Just seen the program ref. people moaning about not having a spare wheel on a new car. Surely when you order/ collect your new or used car you check to see what you have and ask if unsure how to use it? Some guy gets a flat, pulls over and sea he has a flat. He then looks in the boot and sees he has no spare, I'm thinking its a bit late by then!!! First week of having my used car the sealant kit was gone and and a matching alloy and tyre was put in its place. Are people really that solid they don't know what's in the boot?????

In answer to you final question... yes!

It seems like it, proven by Ann Robinson not realising that her new car that she's getting next month doesn't have a spare. On such a major purchase you would've though that she'd do some research.

It's the usual 'it's everyone elses fault, but mine'. People are willing to take the benefits of better fuel consumption and possibly a lower VED band, how many of them check their tyres for wear, damage and correct pressure?

Im suprised how long it took them to bring it up, its been an issue now for almost 10 years!

I'd rather a proper, full size spare rather than the crap in a can they give you.

@ the OP, Perhaps you should do a poll on here, see what a range of consumers would prefer?

Part of the deal when I swopped my Vrs for a Petrol version was that the spare wheel came with me

A 6" gash at 4 in the morning isn't going to seal with a tin of Gunk. ( that sounds rude )

It's ok, it's 1 minute past the watershed lol

But the point is… repair kits are 5hite… spare wheels are good.

A spare wheel should be standard kit, that's why people who don't go on internet car forums are surprised when they get a flat and find a can in the boot instead of a proper solution.

Ban the can!

Its been a no cost option on volvos for over 4 years now, my dad got a new V50 D5 in september 2008 and he had to say he wanted a spare else it wouldn't have come with one,

Apparently most of its down to health and safety and the claims society we now live in, your not going to hurt yourself pumping a tyre up with a can unlike changing a wheel,

Personally i would never want to run a car without a spare even if its a space saver

I agree of course, just find it hard to believe people are that stupid when spending that much cash not to check or ask someone in the know to help at least

A spare wheel should be standard kit, that's why people who don't go on internet car forums are surprised when they get a flat and find a can in the boot instead of a proper solution.

I don't have a spare.

I knew that when I bought the car.

Why should a spare be a standard fit?

I don't have a spare.

I knew that when I bought the car.

Why should a spare be a standard fit?

But You knew you didn't have a Spare, how many don't

Fine, but Jigger said they should be standard kit. Why?

I agree of course, just find it hard to believe people are that stupid when spending that much cash not to check or ask someone in the know to help at least

Some cars that came with them now no longer do. Even when orders were placed Skoda changed it on a build week leaving members to find out on delivery (search octavia and superb sections)

I don't think it's fair to blame the consumer

I don't have a spare.

Just been thinking, 4am, flat tyre, no spare, train to run, can't get there, RAC busy, Job covered,

Sorted

Just been thinking, 4am, flat tyre, no spare, train to run, can't get there, RAC busy, Job covered,

Sorted

But then again, someone who is not acquainted with using a spanner and jack (which MANY people are not - both ladies and gents), and/or doesn't wast to get their hands dirty and/or stand out in the pouring rain on the the hard should or the middle of a bleak moor or is physically incapable of changing a wheel. Even at 4 am with a train to catch these people wouldn't have the where with all to change a tyre even if the wanted to - so why make them buy and carry a spare. Call the RAC, job covered.

Call the RAC, job covered.

As pointed out by a representative of the RAC on the program, if the tyre is severely damaged, ie not able to be repaired with the gunk, they often have to recover the car and source a tyre - not easy at 4am. What would be easier, is if there were a spare in the boot.

you can change a wheel in 10 minutes, the Rac cant do it in that( an hour to arrive and then do it), hell I can change my bike inner tube in 5, did it in the rain last week and on my way. I even got a full sized spare as I did not want a smaller width wheel on never mind a can

People are wanting faster, Better economy cars - Less road tax...

I am not surprised dealers have got rid of the spare - Some of these weight the same as a 12 year old!

I am not saying I agree with the change as I think it is silly not to have a replacement however in order to cut these figures down that people buy cars on they need to do something.

Apparently most of its down to health and safety and the claims society we now live in, your not going to hurt yourself pumping a tyre up with a can unlike changing a wheel,

I don't think so, it's to reduce cost, emissions and weight in that order.

There is nothing wrong with having a spare wheel as a cost option. The choice is then with the buyer.

However it should be made clear at the point of purchase that if you want a spare wheel it'll cost you £75.

Buying a car is rarely a simple process so forgetting to think of asking the dealer if it comes with a spare is forgivable.

I don't have a spare.

I knew that when I bought the car.

Why should a spare be a standard fit?

Why shouldn't it?

If your tyre gets a 6" gash in it, in the middle of the night, on a country lane, with no mobile signal, with sleeping kids in the car, you could fit the spare and be on your way. With no spare and nothing but a useless can of gunk, you're stranded.

What would you do in that situation? And before you say it's an unlikely scenario, touch wood and cross your fingers.

Fine, but Jigger said they should be standard kit. Why?

Because it's dangerous to cause an obstruction on the highway and you have a duty to try and get it out of the way on traffic.

If that means you have a spare tyre, that you can fit and therefore drive the car out of the way, then that's a good thing.

If the AA turn up to do it they still need a spare. Even if it's just a thin or collapsible spare wheel and tyre that gets you to a tyre place over the next day or so.

Bearing in mind the conditions of our roads, I'm surprised you don't need two spares these days.

As for making the spare a cost option, why not make it standard and offer a £50 discount if you tick the option not to have it.

I'm not sure that it makes that big a difference to the fuel figures when it's a tiny thing.

TBH, I believe that the law should make it a case of have a real spare, or have tyres that can do 50 miles with no air in them (run flats).

Edited 18 October, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

I've just found the watchdog report.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74/features/spare-tyre The video is small, but I'm sure you can expand it.

Even if I've only had one small puncture in 6 years, I'd still want a spare wheel in my car.

My car didn't come with a spare wheel when new, it didn't even come with the option as there isn't a spare wheel well. Make perfect sense,, Let's build a 7seat people carrier for families to use then not provide a spare wheel.

I personally don't care if a car is supplied new with a spare wheel or not, what I object to is when the manufacturer doesn't provide a spare wheel well to supply your own , even if ours came with a spacesaver I would want to replace it with a proper spare as tow a caravan and wouldn't like to tow on a space saver.

I did research all of this when buying the car but came to the conclusion that it was the correct car for our needs and I could work around the spare wheel.

As said earlier, generally people who don't have an interest in their car and only use it to get from A-B wont notice there isn't a spare and probably think they don't need one as they might not of had a puncture to realise the benefits of one