any day than that rubbish.
On another note, whilst travelling home on the M6 a few months ago I was passed by a lady in an Alfa Romeo. She had a space saver on the rear, I was travelling at (70)honest officer.... 😯
which you can't use on a motorway or exceed 50 mph.
Trust me you can do both though the later is not advised 😉
One puncture in all my driving that I recall
Main problem was it was flat as it had sat in the car since the car had been made [ 10 years] and was unused.
Worked fine tbh and you could not notice it in use.
I used to have a bike that used space saver tyres. They can take 80-90 psi and kerbing no bother. It took 5 years of drifting at 15mph on sharp turns to get any wear!
The Highlands also have towns with garages and kwikfits and everything.