Spare wheel necessary?

[johnsco]

Unhappily I have had 4 punctures in our 2 cars in 3 years ... All due to the so-called development that is going on all round us .
"CONSIDERATE CONSTRUCTORS" says the big sign at their entrance.
"MY *RSE" - say I.
I did prevail upon them to pay for the damage.
They didn't argue.
The evidence was there in my tyres ... Roofing nails.
It covered the cost but not the ball-ache.

Thanks heavens for spare wheels - However pitiful they are.

 

[Red C220]

I've lost 4 tyres in the last 8 months to pot holes. Generally holes full of water on a wet day so you have no chance of seeing it.

In all four cases it destroyed the tyre but I was close enough to limp home, take the wheel off and get it dealt with.

In all 4 cases I was in country lanes where it would have been seriously unsafe to pull over and try to repair/change.

I've just ordered another can of goo for the FF.

 

[AnnasMerc83]

Hmm…. Looks like I opened a can of worms here!!

I was thinking to rid myself of the extra weight, as my older merc struggles a bit with a boot full on a long journey and I was thinking what with the aa it’s just a matter of waiting for the recovery bloke.

Maybe I need to rethink!

 

[AnnasMerc83]

P.S. regarding no spare in modern cars. As a 30yo woman, I don’t know anyone of my peers who Could change a tyre!

 

[BTB 500]

Plus, not much space in the SL boot for a spare wheel either.

My R129 SL has a spare in the boot, but it doesn't need to fit a folding hardtop in there as well

In the last 5 years I've had to use both the spare on our Vito:



and also the space saver on our previous S203.



Unfortunately the S205 doesn't have any kind of spare, or the space to carry one (other than lying in the boot or on the back seat, which isn't particularly practical). I would always carry a spare, given the choice - it's a lot more convenient than being recovered home on a low loader in the middle of the night.

 

[BTB 500]

Touchwood never had a blow out in 33 years of driving. TPMS does help me as far as slow punctures are concerned, so gives me enough time to fix.

Potholes are the main risk nowadays, IMHO. I hit a water-filled one in our S203 in 2018, ripping a hole in the tyre sidewall.

A pothole damaged both nearside tyres on our S205 last year but luckily those held air long enough to get home and then (after re-inflating) to get to a tyre centre.

 

[BTB 500]

P.S. regarding no spare in modern cars. As a 30yo woman, I don’t know anyone of my peers who Could change a tyre!

Assuming you have Mobilo / AA / RAC / etc. they will do it for you. Much quicker than taking you home on the back of a recovery truck if you don't have a spare.

 

[AnnasMerc83]

Assuming you have Mobilo / AA / RAC / etc. they will do it for you. Much quicker than taking you home on the back of a recovery truck if you don't have a spare.

Fair point, didn’t think of that.

Taking all comments in, why on Earth did the spare get the boot from modern cars then (excuse the pun!)?

 

[E55BOF]

1. Cheaper not to provide one.
2. Very slight reduction in weight, so very slight reduction in emissions.

 

[ALFAitalia]

P.S. regarding no spare in modern cars. As a 30yo woman, I don’t know anyone of my peers who Could change a tyre!

I taught my wife how to do it....it's not difficult....personally I think it should be part of the test. All very well telling someone to call the breakdown service but they could be hours. Do you really want to be on the side of a dark country lane alone for all that time as a lady?....probably not.

BOT.....I would feel uncomfortable driving a car without a spare....But I've not used one the probably 20 years except in cars where I did five wheel rotations. But not in anger as it were. I have however had punctures....But I always carry a digital pressure gauge, a small 12v compressor and a tubeless tyre repair kit....the permanent repair type with small pieces of coated rope and a needle hook. Used that two or three times in my own car and once on someone elses. Quick, easy and permanent.....don't even need to remove the wheel but I do if it's too wet or muddy to be working on the floor.

 

[AnnasMerc83]

I taught my wife how to do it....it's not difficult....personally I think it should be part of the test. All very well telling someone to call the breakdown service but they could be hours. Do you really want to be on the side of a dark country lane alone for all that time as a lady?....probably not.

BOT.....I would feel uncomfortable driving a car without a spare....But I've not used one the probably 20 years except in cars where I did five wheel rotations. But not in anger as it were. I have however had punctures....But I always carry a digital pressure gauge, a small 12v compressor and a tubeless tyre repair kit....the permanent repair type with small pieces of coated rope and a needle hook. Used that two or three times in my own car and once on someone elses. Quick, easy and permanent.....don't even need to remove the wheel but I do if it's too wet or muddy to be working on the floor.

I would agree with you that everyone should know.
I had to find an evening, basic car maintenance class to learn!

But I know for a fact that the majority of my friends, all genders, would have no idea where to even start.

 

[markjay]

Haven’t needed one for the last twenty years.
But it’s staying.

P.S. regarding no spare in modern cars. As a 30yo woman, I don’t know anyone of my peers who Could change a tyre!

The point is that if you do have a spare wheel, then the roadside assistance people (or just a Good Samaritan) can change it for you. If you don't have one, you're at the mercy of the roadside assistance people - if they can't affect a temporary repair to your tyre, then a new tyre will be neede, and they may not have in the van a tyre of the correct size, or perhaps your car's wheel is damaged, etc. In this case they'll probably call a tow truck to tow your car to the nearest garage - that's a minimum half day afair - IF it happens during working hours....

A spare wheel can be useful even if you are unable to change it yourself.

 

[BigJase88]

If you have ever had to use that tyre gunk then you will realise that a spare is a god send.

I hit a pothole and the gunk came out of the split in the sidewall faster than it went in.

If i had the choice i would chose the spare wheel everytime

I also dunted my Mercedes wheel however i managed to limp home as the tyre somehow miraculously survived.

 

[grober]

In your profile your car is described as a 1983 Mercedes 200. Best to keep it original and hang onto the spare wheel and tyre.
It's increasingly difficult to source replacement wheels and tires for that vintage of car now. For example they may have 13/14 inch wheels with 70 or greater aspect ratio tyres which no modern run-of-the-mill tyre shop/mobile recovery service will carry nowadays. And while you're at it check the manufacturing date of the tyres you have fitted as many older cars run tyres that are past their sell by date= five-year-old. check out the wheels and tyres you have on the car and post the details on here?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The problem with the "goo" is that when you go to the tyre shop, they will not clean it out so you need a new tyre

But after stressing a tyre like that why would anyone want to use that tyre again to support one corner of a two tonne car?

 

[SpikyMikey]

My R129 SL has a spare in the boot, but it doesn't need to fit a folding hardtop in there as well

In the last 5 years I've had to use both the spare on our Vito:

View attachment 137271

Hmm, can of goo and inflator not much help there then

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Hmm…. Looks like I opened a can of worms here!!

I was thinking to rid myself of the extra weight, as my older merc struggles a bit with a boot full on a long journey and I was thinking what with the aa it’s just a matter of waiting for the recovery bloke.

Maybe I need to rethink!

For your car, keep the spare wheel. But, how often have you had a flat this last decade, and how often are you far from the Rescue services?

We've had one flat in 20 years / 250k miles.

 

[markjay]

...A pothole damaged both nearside tyres on our S205 last year but luckily those held air long enough to get home and then (after re-inflating) to get to a tyre centre.

Which is why I carry a tyre inflator in all my cars (and regardless of whether there's a spare wheel or not) - in many cases a punctured tyre can be reinflated and the car be be driven at least until you reach a more convenient spot, or even all the way back home or to the garage.

 

[markjay]

As for those who say that never had a flat tyre... I hope they realise that it's like flipping a coin: on every new journey they have the same chance of driving over a nail like everyone else, regardless of their historical driving experiences thus far.

 

[BTB 500]

I taught my wife how to do it....it's not difficult....personally I think it should be part of the test. All very well telling someone to call the breakdown service but they could be hours. Do you really want to be on the side of a dark country lane alone for all that time as a lady?....probably not.

In some cases it's not recommended to do it yourself by the side of the road e.g. close to fast moving traffic (motorway or dual carriageway). And on a smart motorway you need to call it in anyway as you can't get out of the refuge area without assistance. Someone with less weight / strength (of either gender) may also struggle to undo the wheel bolts themselves.