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I was out hill walking last week and met a couple in the car park who has absolutely mashed their car tyre, no idea what they had hit but it had several large holes in it. No spare or space saver, only gunk and pump. They were intending to drive on their flat for about 30miles to the nearest garage! I convinced them to use their recovery (which they pay for every month!) rather than drive.
It got me thinking though. After a hire care nightmare in rural Italy, I only ever buy cars now with a space saver or proper spare wheel. Clearly the sealant wasn't going to work on the tyre last week tyre, but has anyone ever actually sorted a car tyre puncture using sealant or is it just a complete waste of time?
I am with you - always have a full sized spare. Then you can swap and go about your business.
I got a neighbours horsebox mobile using stans and and a track pump. Mobile enough to get the horse and box ~3km (at about 30kph) from one stable to another. New tyres that afternoon.
We wrecked a tyre when we got pushed off the road in Scotland by a motorhome driver
We had no spare but luckily were near a village so had a phone signal.
The local garage were called by the breakdown service and a new tyre fitted.
The guy from the garage said they did 8 tyre call outs a day.
Says something about the state of uk roads and single track road driver behaviour.
When I got home I bought a spacesaver kit.
Yes,
just the other day.
whacking great screw in the front tyre. Pumped gunk in, and it held for a couple of days until i got to the tyre place.
The sealent is good for about 60-70 miles, its a get you safe rather than a permanent fix
should also be remembered that tyre shops might not repair tyres that have had sealant in (well the one i use won’t) i needed new fronts so wasn’t overly bothered, but it did work.
Latest car came with gunk only. I went out and bought a brand new rim for 50 quid and when I had new tyres fitted, the best of the old ones went on the rim. Mate had a spare jack.
I considered a spacessaver but full size made more sense
I got a space saver, jack, brace and repair kit after getting a flat - it took hours to sort despite being only a few miles from a garage. The nearest (only) recovery truck is at the other end of the island, 50 miles and 2 hours minimum.
Full size spare here - always have, always will. 10-15 mins fix and then get a new tyre sorted at your own leisure vs possibly a whole day lost. As others have said, if your spare tyre is over 10 years old then next time you get a tyre swap, get them to put the worst of the 4 on your spare. I'd rather have a worn down newish tyre than 10y old one. I know this is debated though!
I also have a Halfords cheap ish breaker bar (and a bunch of different sized nuts in case I drive past someone stomping on the crap ones that come with the jack!)
Space savers are fine if space is a premium! but a very temporary fix
Might have been unlucky but I've had two punctures in my driving life (15 odd years now!).
All three of our cars don't have spares !
I considered a spacessaver but full size made more sense
So do you have a full wheel and tyre rattling around in the boot all the time? I need the space for things, not spares.
I've got an aftermarket spacesaver which feels like a reasonable compromise. But in truth, unless I was on a quiet residential road I'd still likely call the breakdown service.
I've got a full sized spare... the mechanism (basically a big threaded rod) is completely seized after 4 years of UK roads, so completely useless. Worth checking you can actually get to your spare if mounted externally, whilst I go off to order some PlusGas
I have revived a flat that a piece of angle iron put a split into. Good enough to get to a tyre place the next day and not be stuck at the roadside. Still have a recovery service though and would expect to need it most times I get a flat. I’ve had a slow leak for a long time on the Mazda and last week used one of those supermarket cans which seems to have sorted it after our local ATS failed twice.
My partners VW Polo has a full sized but different aspect ratio spare. The alloys are 16” the steel spare 15” but with the same rolling radius and speed/load rating. It has an “do not exceed 50mph” sticker on it. We have used it three times in the 10 years she has had the car. Mine has a skinny spacesaver. I would not be without a spare if I could avoid it so when she changes her car we will make sure it has one fitted.
I've got a full sized spare... the mechanism (basically a big threaded rod) is completely seized after 4 years of UK roads, so completely useless. Worth checking you can actually get to your spare if mounted externally, whilst I go off to order some PlusGas
Yep, definitely agree with this!
Our space saver is underneath the car. Undid the threaded cable thing and dropped it down. Look quite rusty, but got it attached. Then the valve snapped off as it had perished.
I ended up repairing the full size wheel with a tubeless repair kit and putting it back on.
I'm going to clean up the spacesaver and just use it for long trips or holidays (if i remember). Leaving it on the car externally doesn't seem like a good idea and not enough room in the boot. Also have a puncture repair kit and tyre gunk as they take up naff all room.
Can i just put a full size spare where the space saver was if it's on a threaded cable under the car?
So do you have a full wheel and tyre rattling around in the boot all the time? I need the space for things, not spares
Car has a space under the boot carpet for a wheel, like the old days. So it's secured in there. The gilet jaune and spare bulbs/tools are inside the spare. Why it has the space but comes with no spare is anyone's guess..
I wouldn't keep a permanent loose wheel in the car, in a crash it would turn into a baby elephant or something. I tend to have the back seat down a lot for work
My latest car came without a spare. Bought a space saver and jack from a breakers yard as there is space for all of those things under the boot floor. Used it twice within weeks of purchase so a worthwhile investment as far as I'm concerned.
Our space saver is underneath the car. Undid the threaded cable thing and dropped it down. Look quite rusty, but got it attached. Then the valve snapped off as it had perished.
Mines gets taken down , cleaned up copper slipped and the tire inspected every year when i service the car for exactly this reason.
once bitten twice shy.
I have a full size spare (smaller steel rim, bigger tyre than the alloys) and have needed to use it once. Does anyone ever check the tyre pressure of their spare?
To answer the question, yes sealant works, I've used Stan's on my tyre in the past and it held air indefinitely
Yeah I got one of mine up and running after hitting a pot hole, not sure how long it would have lasted as I went straight to the local tyre place and got it changed.
I have a space savers in our two 'long journey' cars but I also take a Landrover bottle jack (best thing Landrover ever 'made'), a Rema TipTop tubeless repair kit for cars and a footpump.
I did an emergency repair in southern France on our Volvo tyre and the repair stayed in/lasted the life of the tyre.
should also be remembered that tyre shops might not repair tyres that have had sealant in (well the one i use won’t) i needed new fronts so wasn’t overly bothered, but it did work.
As far as I know, and I was told repeatedly when I was doing vehicle logistics, once you put the gunk in the tyre is junk. The adhesive used with the repair kit cannot stick once the sealant has been used.
As far as I know, and I was told repeatedly when I was doing vehicle logistics, once you put the gunk in the tyre is junk. The adhesive used with the repair kit cannot stick once the sealant has been used.
Most tyre places will tell you the same.
If its waterbased and can be washed out ..... your grand,.... but you'll need to do it before you get to the garage (unless you have a tame fitter) most will take any sealant at all as an upsell quota reaching opportunity