Are newer cars today still equipped with donut spares or full spare tires?
Donuts and full spare tires
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As far as GM goes, if you're lucky there's a donut. They're on an "inflator/can o'sealer" kick lately where they charge you extra just to get the donut and jack assembly.
I don't normally pan GM, but this is one instance where I'll say "stupid decision, GM; very stupid decision."
I don't normally pan GM, but this is one instance where I'll say "stupid decision, GM; very stupid decision."
Originally Posted By: opus1
As far as GM goes, if you're lucky there's a donut. They're on an "inflator/can o'sealer" kick lately where they charge you extra just to get the donut and jack assembly.
Doesn't that stuff foul up the TPMS sensors?
As far as GM goes, if you're lucky there's a donut. They're on an "inflator/can o'sealer" kick lately where they charge you extra just to get the donut and jack assembly.
Doesn't that stuff foul up the TPMS sensors?
Liquid tire seal also is not wonderful for good balance.
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
Doesn't that stuff foul up the TPMS sensors?
Sure does.
Ever tried pouring water onto a piece of electrial/electronic equipment?
That's exactly what you are doing when you use slime, Fix-A-Flat, or any other "tire inflator/sealer" - BUT, I could be wrong....last time I was at WM, I noticed the cans of Fix-a-Flat now state "Tire Sensor Safe" on them.....which kind of has me curious....but don't think I'd want to risk it I've heard those sensors are quite expensive...
But yea, gotta say that is a bad move on GM's part...
When blow outs happen, there's nothing left to "Fix"....so what do you do? Mail order a tire to the side of the road? Lol....quite expensive...
At least with a donut you can ride on it for at least a couple days (get the lugs torq'd properly with a torq wrench though....don't want them too tight, but not too loose either), granted you can't go over 50 mph, it's better than nothing!
I heard Corvette's are the same way, my father has had a couple during his lifetime and they always had expensive "run-flat" tires and/or "their brand" of fix-a-flat/sealant...
Doesn't that stuff foul up the TPMS sensors?
Sure does.
Ever tried pouring water onto a piece of electrial/electronic equipment?
That's exactly what you are doing when you use slime, Fix-A-Flat, or any other "tire inflator/sealer" - BUT, I could be wrong....last time I was at WM, I noticed the cans of Fix-a-Flat now state "Tire Sensor Safe" on them.....which kind of has me curious....but don't think I'd want to risk it
I've heard those sensors are quite expensive...But yea, gotta say that is a bad move on GM's part...
When blow outs happen, there's nothing left to "Fix"....so what do you do? Mail order a tire to the side of the road? Lol....quite expensive...
At least with a donut you can ride on it for at least a couple days (get the lugs torq'd properly with a torq wrench though....don't want them too tight, but not too loose either), granted you can't go over 50 mph, it's better than nothing!
I heard Corvette's are the same way, my father has had a couple during his lifetime and they always had expensive "run-flat" tires and/or "their brand" of fix-a-flat/sealant...
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Originally Posted By: ahoier
OilNerd said:
Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Are newer cars today still equipped with donut spares or full spare tires?
Depends on the car, but fewer and fewer have the option for a full-size spare these days. Whenever I travel long distances in the wife's PT, I have an extra wheel (cheap steelie) with a full-size spare that I put in the back in addition to the donut that is mounted under the car. I refuse to travel remote highways with nothing but a donut backing me up. Yeah, it costs me a little bit of luggage space, but not enough to worry about. I think the ASSumption is that no one changes their own tires when they have a flat anymore, and that's probably true enough in urban areas. But when I hit the highway, I do so SPECIFICALLY to put the [censored] we call "urban areas" as far in my rearview mirror as possible.
How often have I had a blowout? The answer is "never" and I've probably logged close to a million miles in my life. But my most recent FLAT (which was almost as destructive to the tire as a blowout) was just this past February, it was on a 1-year old tire, and it was on a road trip. Donut spares are next to useless if you have any kind of tire problem anywhere away from town, or at 2 AM Sunday morning.
Are newer cars today still equipped with donut spares or full spare tires?
Depends on the car, but fewer and fewer have the option for a full-size spare these days. Whenever I travel long distances in the wife's PT, I have an extra wheel (cheap steelie) with a full-size spare that I put in the back in addition to the donut that is mounted under the car. I refuse to travel remote highways with nothing but a donut backing me up. Yeah, it costs me a little bit of luggage space, but not enough to worry about. I think the ASSumption is that no one changes their own tires when they have a flat anymore, and that's probably true enough in urban areas. But when I hit the highway, I do so SPECIFICALLY to put the [censored] we call "urban areas" as far in my rearview mirror as possible.
How often have I had a blowout? The answer is "never" and I've probably logged close to a million miles in my life. But my most recent FLAT (which was almost as destructive to the tire as a blowout) was just this past February, it was on a 1-year old tire, and it was on a road trip. Donut spares are next to useless if you have any kind of tire problem anywhere away from town, or at 2 AM Sunday morning.
Mini-Cooper comes with a can of German Fix-a-Flat. Could not believe my eyes.
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
Originally Posted By: opus1
As far as GM goes, if you're lucky there's a donut. They're on an "inflator/can o'sealer" kick lately where they charge you extra just to get the donut and jack assembly.
Doesn't that stuff foul up the TPMS sensors?
Correct, which is the main reason I think this was a stupid move by GM.
The other being if you happen to shred the tire for some reason, what is the sealer going to stick to?
Originally Posted By: opus1
As far as GM goes, if you're lucky there's a donut. They're on an "inflator/can o'sealer" kick lately where they charge you extra just to get the donut and jack assembly.
Doesn't that stuff foul up the TPMS sensors?
Correct, which is the main reason I think this was a stupid move by GM.
The other being if you happen to shred the tire for some reason, what is the sealer going to stick to?
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Donut spares are next to useless if you have any kind of tire problem anywhere away from town, or at 2 AM Sunday morning.
I don't know what you mean by 'next to useless'; if it gets you home (and there isn't any reason it wouldn't) that seems pretty useful to me.
around here, I see people leave the donut on for weeks!
Donut spares are next to useless if you have any kind of tire problem anywhere away from town, or at 2 AM Sunday morning.
I don't know what you mean by 'next to useless'; if it gets you home (and there isn't any reason it wouldn't) that seems pretty useful to me.
around here, I see people leave the donut on for weeks!
The new '11 Mustangs with the Brembo brakes come with a kit similar to this...
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=38
....a mini-spare tire won't clear the Brembo front calipers.
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=38
....a mini-spare tire won't clear the Brembo front calipers.
I'd rather have a full sized spare, but I'd take a donut just the same. I've had several flats over the years, not including I've twice been a vehicle passenger that have had a tire blowout.
Sealant and inflators are not the answer. I'm amazed at the new car market and how the spare has been removed by the manufacturers. I was explained at one local GM dealership that "nobody changes their tires anymore." I laughed and he sincerely asked me why I was laughing. *sigh*
Sealant and inflators are not the answer. I'm amazed at the new car market and how the spare has been removed by the manufacturers. I was explained at one local GM dealership that "nobody changes their tires anymore." I laughed and he sincerely asked me why I was laughing. *sigh*
Originally Posted By: Drew2000
The new '11 Mustangs with the Brembo brakes come with a kit similar to this...
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=38
....a mini-spare tire won't clear the Brembo front calipers.
Same thing with my Cobalt. I have a donut, and the instructions in the owners manual state that if I get a flat in the front, I am to swap a rear tire to the front and then put the donut on the rear.
Still better than spray-goo though.
The new '11 Mustangs with the Brembo brakes come with a kit similar to this...
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=38
....a mini-spare tire won't clear the Brembo front calipers.
Same thing with my Cobalt. I have a donut, and the instructions in the owners manual state that if I get a flat in the front, I am to swap a rear tire to the front and then put the donut on the rear.
Still better than spray-goo though.
My car came with a pump and fix-a-flat. Due to the non-existent cell phone coverage outside of our towns here I've installed a space-saver which I purchased for $1. The only inconvenience is that it won't fit unless I remove the air, so the pump is still useful.
all my cars have a fullsize spare and the tools to change it. I can change a flat in less than 10 minutes. As for not having a blowout, since the advent of low profile tires I see lots of "alligators" that came from cars not trucks.
Alloy wheels, donut spare, and those goofy 'fit all' lug nuts seems to be the order of the day.
MFGs save a bundle by not giving you a alloy spare.
MFGs save a bundle by not giving you a alloy spare.
In the past eighteen months, we have had two blowouts on the '97 Accord, using a highly recomended Korean tire, used as OEM on some GM cars, that I will naturally never buy again for any price, and two "need spare tire now" episodes on the Aerostar.
In both cases with the Aero, the tires were reapairable, but then they are Michelins.
The donuts came in real handy.
I went more than ten years without changing a tire prior to that.
Even a donut is better than a can of sealant and a pump.
It would be really frustrating to be sitting by the side of the road with an empty can of sealant, an irrepairable tire, and no spare, not even a donut.
In both cases with the Aero, the tires were reapairable, but then they are Michelins.
The donuts came in real handy.
I went more than ten years without changing a tire prior to that.
Even a donut is better than a can of sealant and a pump.
It would be really frustrating to be sitting by the side of the road with an empty can of sealant, an irrepairable tire, and no spare, not even a donut.
From GM bulletin #09-03-10-013
Quote:
ONLY use the tire sealant included with GM Inflator Kits for temporary repair of tire air leaks. General Motors has tested this sealant and its compatibility with on-wheel mounted tire pressure monitor sensors.
Quote:
ONLY use the tire sealant included with GM Inflator Kits for temporary repair of tire air leaks. General Motors has tested this sealant and its compatibility with on-wheel mounted tire pressure monitor sensors.
Lots of other ways to disable a car. Dud battery. Blown belt/hose. Clogged fuel filter.
The fancy BMWs came with rather complete tool kits. One could pack a safari kit with spare parts etc and completely fill the trunk. Anyone with a late 70s mopar kept a spare ballast resistor hidden safely away. How many breakdowns are we going to plan for? My motorcycle had a toolkit for making common repairs and, obviously, no spare tire.
IMO (now I'm conscious of saying "IMO"
) the spare tire is vestigial from the days of gravel roads and tree rubber when people got flats every few months.
The fancy BMWs came with rather complete tool kits. One could pack a safari kit with spare parts etc and completely fill the trunk. Anyone with a late 70s mopar kept a spare ballast resistor hidden safely away. How many breakdowns are we going to plan for? My motorcycle had a toolkit for making common repairs and, obviously, no spare tire.
IMO (now I'm conscious of saying "IMO"
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