Hi All,
Recently acquired a 57 plate VW Touran 1.9 TDI S. It's a good car and with 3 kids we need the 7 seat option.
Having had a number of cars (including several VAG ones) it's the first I've had that doesn't have a spare wheel, just a can or
foam and an air pump that runs off the cars 12V system. Even though I'm fairly practical myself the car is my wife's and I'm often not
in it. Having had punctures before the availability of a spare wheel is usually a quick and easy method of getting on the move again. I fear the foam
and pump approach (whilst weight saving) is not as good and may often simply not work.
I know other car manufacturers take the same approach and wonder what other people's practical experience of the system is?
Thanks,
Nick
Daughters Fiesta was the same, I bought here a spare wheel and jack kit.
1st MOT the tester said he would have had to fail it if it hadn't had the spare, as the gloop has an expiry date, which he said was a fail.
Plus, once you use the gloop in the tyre its scrap and needs replacing, no one will repair them even if it was repairable pre gloop.
My Mrs since got a new Impreza, again no spare, or wheel well, so she has a space saver now sat in the boot, mind you the dealer did give it us on
threat of pulling out of the purchase.
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
1st MOT the tester said he would have had to fail it if it hadn't had the spare, as the gloop has an expiry date, which he said was a fail.
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
Daughters Fiesta was the same, I bought here a spare wheel and jack kit.
1st MOT the tester said he would have had to fail it if it hadn't had the spare, as the gloop has an expiry date, which he said was a fail.
Plus, once you use the gloop in the tyre its scrap and needs replacing, no one will repair them even if it was repairable pre gloop.
My Mrs since got a new Impreza, again no spare, or wheel well, so she has a space saver now sat in the boot, mind you the dealer did give it us on threat of pulling out of the purchase.
Often a spare tyre is of no use- either the puncture happens in a place it would be dangerous to change (motorway) or the nuts have been done up by a
grease monkey with a rattle gun.... so realistically a reasonable proportion of the time a recovery service would be called out anyway....
My tintop car has the foam can and pump and although initially it bothered me it really doesn't now. One less tyre to get replaced every now and
again also!
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
1st MOT the tester said he would have had to fail it if it hadn't had the spare, as the gloop has an expiry date, which he said was a fail.
Sounds like the local village lost it's idiot and you found him in an MOT centre
The MOT manual doesn't mention anything about spare tyres or tyre sealant as neither are testable items.
Agreed - for me a spare wheel with tyre is a better (and safer) solution to get you moving again.
ETA...reading the AA website is states that a spare wheel/trye doesn't have to be legal if stowed, but must be legal if fitted.
How can you carry an illegal spare, which you may have to fit?
The AA website also highlights that many new cars don't have a spare wheel/tyre, just a foam/pump repair kit. It also highlights that many new
cars can have a spare wheel/tyre supplied as a cost option, but may not have a stowage location.
[Edited on 26/8/16 by
nick205]http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/legal-advice/tyres.html
[Edited on 26/8/16 by nick205]
quote:the mot says this about spare wheels/tyres, section 4.1
The MOT manual doesn't mention anything about spare tyres or tyre sealant as neither are testable items.
quote:
"This inspection applies to tyres fitted to the road wheels only. The vehicle presenter should be informed when it is noticed that there is a defective tyre on a spare wheel."
Breakdown card. As long as you have the manufacturers recommend puncture solution and it's servicable, then breakdown companies will attend.
However, if it's not servicable, they may charge you. So if you have a spare wheel, it has to be legal and suitable for the vehicle. Any goop
needs to be usable.
No need to mess, just AA.
...but if you want wifey to change wheel, then go round the bolts/nuts so they are torqued correctly not wound in by windy gun by tyre people so that
it needs 6ft scafolding pole to undo.
I've got a space saver in my Focus and still long for a full size spare (So that should you have to use it you can actually travel normally),
space savers are dangerous in the hands of the general public because too many people use them outside they're operating conditions and
that's not counting the people who get hit by other cars putting them on in dangerous places.
Other have said it before but I'll say it again, get breakdown cover and if you get a puncture make them recover the car.
We had a Touran, got a puncture on the way to the lakes, middle of nowhere, no phone signal and of course the foam can didn't work as the tire
had a rip in it. Had all the family in the car plus dog, it was going dark, not a good situation. I freewheeled the car down the hill very slowly and
luckily we found a pub about two miles down. I always carried a spare wheel in the boot after that, however annoying loosing the boot space was!
[Edited on 27/8/16 by adamswifty]
[Edited on 27/8/16 by adamswifty]
Have to admit to being rather upset about the lack of spare wheel - a shortfall in my view. Since there's no where to even store a spare wheel
in the car I've purchased breakdown cover for the wife and I. £25 for the year and covers us in other cars as well.
Unhappy, but I don't really see another option. An issue I will discuss with my local VAG dealer to highlight the annoyance.
Am I just lucky that I've had maybe two punctures in my life?
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Am I just lucky that I've had maybe two punctures in my life?
my c-max was built with a space saver (checked fords ETIS), I've got service records for checking it too, but when I got it all I could find was
a can of foam with the wrong adaptor/hose and a doggy aftermarket 12v pump 
sometime in the 2 years before I got it the spare had been nicked for another car (probably the same garage that removed the light bub from the boot
to stop it draining the battery when they leave it open all day every day)
unfortunately the full size wheels wouldn't fit under the floor 
luckily all these ford use the same one so I got a space saver with the jack etc from a mondeo for £25 (still can't figure out what bit I'm
missing to attach the jack too floor, but I've got the important bits at least)
as I did with the last car I've collected a set of 4 full size spare wheels which will have my all season/winter tyres on them, these will also
double as my spares so that the space saver is only for limping home.
quote:
Originally posted by Bluemoon
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Am I just lucky that I've had maybe two punctures in my life?
Yes or not driven for many years... Seem to get on just after packing car for holiday....
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
Plus, once you use the gloop in the tyre its scrap and needs replacing, no one will repair them even if it was repairable pre gloop.
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Am I just lucky that I've had maybe two punctures in my life?