Spare Wheel or Puncture Repair Outfit?

[john.wigley]

Recent discussion concerning wheels in another thread made me think.

My present V70 and both of our Saabs are equipped with spare wheels of the 'spacesaver' variety; our previous cars having spares that matched the wheels fitted on the car.

Some friends who run a '13 Ford Fiesta have only a repair kit to fall back on in the event of a puncture. Twice recently they have been temporarily stranded when a tyre sustained damage beyond the scope of the kit provided to repair. On each occasion they had little alternative but to call on the AA. The responding patrols took them to a local tyre shop in order to buy a new tyre, returned to their car and refitted their wheel to allow them to continue their journey. Presumably if the wheel had also been damaged they would have needed to buy a new one of those as well!

Even today, when out cycling I routinely carry a puncture repair outfit and am happy to assist anyone who may not have one. If touring, one may even have carried a spare inner-tube or two. For the same reason, those on 'sprints' always had a spare 'tub' strapped behind their saddles.

But in a car?! Surely a serviceable spare wheel is a basic component in any tool-kit? A spare was offered at one time as extra equipment on Reliant three-wheelers, as without one they could meet the weight criteria for a lower taxation class. Are modern cars supplied without one in order to save weight and / cost? Either way, it seems a retrograde step to me!

So, spare wheel or puncture repair kit - what do you have and does it bother you?

Regards, John.

[Whippy]

Spare, these repair kits are rubbish. Cost cutting nonsense.

[green van man]

Spare was part of the buying negotiations. Tin of gunk no good to me at 2am on a wet and windy motorway.

Paul.

[T5R92011]

Tyre Weld etc is only good if you have a slow puncture and you use the can on your driveway etc.

If your tyre shreds on the motorway, you're stuffed.

If your car doesn't come with a spare wheel, then you really should buy one, even a space saver.

[S60D5-185]

When I bought my XC90 in February it only had the can of goop and a compressor.

One of the first things that I bought was a used space saver and a winch to hold it in place.

Even a space saver can be a pain.

3 years ago we were in our S60 on a Saturday night heading for the South of France.
We picked a puncture up but obviously all tyre shops were closed for the weekend.

Travelling the remaining 180 miles on a French Autoroute at 50 mph was nothing short of dangerous.

[Harvey1512]

Tin of gunk for me and quite happy with it. Never changed a wheel in my 30 years of driving and have no intention of ever doing one. I want all the boot space I can get.

[green van man]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Tin of gunk for me and quite happy with it. Never changed a wheel in my 30 years of driving and have no intention of ever doing one. I want all the boot space I can get.

That's OK until the RAC tell you they will be with you in 3 hours and the recommendation is to not sit in a striken car on the hard shoulder no matter what the weather.

I can change a wheel at the roadside in half an hour tops and that includes emptying the boot and repacking after. Carry waterproof and hi vis vest for just such an occasion.

Paul.

[Dippydog]

The can of gloop and compressor are ok to get you out of a fix if you got a small nail/screw hole type puncture but the tyre then needs replacement at the earliest opportunity[even if the puncture could have been repaired and the tyre saved]get a cut/slash in the tyre or shred it and you're on a hiding to nothing.On most cars the bodywork pressing is still there to accept a spare wheel it was deleted to save money and to lighten the car so the manufacturer makes more profit while being able to claim an improvement in mpg figures.I'm not a fan of space savers but I'd have one over the gloop/compressor idea any day of the week.I've not paid that much attention to it but I've got the idea my V70 has a space saver,my Omega-on 17"s as standard has a 16" spare wheel as fitted to earlier Omegas and it is in this instance classed as a space saver.

[Harvey1512]

Originally Posted by green van man

That's OK until the RAC tell you they will be with you in 3 hours and the recommendation is to not sit in a striken car on the hard shoulder no matter what the weather.

I can change a wheel at the roadside in half an hour tops and that includes emptying the boot and repacking after. Carry waterproof and hi vis vest for just such an occasion.

Paul.

I accept the risk but so far any puncture has been a slow and I have always been able to get where I want and sort it then. 30 years without changing a wheel means I am well in credit and the risk, limited in my view, has been well worthwhile. Maybe your worst case scenario will occur one day and I will change my mind. Until then I'll enjoy the extra boot space.

Incidentally, if I do get caught out you will have to get in the queue for smugness with other spare wheel people who are equally horrified of my dismissive attitude to being able, or not, to change a wheel 😁

[PhilJ82]

Having been stranded last night after acquiring a horseshoe nail through my tyre, I’m now looking for a spare wheel for my V50. No way would a can of gunk fixed that hole!