New to this blog - first time Skoda owner. Got myself 64 plate Octavia estate Elegance 1.6 TDI. 

 

Like the car a lot but need advice please on what to do for a spare. Gunk must have been used already as only have little box to inflate but no gunk or valve remover. 

 

Would feel better with a spare in any case, and looks like these can be bought online for around £150ish, but question is

 

1. Will it fit nicely under the boot floor (either raised or lowered level)?

2. Will I need a new/different foam insert to house it?

3. If yes where the heck do I get that from?!

4. Is there a hole for screwing the spare in position?

5. Should I go space saver or full size? (Guess this might impact answer to question1!)

 

The car has 17” alloys on it, and a lot of the spares I see online say 16”. Sorry for being totally thick but I assume I need to find 17” spare??

 

Any advice greatly appreciated!! Thank you and hello!

 

ps I did search the blog and found a couple of previous entries on this topic but none that answered the specific questions above. 

Hi. Welcome to Skoda and to the forum.

 

Short answer is I don't know for certain. Mine came with a Spacesaver wheel as a specced option.

 

I'm sure the boot floor is prepped for either eventuality, whether it's gunge or spare, I seriously doubt you will get a full width spare under the boot floor...

 

Spacesavers can be purchased from eBay or similar, quite often at a decent saving, you would need to approach your Skoda dealer to obtain the correct foam insert, big plastic clamping screw, strap and tools although a quick skim round eBay might yield them too.

 

As for wheel diameter, that should really be viewed including the highish profile Spacesaver tyre as it's the overall diameter which is important, not that of just the wheel. 

Edited 13 January, 20188 yr by Mence

My car has a spare, a spacesaver and yes it will fit under the lower floor in the well ans you’d need a new foam insert with the jack and tools. I’d try and get one from eBay with everything you need

1 hour ago, Tonksy75 said:

New to this blog - first time Skoda owner. Got myself 64 plate Octavia estate Elegance 1.6 TDI. 

 

Like the car a lot but need advice please on what to do for a spare. Gunk must have been used already as only have little box to inflate but no gunk or valve remover. 

 

Would feel better with a spare in any case, and looks like these can be bought online for around £150ish, but question is

 

1. Will it fit nicely under the boot floor (either raised or lowered level)?

2. Will I need a new/different foam insert to house it?

3. If yes where the heck do I get that from?!

4. Is there a hole for screwing the spare in position?

5. Should I go space saver or full size? (Guess this might impact answer to question1!)

 

The car has 17” alloys on it, and a lot of the spares I see online say 16”. Sorry for being totally thick but I assume I need to find 17” spare??

 

Any advice greatly appreciated!! Thank you and hello!

 

ps I did search the blog and found a couple of previous entries on this topic but none that answered the specific questions above. 

 

My 2017 hatch came with the genuine Skoda full size steel spare and jack etc.  It's a 16" and it fits in the wheel well without problem. There's probably enough room to fit a 17" wheel.  I'm assuming the estate has much about the same size wheel well.  The 16" wheels have a higher profile tyre than the 17" but probably not a lot of difference in the actual heights side by side.  There's loads of them on ebay like this one https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-Octavia-New-Full-Size-Spare-Wheel-Tyre-225-50-17-Genuine-Jack-Spanner/191896341642?fits=Car+Make%3ASkoda|Model%3AOctavia|Plat_Gen%3AMK+III&hash=item2cade9cc8a:g:4ZQAAOSwezVWvRBT

The 16" ones seem to be quite a bit cheaper.  On my previous car, 2013 Focus, it had 17" alloy wheels but a 16" spacesaver spare.

 

Den

 

 

eBay for a space saver for around £50, (it only needs to hold the corner of the car up until you get the damage fixed), bonus if you can get tools and foam with it but prob won’t have the securing parts included.  Dealers sell the tool kits and foam insert with the securing fixings included for approx £40 anyway.

Edited 13 January, 20188 yr by BigEjit

Contact your local car breaker. Breakers usually have a selection of exactly what you're after - space-saver, foam, kit the lot.

 

The beauty of buying a VW group product is you increase your chances as it's the same kit/part used for Audi, VW, Skoda and SEAT

Edited 13 January, 20188 yr by Guest

9 hours ago, Tonksy75 said:

New to this blog - first time Skoda owner. Got myself 64 plate Octavia estate Elegance 1.6 TDI. 

 

Like the car a lot but need advice please on what to do for a spare. Gunk must have been used already as only have little box to inflate but no gunk or valve remover. 

 

Would feel better with a spare in any case, and looks like these can be bought online for around £150ish, but question is

 

1. Will it fit nicely under the boot floor (either raised or lowered level)?

2. Will I need a new/different foam insert to house it?

3. If yes where the heck do I get that from?!

4. Is there a hole for screwing the spare in position?

5. Should I go space saver or full size? (Guess this might impact answer to question1!)

 

The car has 17” alloys on it, and a lot of the spares I see online say 16”. Sorry for being totally thick but I assume I need to find 17” spare??

 

Any advice greatly appreciated!! Thank you and hello!

 

ps I did search the blog and found a couple of previous entries on this topic but none that answered the specific questions above. 

 

1 The standard spare for the Octavia is a full size, normal, 205/55/16 tyre on a 6.5"x16" steel wheel. The same combination fitted as standard to some models. It fits perfectly in the boot floor. You only need a spacesaver or something different of you have a vRS with big brakes as I said HERE last month

 

2 The wheel will sit in the bare spare wheel well and a foam insert will sit strapped into that with the jack, tool kit, and towbar if you have one.

 

3. Ebay, one of the Skoda parts places like Caffyns, make your own up or a breakers that is selling one of the same size wheels.

 

4. You should have or be able to get large plastic 'bolt' (about 50mm diameter) that the wheel sits over and there is a corresponding nut that screws the wheel down on it.

 

5. See answer to 1

11 hours ago, flybynite said:

1 The standard spare for the Octavia is a full size, normal, 205/55/16 tyre on a 6.5"x16" steel wheel.

Which still comes from the factory with a big yellow 50mph sticker on it - at least that's how it is in my 1.4TSI Elegance which has 17" wheels - because the wheel/tyre combination is not the same as the other wheels, so even though the spare wheel/tyre is rated for "normal" speeds the mixed combination on an axle is not safe (legal?) for anything other than emergency use.

Edited 14 January, 20188 yr by SWBoy

4 minutes ago, SWBoy said:

Which still comes from the factory with a big yellow 50mph sticker on it - at least that's how it is in my 1.4TSI Elegance which has 17" wheels - because the wheel/tyre combination is not the same as the other wheels, so even though the spare wheel/tyre is rated for "normal" speeds the mixed combination on an axle is not safe (legal?) for anything other than emergency use.

 

Absolutely correct. However if your car was fitted with Skoda standard fit 205/55/16 tyres you could legally do what you like with it irrespective of the sticker.

 

If you have the VAG group 125/70/18 'Space saver' that is only rated for spare use.

 

My point is that if I had to drive for an extended time, loaded, or in bad weather on the spare, I would always prefer to be driving on a full size tyre than a 125 and I do not see the point in putting the 125/70/18 'space saver' in unless you have to get over the brakes. I believe that was what the OP was asking.

 

Ideally match your tyre size but that would normally mean a 225 tyre that lifts the floor. 

 

Skoda make 2 official spare wheels, a full size 205/55/16 (restricted to 50mph if your main tyre size is different) that can come fitted to all wheels from the factory and a 'space saver' 125/70/18 that fits over the big brakes.

 

 

My recently bought 66 plate hatchback has 16" alloy wheels as standard and the previous owner must have added the spare wheel as an option.  That is a full size steel and it's still brand new unused and doesn't have a sticker on it.  Like most people I feel happier with a spare wheel rather than a pump and a tube of glue !  On my last car I was hit on the side by another car and it spun my car around and bashed the kerb and took a chunk out of the alloy but was able to get home using the spacesaver spare.  If I'd been relying on an inflator kit I would have been stranded miles from home.

 

Den

46 minutes ago, flybynite said:

My point is that if I had to drive for an extended time, loaded, or in bad weather on the spare, I would always prefer to be driving on a full size tyre than a 125 and I do not see the point in putting the 125/70/18 'space saver' in unless you have to get over the brakes.

100% agree with that

Sadly mine has the big brakes so I can’t have a full sized spare. My old Volvo didn’t have a spare though so I’m glad whoever specified my car chose the spare, even if it is only a space saver.

On 14/01/2018 at 10:47, flybynite said:

My point is that if I had to drive for an extended time, loaded, or in bad weather on the spare, I would always prefer to be driving on a full size tyre than a 125 and I do not see the point in putting the 125/70/18 'space saver' in unless you have to get over the brakes. I believe that was what the OP was asking.

 

 

According to the online configurator you can only specify a space-saver wheel as an optional extra.

 

Secondly, a space saver is not intended to be driven for an 'extended time', neither is a full size spare! Everyone has their own preference but you are quite wrong to suggest a space saver is in anyway compromised by bad weather or heavy loading. If you keep within the parameters of the tyre, a space-saver is no different to a full size wheel. In fact I could argue it's actually safer  i.e. less surface area means less chance of picking up another puncture.

 

Any spare wheel, whether it be 125 or 285 width is only meant as temp. solution to get you to a garage to have the damaged tyre repaired / replaced.

22 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

According to the online configurator you can only specify a space-saver wheel as an optional extra.

Correct. One of the ‘space savers’ is full size, fitted to all four wheels on some models,  I had one factory fitted. Also doesn’t mean it is the only thing you can fit if you don’t have one already.

 

22 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

but you are quite wrong to suggest a space saver is in anyway compromised

Are you seriously saying that if you have to brake heavily for whatever reason you will not be better on 4 matching width tyres than with one corner having half the size?

 

22 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

In fact I could argue it's actually safer  i.e. less surface area means less chance of picking up another puncture

So why don’t we all drive around on 125 width tyres .....or even smaller ......much safer 

 

23 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

Any spare wheel, whether it be 125 or 285 width is only meant as temp. solution to get you to a garage to have the damaged tyre repaired / replaced

You might not always be just round the corner from where that can happen

 

Try getting a tyre repaired these days. Most good places subscribe to a strict code of practice for tyre repairs. Not much can be repaired and for good reason.

 

Any damaged tyre of mine is going to be replaced with the same make and model as the rest. I’m not going to throw the first tyre on I get. Sooner be on decent spare until this happens.

 

The Octy is one of the few cars that will take a full size spare wheel these days It is one of the things I like about it, one of the reasons I bought it.

1 hour ago, flybynite said:

Correct. One of the ‘space savers’ is full size, fitted to all four wheels on some models,  I had one factory fitted. Also doesn’t mean it is the only thing you can fit if you don’t have one already.

 

Are you seriously saying that if you have to brake heavily for whatever reason you will not be better on 4 matching width tyres than with one corner having half the size?

 

So why don’t we all drive around on 125 width tyres .....or even smaller ......much safer 

 

You might not always be just round the corner from where that can happen

 

Try getting a tyre repaired these days. Most good places subscribe to a strict code of practice for tyre repairs. Not much can be repaired and for good reason.

 

Any damaged tyre of mine is going to be replaced with the same make and model as the rest. I’m not going to throw the first tyre on I get. Sooner be on decent spare until this happens.

 

The Octy is one of the few cars that will take a full size spare wheel these days It is one of the things I like about it, one of the reasons I bought it.

 

The ability to take a full size spare was also one of the reasons I chose the Octavia.  My daughters each have Renaults with tyre repair kits.  Even if they wanted to carry a spare there's nowhere to put one.  Unless you strap it to the roof !!

 

Den

2 hours ago, flybynite said:

Try getting a tyre repaired these days. Most good places subscribe to a strict code of practice for tyre repairs. Not much can be repaired and for good reason.

Yes there is a strict code of practice, but in reality if the puncture is not in the sidewall and is in the tread more than 25mm away from the sidewall then it can and will be repaired even by the most careful tyre fitting companies.

 

Having said that, if I had a tyre repaired it would become my spare and not a daily use tyre.

4 hours ago, flybynite said:

Are you seriously saying that if you have to brake heavily for whatever reason you will not be better on 4 matching width tyres than with one corner having half the size?

 

So why don’t we all drive around on 125 width tyres .....or even smaller ......much safer 

 

You might not always be just round the corner from where that can happen

 

Try getting a tyre repaired these days. Most good places subscribe to a strict code of practice for tyre repairs. Not much can be repaired and for good reason.

 

Any damaged tyre of mine is going to be replaced with the same make and model as the rest. I’m not going to throw the first tyre on I get. Sooner be on decent spare until this happens.

 

The Octy is one of the few cars that will take a full size spare wheel these days It is one of the things I like about it, one of the reasons I bought it.

1: Yes I am seriously suggesting just that.

 

2: What a daft remark to make. The reason you don't drive around on 125 width tyres is because we need our cars to travel over greater distances, in comfort and greater speeds than the space-saver is designed for.  As for your "....much safer" comment? Childish, very very childish.

 

3: As long as you stay within the parameters of the space-saver, it doesn't matter if you're not just around the corner.

 

The remainder of your reply is pedantic. PLEASE, don't try to scaremonger those who carry space-savers or have tyres repaired in to thinking it's in some way dangerous - because it's not. What make of tyre you put on to your car is entirely up to you, but sometimes a specific tyre isn't in stock. If you're happy not to use your car in the meantime or perhaps drive around with no full-size spare, space-saver or gunge kit then that's your prerogative, but again please don't try and scaremonger those who can't afford to wait in to thinking they're driving a car which is unsafe.

 

I hope this forum isn't all full of people like this or I'm out.

3 hours ago, SWBoy said:

Yes there is a strict code of practice, but in reality if the puncture is not in the sidewall and is in the tread more than 25mm away from the sidewall then it can and will be repaired even by the most careful tyre fitting companies.

 

Having said that, if I had a tyre repaired it would become my spare and not a daily use tyre.

 

Basically yes,  but there is a lot more to BSAU159f than just that. Including any repair to a tyre above V rating.

 

23 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

The remainder of your reply is pedantic. PLEASE, don't try to scaremonger those who carry space-savers or have tyres repaired in to thinking it's in some way dangerous - because it's not

 

Nothing wrong with space savers used sensibly within the limits (as you say) never said otherwise, I do maintain you are better on a full tyre. I have lost count of the number of cars I see on a 50mph skinny flying down the motorway in the outside lane well above the legal limit. No - I think it needs a bit of scaremongering sometimes.

 

If a repair is done to BSAU159f nothing wrong with that either, I have them myself. There are good reasons that standard came out. If that is scaremongering then I stand by it and I’m not alone, that standard has a lot of backing.

 

I have, along with many, many others seen the consequences of people taking their tyres for granted. If anything I say makes people think a bit more about the only contact they have with the road then I don’t apologise for that either.

 

It is still my opinion (and people are welcome to take it or leave it) that the Octavia is one of the few cars that has room for a full size wheel as a spare, IF you are looking at the options and have the choice why not make use of it? There is often no downside.

 

full size alloy, BOOM! job done!

We're picking up our estate with variable boot floor tomorrow. When we ordered we specced a spare wheel rather than gunk, and was assured by the salesman that even though the order said it was a spacesaver he would ensure it was a full size spare - he even checked whether one would fit under the boot floor and confirmed it would.

 

I thought I'd better check before we picked up on Saturday that it was a full size spare, and the new salesman (the old one left in December & appears to have done very little handover) has told me it's a spacesaver & a full size spare is not available for our car.  He spouted some *******s about possibly they don't make a full size spare for this spec car (it's a 1.0TSi SE), but I can see from the online configurator that one is available with the 205/55 R16 tyre, just not if you have the variable boot floor. If it will fit, is there any way I can force them to provide what I asked for? Alternatively can I reject it & source myself - there seem to be plenty on eBay for around the £100 I paid

For some reason you can't specify it as an option combination, but there's no reason it won't fit as the under floor space is the same. I have retrofitted the VBF in my car and can confirm there's plenty of room for a full sized spare. Sadly, my car has the big front brakes so I'm stuck with the 18 inch space saver. Better than nothing!

Edited 2 March, 20188 yr by SashaGrace

1 hour ago, SashaGrace said:

For some reason you can't specify it as an option combination, but there's no reason it won't fit as the under floor space is the same. I have retrofitted the VBF in my car and can confirm there's plenty of room for a full sized spare. Sadly, my car has the big front brakes so I'm stuck with the 18 inch space saver. Better than nothing!

 

Thanks for your confirmation. If he can't swap the spacesaver out I'll see if it can be removed from the order & I'll get a full size one instead

On ‎14‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 10:47, flybynite said:

Skoda make 2 official spare wheels, a full size 205/55/16 (restricted to 50mph if your main tyre size is different) that can come fitted to all wheels from the factory and a 'space saver' 125/70/18 that fits over the big brakes.

 That's interesting and a different opinion. I was asking last year (here and HJ)  about my spare steel  wheel with 205/55/16, the same as fitted to my alloys. Its got the yellow 50mph sticker. No one agreed that I could run at normal speeds. Lots of quibbling about different wheel materials and illegal to disobey the sticker etc..

I've got a space saver and looking at how much room is above it before the boot floor I think a full sized matching wheel will fit in there nicely if you wanted to run with that.