From the AA terms and conditions:

d. Failure to carry a serviceable spare

Any additional charges resulting from Your failure to carry a legal and serviceable spare wheel or tyre, except where this is not provided as manufacturers’ standard equipment. The AA will endeavour to arrange on your behalf, but will not pay for, assistance from a third party;

From the AA terms and conditions:

d. Failure to carry a serviceable spare

Any additional charges resulting from Your failure to carry a legal and serviceable spare wheel or tyre, except where this is not provided as manufacturers’ standard equipment. The AA will endeavour to arrange on your behalf, but will not pay for, assistance from a third party;

thats really useful thanks! as mine didn't come with a spare as standard I could call them! I always thought I would be charged! lol.l...

FWIW...

From: me

Sent: 16 June 2010 11:10

To: AutoAid

Subject: Roadside Help Question

Hi there,

I’m looking into your Roadside Help policy and have a question which I hope you can answer for me.

I’ve read the Full policy document and point 7 under General Conditions says that a “roadworthy spare tyre must be carried with your vehicle at all timesâ€.

As my car is dual fuel and hence has no spare tyre I would like to know if that precludes me from help should I have a major tyre incident (blowout or similar). I have tyre weld and a compressor to deal with smaller problems and wouldn’t usually be requesting assistance.

I also notice that a lot of modern cars are supplied without a spare wheel, is this an area which is going to be reviewed as more and more cars do not have a spare?

Thanks

________________________________________

Dear Mr

Thank you for your recent e-mail enquiry.

Although the AutoAid breakdown policy states you have to have a legal spare tyre we are aware that some cars do not have this and have some type of tyre inflation kit instead, in the event of your vehicle having a puncture we would recovery you and your vehicle to the nearest tyre centre for you to get a replacement tyre.

We hope this clarifies matters.

Yours sincerely,

AutoAid Administration Department.

So not all doom and gloom, worst case you are forced to buy a tyre (brand/model) you dont necessarily want, best case - they take you somewhere close/warm/safe and you sort it out in your own time.

MPM

FWIW...

So not all doom and gloom, worst case you are forced to buy a tyre (brand/model) you dont necessarily want, best case - they take you somewhere close/warm/safe and you sort it out in your own time.

MPM

All fine and dandy if you can find a tyre shop open 24hrs. a day. The AA won't pay for your tyre to be repaired. You may have to buy a new rim if damaged as well. Theoriginal punctured tyre won't be repaired by a tyre shop if you have used a tyre weld inflator. It can get expensive just for a puncture and result in much anguish if it happens at night, hours wasted, and the family trying to lynch you all because you didn't have a proper sprare wheel.

Keep the Spare Briskodians.

.

All fine and dandy if you can find a tyre shop open 24hrs. a day. The AA won't pay for your tyre to be repaired. You may have to buy a new rim if damaged as well. Theoriginal punctured tyre won't be repaired by a tyre shop if you have used a tyre weld inflator. It can get expensive just for a puncture and result in much anguish if it happens at night, hours wasted, and the family trying to lynch you all because you didn't have a proper sprare wheel.

Keep the Spare Briskodians.

.

Heartily concur with Soot1e . Try getting any support on a bank holiday !

FWIW...

So not all doom and gloom, worst case you are forced to buy a tyre (brand/model) you dont necessarily want

I went to the tyre centre nearest to where I had the blowout, and they didn't have a tyre of ANY brand/model to suit my Scout.

So pleased I had the spare.

Definitely not. My previous car only had a can of tyre sealant in the boot - I was lucky that in four years of ownership I didn't even have one puncture (it did play on my mind - doubly so in that tyres were difficult to get for it in the first place! I've heard some places are willing to clean the sealant out but that they'll charge you extra for it - most places would be much happier selling you a new tyre, for obvious reasons!).

I find it reassuring to have a spare in the boot - particulary on long journeys and / or in remote locations and / or when garages are going to be closed.

Edited 16 June, 201015 yr by Wee Bri

Speaking to a couple of people in the forces police and fireservice, they both have said with the modern tyre blow outs dont really happen only really down to operator error, ie not getting slow punctures sorted. As my tyres seem to be magnets for nails im keeping my spare, last week 2 of the ****s in one tyre!

Speaking to a couple of people in the forces police and fireservice, they both have said with the modern tyre blow outs dont really happen only really down to operator error

They obviously do not drive on Birmingham's pot-holed roads!

Speaking to a couple of people in the forces police and fireservice, they both have said with the modern tyre blow outs dont really happen only really down to operator error, ie not getting slow punctures sorted. As my tyres seem to be magnets for nails im keeping my spare, last week 2 of the ****s in one tyre!

Probably not as bad over there but our roads are so narrow you constantly have to get onto footpaths to pass other vehicles and you can't always slow down enough to do it gently so it's easy to rip a hole in the tyre. It's also easy to sideswipe the kerb while driving only an inch or two from it.

Having said that, the only blowout I've had in recent years was over in the UK when I clipped the kerb of a traffic island, on the way to take people to the airport. We would have been in dead trouble without a spare.

My wife also had one recently when she hit a concrete block that fell off a lorry in front of her. Again it would have been a pain to wait for recovery.