Spacesaver or gunk & pump?

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Deadhead

Active Member
Joined
May 11, 2008
Messages
132
Location
Pézenas, France
Car
W205 C200 estate
Just bought a one-year old W205 C200 estate. It comes with a pump and a tube of gunk and Yokohamas of two different sizes. Last week while parking I hit a hidden curbstone which had been pushed a long way out of alignment by tree roots. Ripped a big hole in a front tyre. Gunk was going to be no use, obviously. So I had the car shipped off to my local friendly dealership and waited a couple of days for them to order and fit a, slightly but not ever so, over-priced replacement.
In this circumstance, if I had a spacesaver, or even better a full-size, spare I could have changed the wheel and been off to my local discount tyre emporium tout suite. Of course they’d still have had to order a tyre in - it being a Yokohama in 225/45 18. Would have saved me a day though and I could have used the vehicle, slowly, in the mean time.
Question is though, in case this happens again should I stump up for a new spare, jack and so on? And will it fit in my existing boot does anybody know?
 
Question is though, in case this happens again should I stump up for a new spare, jack and so on? And will it fit in my existing boot does anybody know?

Yes you should although good used items are available on the likes of EBay for not a lot.

No it won't so you would have to carry it in the boot like a piece of luggage but they aren't huge.
 
There was a thread on this recently. One potential problem is the securing of said space saver wheel+tyre to prevent it from flying around an estate interior in the event of a major collision. There are MB devices =a bag plus straps to prevent this available in some markets- or you could make one up yourself- however the prospect of heavy unsecured objects flying around the car doesn't seem to bother people who are happy to load up their car with heavy unyielding luggage or load items to the same extent ---so its a value judgement not an absolute requirement.
 
I would always go with the minimum of a space saver if I could securely fit it in the car (or under it depending on make). Newer adblue cars unfortunately have the boot space for the spare taken up by the tank, so they are limited. If I couldn't secure it away in the boot I would probably stick with goo and Mobilo whilst that was still in place, or some other recovery service later on. It certainly wouldn't compel me to spend double to cost of servicing through a main dealer when out of warranty just to keep Mobilo when you can get enough of a service through add ons to your car insurance or bank account.
 
I've always gone for the spacesaver option. Dont want to wait hours for the Mobilo to turn up. I just happen to have a spacesaver for a 205 in the for sale section now I've got a GLC
 
Well I hate not having a spare wheel/spacesaver,I bought the largest can of goop I could find,so if I need to use goop I am not using the one supplied with the car,I think it is just crazy that car makers have gone this route they must be able to design a boot area that can accept a spacesaver,like the op if I get a tyre ripped I will call the recovery service and let them take the car and me to get a new tyre.
 
Thanks for the replies. I imagine I was hoping that in some parts of the world the 2018 W205 was sold with a spare. And if that were the case I could replace the plastic bits that I’ve got under my boot floor with something that I could bolt a spare wheel to. If not I really don’t like the idea of having a luggage space that is already not that big further compromised by filling it with a loose wheel.
The dog probably wouldn’t be that keen either.
 
Are tyre repairers happy to repair a puncture in a tyre that has been filled with goo ?
They are never happy but it's perfectly possible, just takes that bit longer
 
[QUOTE="zipdip, post: 2795999, member: 107530" think it is just crazy that car makers have gone this route they must be able to design a boot area that can accept a spacesaver,.[/QUOTE]

It has nothing to do with manufacturers not being able to design a boot area to take a spare wheel as clearly they have done so for decades.

It is partly a consequence of EU emissions regulations and the attempts to reduce overall mass wherever possible hence some MB C Class cars and other brands being fitted with 40 litre fuel tanks as this reduces the mass of the cars for testing and gives them an advantage on the emissions measurements. It also, helpfully, lets the manufacturers save a few £ on production costs and lets them sell you a spare that previously was included.
 
Thanks for the replies. I imagine I was hoping that in some parts of the world the 2018 W205 was sold with a spare. And if that were the case I could replace the plastic bits that I’ve got under my boot floor with something that I could bolt a spare wheel to. If not I really don’t like the idea of having a luggage space that is already not that big further compromised by filling it with a loose wheel.
The dog probably wouldn’t be that keen either.

Not sure a spare fits under there. Didn’t look like that with mine. Think you have been unlucky. Had mine for nearly 3yrs and 60k miles and didn’t need the pump/gunk once. As others said you’ll find they made changes to get the CO2 down hence the lack of spare wheel and the fuel tank being smaller in later models. Not due to EU regs, easy to blame the EU and far more to do with countries where MB sell, including the UK, taxing cars based on CO2. Lower CO2 means less tax both VED and company car tax
 
Not sure a spare fits under there. Didn’t look like that with mine. Think you have been unlucky. Had mine for nearly 3yrs and 60k miles and didn’t need the pump/gunk once. As others said you’ll find they made changes to get the CO2 down hence the lack of spare wheel and the fuel tank being smaller in later models. Not due to EU regs, easy to blame the EU and far more to do with countries where MB sell, including the UK, taxing cars based on CO2. Lower CO2 means less tax both VED and company car tax
The lower CO2 values etc are derived from EU directives.....................

Reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars - Climate Action - European Commission
 
The lower CO2 values etc are derived from EU directives.....................

Reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars - Climate Action - European Commission

I don’t want this to go off topic but EU directives have no meaning. The uk and other states choose to adopt them. Otherwise why are there different motoring requirements in different member states e.g. hivis and breath test kits in France. The uk tax vehicles on CO2 as part of our own commitment to reduce carbon. Company car drivers have been rewarded for using lower CO2 vehicles as have private motorists through VED. These are uk requirements are the not.
 
I carry a full-size spare in the W204, and a space saver in Mrs MJ's car, in either case the spare wheel was purchased separately after we bought the car.

But the point is that there's space in the boot... it's a though choice if the W205 does not have a dedicated space for a spare. Do you secure it in the boot? Personally I wouldn't want to drive any car without a spare... good luck.
 
I don’t want this to go off topic but EU directives have no meaning. The uk and other states choose to adopt them. Otherwise why are there different motoring requirements in different member states e.g. hivis and breath test kits in France. The uk tax vehicles on CO2 as part of our own commitment to reduce carbon. Company car drivers have been rewarded for using lower CO2 vehicles as have private motorists through VED. These are uk requirements are the not.

I did not suggest that the UK Government followed them but MB UK (and in Europe) and other manufacturers are clearly trying to meet or exceed these targets by means of mass reduction of production vehicles as well as other techniques..
 
I did not suggest that the UK Government followed them but MB UK (and in Europe) and other manufacturers are clearly trying to meet or exceed these targets by means of mass reduction of production vehicles as well as other techniques..

And you are correct, we've went from full sized alloy spare wheels, to spacesavers, to cans of gunk or runflats. At the same time we've seen suspension arms and bonnets, boot lids and door skins being made out of alumimium, the only reason is to save weight and meet ever restricting targets on emissions and mpg figures.
 
Runflats on ours. No room for a space-saver (larger fuel tank and Addblue tank options and Premium Plus amplifier take up the space) and nowhere to put the full-sized alloy I would have just taken off.
 
And you are correct, we've went from full sized alloy spare wheels, to spacesavers, to cans of gunk or runflats. At the same time we've seen suspension arms and bonnets, boot lids and door skins being made out of alumimium, the only reason is to save weight and meet ever restricting targets on emissions and mpg figures.

Think about it here. What are you saying? FTSE100 companies generally have a target for CO2 from their vehicles. We have 130g/km. Why? Because of an EU directive? Or because the UK government incentives low CO2 vehicles for fleet operators. Also is it because of a EU directive or because from a CSR perspective they want to show shareholders and stakeholders they are trying to minimise the impact of their fleet. There is a demand for lower CO2 vehicles from business and this is what drives Mercedes et al to produce lower CO2 vehicles. But hey blame the EU is easier. This is why we are in the mess we are in now. Business wants to reduce its impact on the environment as does government but hey you know better.
 
Have a 2019 GLCand bought a spacesaver which fits under boot floor.
 

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