Aged Spares, Options?

[wings&wheels]

What are folks doing with older cars that use compact or collapsible spare tires? Replacing them? mobility kits? checking pressures and just motoring on?

Checking tire pressures got me thinking. Several of the fun fleet have compact or collapsible spares that are now 25+ years old. On those with full size spares, they get new tires but the cost and availability of older compact or collapsible spares is problematic. Now sitting tucked away in a trunk, or frunk is probably a pretty easy life for a spare, but 25 years is a long time. I am considering storing the spares and getting OEM quality mobility kits instead.

 

[Rand]

mobility kits make more sense with TPMS.. without, your tire will probably be ruined before you notice low air.
or if its a sudden deflation, "fix a flat" isnt fixing that.

 

[wings&wheels]

mobility kits make more sense with TPMS.. without, your tire will probably be ruined before you notice low air.
or if its a sudden deflation, "fix a flat" isnt fixing that.

Good point as there are certainly situations where the tire is structurally damaged. My thinking is for the vast majority of instances where its a slow leak or puncture that flattens a tire during dinner or similar which is all I've had since ages ago. Beyond that the Hagerty tow card and cellphone get used.

It's really just an odds game....

 

[3GTL300k]

I had to use my 19 year old donut a few months ago. AAA came and aired up the tired and it lasted the 30 miles drive home and two 10 miles drives to Discount Tire (they didn't have the tire in stock so I had to return the next day).

I have debated just buying a replacement spare for this car and another old car i have. DT quoted like $130 for it when I checked before (I forgot if that included mounting the new spare onto the rim). I decided to just risk driving with the old one and it worked out this time but I wonder if my luck will run out next time, or on the other car that has a 20 year old spare.

If I go on a longer road trip, maybe I should just buy the new spare. Then again, a lot of newer cars don't even have any type of spare and would need a tow so I could just accept that as my option if my spare won't hold air. (Of course there's a risk the spare blows out when I'm driving with it).

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Get a full-size wheel and either a cheap tire from Walmart or something.

If you can't do that, then just use slime

They also have OEM type sealer products like AirMan ResQ.

 

[researcher]

on mine and my friend's cars we've already replaced the spare tires with new ones. It's like that saying it won't rain if you bring an umbrella! So I played the odds having a new spare tire and not needing it, since the original was almost 20 years old!

 

[Speedbird001]

The biggest question I reckon is the level of risk you’re willing to take—your car or the Miss’s? If needed, could you hold yourself to lower speeds and minimum distances?

I don’t think I’ve ever replaced a mini spare, but about half of my vehicle miles have been on ones with a full-size tire that I was rotated in. To minimize risk I TRY to lower, inspect and clean up the spare about once a year. The steel gets a good coating of something anti-corrosive, the tire gets overinflated ~15% and the rubber gets hosed down with excessive amounts of Armor-All (In my mind that helps stave off dry rot and such). PS: all my cars have cheap mini inflators as when needed, spares have ALWAYS been low.

 

[edyvw]

Our Tiguan has original spare. But Tiguan rarely leaves town now. So, no big deal. Now, Tiguan is holding so good that we will just leave it for our 9yrs old to learn how to drive. At that point, yeah, new spare is in.
As for BMW and Sequoia. Sequoia has original spare under, and I just checked it. DOT is 2018, Michelin Defender LTX M/S 255/70 R18.
BMW did not come with spare bcs. it came with RFT. But I got an extra 17" wheel and have Sentry all season spare that I put in the trunk (205/50 R17) when I go to ski or track a car. Around the town; a mobility kit. But in Sequoia and BMW, absolutely 10yrs is limit!

 

[CharBaby]

I prefer to buy a full size tire just like what's on the vehicle including the wheel(as long as it fits in the spare tire wheel-well). And I prefer to do a 5 tire rotation including the extra tire. If I am on a road trip and get a flat tire, I just want to be able to put on a same size wheel/tire and carry on.

In the past, I've either had an actual full size wheel/tire for my spare tire, or extra sets of wheel/tire pkg for winter season, and then used the off-season wheel/tire as my spare and visa-versa.

HOWEVER, because IDK/undecided on how long I will keep vehicles anymore, I haven't decided to get an extra wheel/tire pkg for my current vehicle('23 VENZA). The OE tires(Dunlop SP40) are wearing quickly at 18K miles and when I do replace them, I am thinking about buying 5 new same tires and get a wheel to match the SUV.

If I could get an 18" steel wheel to save some money, I may just put on one of my better OE tires that I am changing from and use it. But I don't think that I can get an 18" steel wheel(even after market) for a Toyota.

 

[John105]

My 2006 purchased 2016, has the original full sized spare with aluminum rim and grease pencil markings from Japan. I leave it in the trunk, I don't feel there's any reason to do anything with it.

My 2007 came with no spare at all.

Our 2011, was the only vehicle in 27 years, that I've ever put the spare onto the vehicle. I was not familiar with the winch type that is pulled under the rear cargo (Buick Enclave)--the new car will also have that but technically full sized (I think it's a 265/70-17 vs. the 275/50-22 that's on the car). Because it literally took one month for Costco to get a replacement (discontinued), we drove on the donut for a month. For that reason I got factory OE rims and was gonna put used tires on them. I ended up getting 4 rims for $47 to $60, and 2 used tires about $90 ea. I never mounted them.

So that's my final answer....if you want a full sized spare, get a salvage original OE, and get a tire with maybe 1 to 2/32" wear, and mount it. It doesn't break the bank--no need to get all brand new for something that will likely never be used.

 

[97prizm]

I had to use my 19 year old donut a few months ago. AAA came and aired up the tired and it lasted the 30 miles drive home and two 10 miles drives to Discount Tire (they didn't have the tire in stock so I had to return the next day).

I have debated just buying a replacement spare for this car and another old car i have. DT quoted like $130 for it when I checked before (I forgot if that included mounting the new spare onto the rim). I decided to just risk driving with the old one and it worked out this time but I wonder if my luck will run out next time, or on the other car that has a 20 year old spare.

If I go on a longer road trip, maybe I should just buy the new spare. Then again, a lot of newer cars don't even have any type of spare and would need a tow so I could just accept that as my option if my spare won't hold air. (Of course there's a risk the spare blows out when I'm driving with it).

I tan over a bolt on my neon a few months back. I was able to limp into a grocery store park lot, and put the doughnut spare on. According to Discount Tire nobody makes a replacement spare tire which seems odd. I've only used it twice so far but it's 20-years-old so the age is concerning.

 

[wings&wheels]

Thank you for the responses. I should add that in a few of these a full size spare will not fit at all, or at least a full size I can use on all wheels. Given the usage, I am leaning to the mobility kits...

 

[shortyb]

I use the compact spares, but they come out of the trunk at least once a year and get a condition check along with a 303 wipe down. All have auxiliary hoses attached that allow me to check the pressure without taking them out of the trunk too, super convenient. Just added DIY mobility "kits" to all of my cars. Small Slime repair plug kits and a cordless inflator in a small, compact nylon bag that gets stowed in one of the rear map pockets so I can check the charge of the the inflator easily. Son knows how to make repairs, the wife has me to do the dirty work. Can't have her break a nail, life would be hell .

 

[CharBaby]

I too keep a tire plug kit in my trunk/hatch area below the floor along with some tools to help in aiding nail/screw removal. As well as some minor tools for that just in case need when on the road/hiwy such as an HF tire inflator, 4-Way lug nut wrench and even a cheap HF clicker Tq wrench to get the nuts back on just right. A few tie downs & bungee cords and emergency lights/flasher for the “who knows what”?

 

[zzyzzx]

I just make sure it has enough air in it and I don't worry about it. Front wheel drive and I can always only put in on the back. Spare was most likely made in 1998, like the rest of the car. Not worried.

 

[CharBaby]

I just make sure it has enough air in it and I don't worry about it. Front wheel drive and I can always only put in on the back. Spare was most likely made in 1998, like the rest of the car. Not worried.

That's one way to look at it. However, I like to take some nice weekend get-a-ways(4-6 hrs each way) and also like to drive from NY-FL or NY-AZ for those longer vacations. So I want to know that I can make my trip.

 

[ecotourist]

What happens to the compact spares on all the newer cars that are scrapped? They probably go into the metal crusher too.

I would have thought there would be a modest market for these newer compact spares (on rims even) to replace the timed out compact spares on 15 - 20 year old vehicles.

 

[burnbomber]

If the spare is well isolated from sunlight, I think it will last longer. I've never thought of replacing the spare. The donut tire and wheel in my Equinox is fully protected, covered under the hatchback floor. Only gets used when I rotate the tires, and once for a flat. Still looks new--clean without cracks. 15 years old now. I would prefer a full sized matching spare and do a 5 tire rotation, but they won't fit in the allotted space.

 

[tcp71]

Where would you even source a collapsible spare like this? New, I mean. Obviously old stock on ebay.

 

[JHZR2]

Two of my cars came with no spare.

Many of my cars have full size spares. I don’t keep them in rotation.

A spare doesn’t need to do 75mph. It needs to get you to safety. Round and holds air is sufficient. But be careful.

I wouldn’t be opposed to changing spare tires if it was convenient. Other than on collector cars where looking original can be more important.