It's rubbish having to get your own spare wheel, in my opinion they should all be provided with them FOC at the point of sale.

 

Why should they give spare wheels away for free?

"Why should they give spare wheels away for free?"

 

Because a spare wheel should be an integral part of the car.  Many punctures can't be repaired with a can of gunk.

 

Also remember that until about 10 years ago all cars came with a full-size spare - free!.

"Why should they give spare wheels away for free?"

Because a spare wheel should be an integral part of the car. Many punctures can't be repaired with a can of gunk.

Also remember that until about 10 years ago all cars came with a full-size spare - free!.

You actually think they put the spare wheel in there for free? Don't you think it would be included in the price of the car?

Pricing the spare as an option is a trick to make the headline price slightly cheaper. Mleh. What does get my goat a bit is the spare option is just a space saver.

 

Andyvee, I read on the winter tyre thread that et51 is the offset for 225s, where did you get your info?

 

Matty70, yes I have considered winter tyres but I dont drive everyday, can often avoid driving in snow with no trouble. I'm considering it though.  Since you are in Germany .... british forces? Griffin?  I'm UK but have ordered with them this week, have they been good throughout for you?

 

I'm enjoying hunting out a used golf rim.... I've got a long wait for the car and a lot of excitement so a bit of car related internet research is feeding my need for car stuff!  Weird I know.

 

I'm only on a smart phone for a few days so not sure I trust my eBay searches, but didn't find any single wheels yet. Sure they will come up though.

Have messaged 3 or 4 vag specialist scrappers too.

When I was about to purchase a used 2012 MkII FL vRS there was no spare or jack just the foam.  I insisted that the dealer include a 'proper' spare wheel and jack so they swapped the foam to another car (not a vRS) and took that car's unused 6.5x16 steel spare with 205/55-16 tyre and jack kit.    Although this limits me to 50mph if I have to fit the spare at least I won't be stranded.  At some time I shall purchase a 7½x18 alloy and fit a 225/40 tyre so that the spare is the same as the fitted wheels and I will face no restriction if using the spare. 

Good god, having never been interested in after market wheels I'm only now learning how much detail there is to ensure the right size.

Does anybody know the centre bore / spigot size for the Vrs? 57.1mm perhaps?

It's looking likely that mk 6 golf stock 'detroit' rims will be correct (no surprise there). I'm get to check Audi a3 a4, seat exeo or Leon wheels.

Here is a good link for the info you need:

http://www.wheel-fitment.com/car/Skoda/Octavia%20(2013%20-%20)/

Regards

Edited 22 December, 201312 yr by Defenderben

When I was about to purchase a used 2012 MkII FL vRS there was no spare or jack just the foam.  I insisted that the dealer include a 'proper' spare wheel and jack so they swapped the foam to another car (not a vRS) and took that car's unused 6.5x16 steel spare with 205/55-16 tyre and jack kit.    Although this limits me to 50mph if I have to fit the spare at least I won't be stranded.  At some time I shall purchase a 7½x18 alloy and fit a 225/40 tyre so that the spare is the same as the fitted wheels and I will face no restriction if using the spare. 

will a full size alloy fit in the wheel well and is the wheel well deep enough to allow the boot floor to remain flat ??

Pricing the spare as an option is a trick to make the headline price slightly cheaper. Mleh. What does get my goat a bit is the spare option is just a space saver.

Andyvee, I read on the winter tyre thread that et51 is the offset for 225s, where did you get your info?

Matty70, yes I have considered winter tyres but I dont drive everyday, can often avoid driving in snow with no trouble. I'm considering it though. Since you are in Germany .... british forces? Griffin? I'm UK but have ordered with them this week, have they been good throughout for you?

I'm enjoying hunting out a used golf rim.... I've got a long wait for the car and a lot of excitement so a bit of car related internet research is feeding my need for car stuff! Weird I know.

I'm only on a smart phone for a few days so not sure I trust my eBay searches, but didn't find any single wheels yet. Sure they will come up though.

Have messaged 3 or 4 vag specialist scrappers too.

51 may well be the correct offset for 225s, depending on the rim width.

For a 6J rim you need ET48, and then fit 205 width tyres.

In my opinion, for winter tyres the idea is to go narrower than summer to provide increased traction on snow and ice, and also reduce aquaplaning. Plus, 225 width winter tyres are more expensive.

I managed to get a full set of 6Jx16 ET48 steel wheels with Conti TS850 205/55 tyres for a fair bit less than a good set of 225/40 18 tyres to go on the alloys would have cost. Plus, my alloys are in storage and not getting damaged by salt etc, and it takes half an hour to swap the wheels over.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

But you need 17s for the vRS, I tried to find some 17s to the correct spec and struggled, so went with 16s as they fit my Elegance.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

Philbee, exactly, that is why I'm seeking out a 7.5j x18" to fit a 225/40 onto.

 

Agree for winter treads I would go narrower, all round..... and yes if I had a set of winter wheels I'd carry one as my slave saver spare rather than invest in more wheels!

 

Thanks for the link defenderben

Ad Lab is selling his Geminis in the car parts for sale - if 4 of you club together you can have a full size alloy spare for £200 each, which is a bargain as a Conti tyre will cost you at least £120-130.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

Ad Lav damn phone spellchecker

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

Anthracite? Well if 3 others are interested I'd be.  Although Goodyear efficient grip are the same price and a better tyre so that is what I'd plan to put on when the contis wear out, but conti are ok

will a full size alloy fit in the wheel well and is the wheel well deep enough to allow the boot floor to remain flat ??

Spent a happy few minutes today taking one of my OE Gemini 18" alloy wheels with the usual 225/40 tyre and trying it in the vRS estate wheel well. The good news, as posted before, is that it fits fine and boot floor flap closes, though the flap does rest directly on the tyre sidewall with no margin. The slightly bad news is that the jack kit in its hard foam packaging won't drop down into the well of this wheel but sits on top of the rim (just as it does on the space saver). So if the well contained a full sized wheel I would have to put the jack kit into the boot . For anyone contemplating a permanent full size spare, it should be possible to trim down the foam and make it fit inside the wheel rather than sit on the rim. Pics show the Gemini in place, the boot floor then fully closed, and the way the jack kit sits on top of the wheel rim.

Very interesting indeed

Is that the jack kit from the space saver?

It looks different to mine that fits inside the the 16" wheel.

It is indeed the jack kit from my space saver. I too thought the layout was different from a previous post here or on another thread, but I fancy the contents are same or similar. Perhaps there is a different style of foam packaging for the 16" wheel.

Contents the same.

Foam different

I can confirm this, my Elegance with 18s has a 6.5Jx16 steel spare with 205/55R16 tyre. As it is a different size it is classed as a temporary spare wheel. AFAIK VAG don't do a suitable 17 or 18" steel wheel, so if you want full size you need to buy another alloy.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

What? I admittedly never checked the size of the spare. Just saw it was full size so assumed it was same size. Will have to check.

Ive got conventional 17" wheels. If it is a 16" spare, i will be checking carefully what is advertised, and what my paperwork says. If it doesnt say 16" spare, or spacesaver (same restrictions as mentioned), I will be kicking up a stink.

Will a 17" spare fit in the well? I'll be wanting one on the dealer. VAG or not VAG wheel.

What? I admittedly never checked the size of the spare. Just saw it was full size so assumed it was same size. Will have to check.

Ive got conventional 17" wheels. If it is a 16" spare, i will be checking carefully what is advertised, and what my paperwork says. If it doesnt say 16" spare, or spacesaver (same restrictions as mentioned), I will be kicking up a stink.

Will a 17" spare fit in the well? I'll be wanting one on the dealer. VAG or not VAG wheel.

16" spare is as advertised on the S, SE and Eleg specs, it is technically a full size wheel, but if you have 17" or 18" alloys it has to be classed as a space saver. However, as the overall physical diameter is the same, just a bit more rubber, I would personally not have any issues exceeding 50 mph using one of these, had exactly the same scenario with my old Superb II and had no problem running around on the 16" spare for a couple of weeks while I was refurbing one of the alloys.

Need to watch if the tyre is directional.

My fabia vrs had 16" alloys and a 16" steel spare. The spare was marked as a temp despite all having 205/45/r16 tyres.

Not sure if it was because of alloy versus steel or if it was because the tyres were directional.

My understanding is If you have a directional tyre on a spare and it goes on the wrong side (so it's rotating the wrong way) the tread will actually force water under the tyres massively increasing the risk of aqua planing.

Edited 31 December, 201312 yr by gullyg

Need to watch if the tyre is directional.

My fabia vrs had 16" alloys and a 16" steel spare. The spare was marked as a temp despite all having 205/45/r16 tyres.

Not sure if it was because of alloy versus steel or if it was because the tyres were directional.

My understanding is If you have a directional tyre on a spare and it goes on the wrong side (so it's rotating the wrong way) the tread will actually force water under the tyres massively increasing the risk of aqua planing.

According to the AA website, if a directional tyre is fitted the wrong way round, the tyre won't be dangerous, but you won't gain any of the benefits of it's design.

spare is 205 55 R16

main wheels are 225 45 R17

 

Now i have to check what that all means. ive checked before, but i keep forgetting

 

Edit- The extra rubber on the 16s should just about cover the 1" smaller wheel. 2.3cm- Yep, should be ok.

Edited 31 December, 201312 yr by JungleJames

16" spare is as advertised on the S, SE and Eleg specs, it is technically a full size wheel, but if you have 17" or 18" alloys it has to be classed as a space saver. However, as the overall physical diameter is the same, just a bit more rubber, I would personally not have any issues exceeding 50 mph using one of these, had exactly the same scenario with my old Superb II and had no problem running around on the 16" spare for a couple of weeks while I was refurbing one of the alloys.

Cant find anything advertised on the Skoda UK website. But if i go to 'spec' a car, it offers Space saver spare as an option. So cant really grumble as they would have the same, if not worse, conditions.

Will just check my papaerwork now.

I've been hunting out a used 7.5j x 18 with 5 stud holes on 112 pcd and an et51 offset. Just missed out on one on EBay. Seems the going rate is £60 upwards depending on condition.

Seat Leon is the car to search on it seems, but watch out as mk 1 Leons had a 100 pcd

 

My guess is they designed the foam to sit on not in the space saver so that it supports the underside of the boot carpet.