Would it be a bad idea to not run a spare wheel? What's people opinions

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Not worth the hassle if you were to wreck a tyre just to save 20kg. IMO.

Better take the weights off and save 25kg.

I do that then carry 2 spares when going on a trip because they are directional tyre on the car.

its a cracking idea to not run with a spare........

 

 

 

 

Until you are at the side of the road with a flat tyre.  Used mine last year when i had a blow out and to be honest its a god send, especially if you do lots of european long distance drives like i do.  

Five options... 

first option, Full sized spare. Upside, fits, matches so no need to worry about keeping it on too long. Downside, weight and bulk.

 

Second option, skinny spare. Upside, less weight, less bulk. Downside, only suitable for shortish distances and moderate speeds.

 

Third option, standard fluid sealant or different type puncture repair system, plus pump. Upside less weight, less bulk. Fairly easy to use and pump always comes in handy anyway.

 

Downside, most are temporary, (I use those rubbery worms with insert tool, as do many so called puncture repair specialists who charge you to mend the puncture). The fluid in particular, is fairly limited to the size of hole it can repair and can only be used one, quite pricey to repair.

 

Forth, pre-puncture repair sealant/gloop.Upside, easy to use PRIOR to any puncture so the tyre won't go down. re-seals if re-punctured. Downside, you may not know if you actually have a puncture so may drive for excessive time on dodgy tyre. Tyres may go out of balance. Its usually recommended not to use them on both front and back tyres, although many who use it do and are happy to do so. Some tyre repair shops recon you can't properly repair a puncture after using it as it prevents the new patch from taking hold. (If they say that, they are lying and not worth using as they will cut corners in repairing tyres or try selling you a new tyre). It is true though, that they HATE having to thoroughly clean the repair area and the gloopy mess!

 

Fith, Do nothing. Upside, no extra weight at all, (Wheel, pump, sealant). No possible wheel imbalance, extra boot space for beer and gummy bears. Downside, ****... I've got a flat tyre in the arse-end of nowhere. My breakdown cover has just expired, my phone has gone flat/lost reception and its now getting dark. Do I sit in the car waiting for another rmotorist, then sheepishly ask for help or do I leave the car and walk, possibly for miles in the wrong direction, away from the small cottage just out of sight, with the nice elderly couple who would have let me use their phone, have a hot meal and a shower and a cocoa whilst I wait 4 hours for someone to pick me up and I'll still have to come back tomorrow with a spare wheel. Or do I try to drive very slowly to the next garage, five miles away, which won't be open till morning, wreaking the wheel and tyre, sleep in the car until it opens, get them to order said wheel and sting me for a large sum and a half day wait, for a slightly mis-matched wheel fitted with a cheap unbranded tyre that I now can't refuse as I ned to get home. I'll replace it in a few weeks at the main dealer!

 

As mentioned, I use the third option, with the worms, insert tool and a pump. I do this as my car came with the pump and sealant, which I used once, it was not very good and is quite pricey to replace. I have in previous cars, used gloop and it is useful to a point but can sometimes leak again. When it does, it self seals but I always keep checking tyres for more, possibly bigger, dangerous punctures and do regular tyre pressure checks. I moved on to the worms as many repairers use them anyway, so why pay/wait? Its in the boot. If you use this method, spend the extra few quid and get a quality insert tool, not the cheap inferior one that will almost certainly snap off in the tyre. You'll end up buying the sturdier, industrial one afterwards anyway. Make sure you always have the worms too as running out of them is like using the spare and forgetting to fix the puncture before you get another flat tyre!

 

It is then wise to get the worm fix repaired at a convenient time although many punctures are sealed very well and if the tyre is getting worn, why waste money repairing a tyre you will only replace in a few months anyway?

 

I will most likely be corrected on my mis-use and the danger of these worms by someone who Knows better but hey! Thats opinion and opinions are like bottoms... Every arsehole has one!

 

The rest of my post, hopefully, will be taken with a little humour. 

Two of the last 3 punctures I've had have been bursts after hitting kerbs. Good job I had spares both times. The other time I tried a sealant on a normal puncture but it didn't work so I had to change the wheel anyway. Then I had to buy a new tyre because the puncture couldn't be repaired. So I advise a spare wheel every time (or run flat tyres)

Keep the spare !  I was about to remove it too, but luckly didn't because i cut my tire 250 km from home in another country. Boy was i glad to have full size spare.