Thread: Spare Tyre Poll
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Old Jun 19th, 2011, 11:29   #11
ExMercR
XC60 Owner
 
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Last Online: Mar 2nd, 2014 20:48
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Cheshire
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 844PHW View Post
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.
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