The trend for no spare tyre
Having recently looked at the new Ssangyong Rexton as a replacement towcar, it does not have a spare tyre but instead one of those 'tyre mobility kit'...compressor and slime!
Does anybody have experience (unfortunately) of using these kits whilst towing?
And before someone says buy a spare wheel & tyre there is no room underneith because if the adblue tank.
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It's when you are in the middle of nowhere on a dark Sunday night of a bank holiday weekend that you wish you had a functioning spare wheel.
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have a full spare on my caravan on one of those cradles strapped underneath the van, only ever had to change the wheel once whilst parked in a lay-by, never again will call the man from the AA nightmare job, have full spare on Sorento outside car underneath the boot, never had a puncture, touch wood, but i did practice changing the wheel when i first bought the car, relatively pain free
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I understand the gloop kits work surprisingly well as long as it’s the right type of puncture. However, it’s temporary relying on a load of latex and fibres bonding together to plug a hole. Additional stress on the temporary repair e.g. towing obviously isn’t good, but it might get you out of trouble? Apparently many tyre fitters aren’t keen on fixing punctures on such tyres afterwards because of the mess created, so budget for a new tyre whatever.
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Kia seem to supply full spare tyres so maybe have a look at the Sorrento if extra weight and oomph needed but we manage quite well with a Sportage and feel a bit safer having a spare tyre in the boot..
If the one on the caravan goes then I'm getting my money's worth out of the Road Assistance Company.
Sorry I can't directly answer your question but I personally wouldn't feel comfortable having a "gloop" kit holding up the tyre.
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I understand the reason manufacturers don't supply spare wheel is that the weight saving lowers the emissions. I once had a blow out on a motorway, fortunately solo, in my Sorento. It was only when the breakdown guy appeared that I realise I only have skinny spare, which was fine, not so sure about towing. Even motorhomes come with a gloop kit these days forcing those of us who like a proper spare wheel to shell out even more money.
As far as the OP is concerned, if there is no provision to be able to store a spare wheel and tyre perhaps its not the car for you?
David
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I would not buy a car for towing which could not accommodate a full size spare wheel.
Our Tiguan came without one, but I had measured the wheel well and established that it was possible before purchasing the car.
If you need a spare tyre for a car/caravan while on holiday, then you need it.
The Rexton with the ad blue tank in the spare wheel well is obviously an interim design.
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I was in the same situation as the OP with our Touareg. There is room for a 'space-saver' spare wheel over the Adblue tank - but they're a waste of space. I was also concerned that on reading the small print in the Mayday recovery booklet it states that if you don't have a serviceable spare wheel, they will provide one at the customer's expense.
I was more concerned about Cy's point of where do you get a spare wheel and tyre for a fairly obscure vehicle such as a Treg on a Bank Holiday Sunday afternoon rather than simply being ripped off for the cost of a spare (which has happened to me before with a boat trailer) so I took a fairly expensive - and drastic - but foolproof solution.
I now have a roof rack on the car which carries a full size spare wheel.
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I don't why the spare has to be 'full sized' .... I've no idea how slim my spare is, but a full sized 265mm wide spare would take up a whole load of space in my spare wheel well. And as Deleted User User implies above, if your wheels/tyres are staggered ie different front & back, are you going to carry 2?
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I have not had a spare wheel on my motorhome for nearly 10 years and over 50K miles and I have not had a puncture but have had problems with slow leaking of valves. Not a cause for breakdown on the highway but I have had to call breakdown services to come and sort it out while on site and at home.
I accept the risks and because I cannot possibly change the wheel myself. (I have tried but it requires over 300 ft lbs of torque on the nuts) I accept I will have to call breakdown services. I do carry a spare tyre when going across the water but don't bother carrying it in this UK.
peedee
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My Mondeo has a skinny spare which I'm (almost) happy with for every day solo motoring and for towing in the UK. For overseas towing / touring I bought a second-hand wheel and tyre from our local vehicle dismantlers. The wheel rim is nigh on perfect and the tyre that they sold me complete with fitting and balancing is only very slightly worn. The whole lot cost me £35.00 !
The well in the boot isn't quite deep enough to accommodate the full sized 'spare' but by lifting the rigid matting in the boot by about 1" with strips of wood the wheel fits in fine.
When in France and because I don't fancy trying to extricate the spare on the 'wrong' side of the caravan I have at times put the caravan spare wheel in the well, (this doesn't need the floor lifting). The full size car spare travels in the boot. It's surprising how much 'stuff' will sit within the wheel and I've cut a piece of plywood to sit on top and form a shelf. Mondeo Estate boots are quite cavernous.
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Pleased I had a spare for the caravan when I got a puncture, even the can for the goo wouldn't have filled this. A biker pointed to the wheel as he overtook me on a country lane, as I pulled up smoke was coming from the tyre and this was the result
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That would need a lot of gloop, maybe some duct tape too?
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