If you purchased a vehicle in the last several years, there’s a good chance your vehicle does not have a spare tire. In fact, grab your owner’s manual and look up spare tire. Or better yet, find the compartment in your vehicle to see if you have the typical spare tire.
Many new vehicle owners are surprised to find out that their vehicle did not come with a spare. Unfortunately, some of these drivers find out at the worst possible time – when they are sitting on the side of the road with a flat.
In this month’s blog, we examine the various options your vehicle may have for a spare, and how to prepare yourself for a possible flat by learning more about your spare tire option.
Spare or No Spare?
Auto manufacturers have been removing the spare tire for years now, mostly in the interest of saving money. They may not make that the first reason but without a spare tire, your vehicle is lighter, and they will claim the purpose is to provide you with better fuel economy.
There are various options for a spare tire – let’s examine different spare tire options:
- Full-Sized Tire Replacement: If you are a die-hard driver, and don’t want to be caught in a bad flat tire situation, the ideal option is to keep a full-sized, replacement that can be swapped out in the event of a flat. This is the most ideal scenario because it provides you with safety and security in the event of a flat. The downside is obviously the extra expense and finding the room to maintain a full-sized tire in your vehicle.
- The Donut: The next best option to a full-sized tire is the donut. Many vehicle owners are familiar with donut tires – they are smaller in size and designed to be a temporary tire that can help you get to your destination. Donuts are not meant to be a permanent replacement and they are not safe driving over 50 mph for any length of time. Donuts are lighter, and fit well into your vehicle, but need to be replaced as soon as the opportunity arises.
- Run Flat Tires: Many auto makers have moved to using run flat tires in their vehicles. For example, new BMWs use run flat tires in place of spares. So, what is a run flat tire? These are the tires on the vehicle, but they are designed to hold the vehicle weight, even in the event that your tire has had full air loss due to a puncture. These tires are designed with self-supporting structures with a reinforced sidewall to keep the tire intact until you can get it replaced. Drivers should never continue using a run flat tire after they have experienced a puncture. These tires are designed to be driven only about 50 miles with a speed of no more than 50 mph. Always replace this tire after a puncture!
- Tire Repair Kits: Some vehicle manufacturers have eliminated all spares and provide vehicle owners with tire repair kits, or sometimes called tire mobility kits. These kits include an air compressor, hose attachment, and a sealant. The premise of these kits is that you can temporarily inject the sealant into your tire to “patch” the puncture, then fill the tire with enough air to have it support your vehicle until you get to a location where you can replace the tire. The upside to the kit is that it does not require any type of jack or raising the vehicle to perform this function. The downside is that these kits can only really help in the event that the puncture is on the tire tread, and not the sidewall. In those situations, the kit will not be effective, and drivers should contact an automobile club or roadside assistance.
Stay Safe, Prepare
If you are not sure about what type of spare is in your vehicle, find out before you experience a problem. When you are better prepared, you can handle a bad situation more effectively that may occur on the road.
Here are a few tips to keep you safe:
- If you have a spare or a donut, learn how to change a tire before it happens. There are many safety considerations when using a jack and lifting your vehicle. Practice taking off the lug nuts, jacking up the vehicle, and putting on a new vehicle.
- If you have a tire repair kit, make sure you are familiar with its use.
- Always consider a good roadside assistance or automobile club membership, who can assist you in the event you are stranded because of a flat tire.
If you have concerns about your vehicle and spare tire options, give the service professionals at Shade Tree Garage a call. We will be happy to discuss what option is available to you and how we can help you gain peace of mind for this rare but unexpected situation.