Spare Wheels, Spacesavers, Tyreweld and TPMS

[Awed]

Recently I suffered a slow puncture in my front near-side tyre. The cause was a screw I had driven over. I do not mean a prison officer. 

 

Sorting this out taught me what a pain it is not to have a proper full-size spare; I have only a spacesaver wheel.  The issue is solved now - I simply kept topping the tyre up 2, 3 times a day until I had time to get a new tyre at HiQ. (And what a surprise, the old tyre was not repairable. The offending screw was just a couple of mm too near the edge. Not once in 25 years of driving have I ever had a puncture that was repairable!)

 

But now I'm thinking of what I'd do if I was away from home or had a more serious tyre problem. 

 

I've been reflecting on options and have some specific questions...any answers appreciated!

 

1) Is it true that the spacesaver cannot be used on the front? I'm sure the manual says it can't, i.e. you're meant to swap a flat front with a good rear wheel and put the spacesaver on the back. Other people have dismissed this claim.

 

2) Has anyone an estimate of how much a full size 17" alloy wheel would cost from a scrapyard? (Without tyre)

 

3) Could I get a 17" steel wheel from a scrapyard instead of an alloy? Would it be safe to have a steel spare if all the others are alloys? Is there even a compatible Superb mk 3 steel wheel?

 

4) Some people swear by Tyreweld. Others swear at it. It's cheap enough to keep a couple of cans in the boot for emergencies. Since tyres are never repairable anyway in my experience (see above) I'm not bothered about the fact that it might ruin the tyre. However, I've read it can knacker your expensive TPMS [tyre pressure monitoring system] valves. Does the Superb have these? The system DID warn me of the leak, it definitely works. Not sure if the Skoda system is one that has special valves or just detects the difference in rotational speed of a wheel with a flat tyre. If the latter, presumably Tyreweld would be safe?

 

5) Is it the case that breakdown recovery services carry "universal spares" that can fit any car?  How do they work? Are they full size or spacesavers?  I'm in Britannia, who use a network of local garages rather than having dedicated recovery vehicles like the AA or RAC, so I'm not sure they'd carry these "magic wheels" anyway. 

[amwphotos]

Glad you avoided running over a prison officer, that would probably cause worse damage than a puncture.

 

1. Not a clue.

2. Depends on which model alloy I guess, teron alloys for Octavia are expensive. Look on eBay and the for sale part of this website.

3. Most spares are steel. As long as it is same size as alloy with same size tyre I don't think you'll be limited to 50mph either.

4. The tpms is run by the abs system detecting rotational speed differences so is fine with tyre goo.

5. RAC appear to carry them, if it's compatible. If it's a puncture you needed fixing Brittania might send out a mobile tyre fitter anyway.

[MChris]

The multi fit wheel is carried by AA & RAC and some good garages (like the one I work for!) but the idea is purely to get you to a tyre fitter without the need for recovery trucks when you do not have a serviceable spare but the patrol/garage want the multi fit wheel back straightaway.  The multi fit wheel is like a spacesaver in that you are limited to speed etc.

 

[Ootohere]

Obviously tyres can be repairable, proven by the fact people get tyres repaired.

You will get a Spare wheel and tyre with legal tread maybe from £50 - £250 , look in Briskoda for sales. Amazon, Ebay, Gumtree, Social Media.

VW Wheels as spares are not all 'Space Savers' they migh save space though, not match the other wheels / tyres exactly but get you to a place of safety.

Still carry the tyre weld, and actually if the tyre fitter removes a tyre with tyre weld in for you, 10 minutes will clean up that tyre if you go outside and do it yourself.

(If you have tyreweld with you maybe you can help someone else with a puncture, like a motorcyclist, or someone on a pushbike,  or a caravanner.)

[Parked]

I specified my Superb with a space saver spare wheel as I dread the idea of being stuck on the side of the road with a can of gloop.

 

I also carry a 12v mini compressor, tyre gauge and those tyre repair strip kits

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/wlw-XtremeAuto-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-STRIPS/dp/B0031Q198W/ref=pd_sbs_263_10?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0031Q198W&pd_rd_r=3ba543f6-ae85-11e8-9ef1-419f427e8ea3&pd_rd_w=UrFV2&pd_rd_wg=1yuig&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=85d62760-2a0e-407d-aa36-f3c03afc01c3&pf_rd_r=RWK57PMKR5X54936DD0Y&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=RWK57PMKR5X54936DD0Y

 

Great for getting yourself out of a tricky situation as you can use it with the tyre still on the car. My intention would be to use as a temporary repair until I could get to a tyre place. But saying that I had a car going in scrappage when I bought the Superb. Because handover was delayed due to the signal booster issue I ended up doing over a 1000 miles in the old motor on a tyre I had repaired in this way.

 

The kit I bought was about £3 on ebay, in my opinion well worth it to give you another option if you do get a puncture.

[MartiniB]

DirectTPMS just for €44

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/434028-tire-pressure-monitoring-system/?tab=comments#comment-4893182

 

 

full size tire on stock spare wheel

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/442912-full-size-spare-wheel/?do=findComment&comment=5040470

(probably going to be replaced to 17" cause i'm planning install full size brake discs soon)

 

[4StringBass]

1) The space saver should go on the back to stop putting wear on the front diff as the different tyres sizes will cause it to try and spin at different speeds to maintain the vehicle speed. Makes sense on front wheel drive but no idea what you do if you have a 4x4. 

 

2) a genuine 17” Helios wheel can be had for new for £170 plus tyre. 

 

3) there was a 16” steel option but I don’t know about 17. 

 

4) tyre weld etc only good if the puncture is in the tread. The TPMS is done on the ABS system I believe and there is no sensor in the wheels. 

 

 

My plan is to get another matching wheel and when it comes to change the tyres, put the best one on the spare and then out that in the boot. 

 

Hope this helps. 

 

[freelunch]

I hesitate to actually type this, but in 54 years of driving, I've never had a flat tyre. My Sportline did not come with a spare, it came with 19" wheels and a can of gunk. Reading this thread has got me worried, as I leave on a 3,000-miler next week. 

 

So, I bought a tyre repair kit and a packed a pair of needle-nosed pliers. 

 

Last time I had to get a wheel off (for a tyre rotation), I ended up taking the car to a mechanic. Couldn't loosen the wheel bolts...

Edited 2 September, 2018 by freelunch

[Awed]

15 hours ago, freelunch said:

I hesitate to actually type this, but in 54 years of driving, I've never had a flat tyre. My Sportline did not come with a spare, it came with 19" wheels and a can of gunk. Reading this thread has got me worried, as I leave on a 3,000-miler next week.  

 

So, I bought a tyre repair kit and a packed a pair of needle-nosed pliers. 

 

Last time I had to get a wheel off (for a tyre rotation), I ended up taking the car to a mechanic. Couldn't loosen the wheel bolts...

 

Never had a flat tyre? I am astonished.  I've lost most of my tyres to nails / screws in the road (many from living on a housing estate where builders were still working), the second most common cause would be pot holes, mainly some appalling ones on the private road leading to the "business park" where I work.

 

Do you employ someone to roll a carpet out over the road before you drive on it? Have you attached a powerful magnet to the front of your car?

 

On a serious note, thank you to everyone for your replies.

 

I have bought a couple of 500ml (suitable for 17") cans of Holt's Tyreweld, and already have a compressor - indeed, an essential piece of kit. I may well buy a full-size wheel and put a budget tyre on it. That day will have to wait until I have some "spare money", whatever that is.

 

[freelunch]

@Awed Okay, I have to come clean here. I should have said car tyre. For 35 of those years I only had a motorcycle. I used to pick up plenty of screws in my rear tyre, but could always make it to a mechanic for a repair. Except once on holiday. I used a plug repair kit and half a dozen CO2 cartridges that got me to an air pump and the plug got me home.

 

Oh, and I used a can of gunk once. The mechanic told me he would not repair the tyre as he couldn't clean the patch area well enough to guarantee a patch/plug would stick the to inside of the tyre. So, I'm reluctant to use Tyreweld.

[Awed]

17 hours ago, freelunch said:

Last time I had to get a wheel off (for a tyre rotation),

 

@freelunch I find the tyres rotate automatically I as I drive along.

 

 

 

(That was a joke, before anyone...oh, suit yourselves.)

[JR RS]

i've been driving cars for 20+ years now  - touch wood i haven't had a puncture

 

all the cars i've had in the past have had a proper steel spare tyre, like this one in my Superb now.

i'd much prefer this than a can of gobbly goop.

 

 

[IJWS15]

The bigger issue with the space saver on the front is braking in an emergency, the car will not brake in a straight line.

 

First car I had with a space saver was a Honda and the book said put it on the back, the only time I used it was on the M25 and to get off the hard shoulder quicker it went on the front.

 

This is a real space saver 

 

 

Used to have an earlier version in an A2, the wheel that came off would not fit in the space the spare came out of so it came with a large white Audi branded bin bag.

[skidpan]

When I bought the Superb in March 2017 the can of glue was standard and the spacesaver and emergency spare were £100 extra. The spacesaver was obvious but what was an emergency spare? Told by the dealer its a proper tyre but on a steel rim and obviously not intended for permanent use. Had exactly that on several cars in the past so ordered it. When the car came in the boot was the "emergency spare and as promised no loss of boot space. But one important fact not mentioned was the size. Its a !6" wheel with a 205 55 tyre. The diameter is 632mm whereas the diameter of the 4 17" alloys with 215 55 tyres is 668mm. That is 5.5% smaller and in simple terms would lower that corner by just over an inch. I could see why its termed "emergency".

 

Why don't they fit a 215 60 16 tyre is beyond me. It would be within a couple of mm of the OEM tyres for diameter and still easily fit in the wheel well.

 

Same when we bought the Fabia. The "emergency" spare was a 175 70 14 and not the 215 45 16 supplied on the car. At least it was virtually the same diameter but the wheel well was big enough for the "normal" 185 60 15 supplied on regular Fabias and having checked since we got the car the 215 45 16's will fit in without affecting the boot floor. Our problem was solved when i obtained a set of 195 55 15 (4mm smaller diameter) winter tyres on genuine Skoda wheels, one is in the boot as a spare for now and come winter all will be used on the car and a "summer" wheel go in the boot. 

[mrgf]

You could try using that slime, gloop, or other branded pre-puncture stuff. Slips around all day long in the tyre just waiting for the nail to penetrate! 

 

I have heard a few pitfalls surrounding their use but often, praise rather then mucking about AFTER the tyre is flat. Do the usual tyre check once a month and all should be fine!

[Ootohere]

Or 

Continental ContiSeal tyres as some get as OEM.

Fine if you just need to pull out a sharp object and then put some air in if required then go see if the tyre needs a repair.

In my experience you usually can not find where the puncture was anyway unless you marked it and it is still marked miles later.

If the Tyre is wrecked you are a bit up the Creak without a paddle, or jack or wheel wrench, or any tools, or a spare as they are not included on the vehicles VW Group fit the Continental ContiSeals to.

So in Winter i have a pair of spares, and all the gear for roadside changes.

All messing up the rear luggage space and any weight saving that SEAT went for at the EU Testing for low emissions,

but then never needed to actually fit the spares, and never had to sit hours with the engine running waiting for Road Side Assistance in Summer or Winter.

[freelunch]

@Awed  I'm grateful for this thread, because it got me looking into my situation. I knew I didn't have a spare tyre, but what surprised me is that I didn't even have a jack! Did I never have one? Did it disappear when I had the wheels aligned, twice, at KwikFit before our Berlin trip? When I was a biker, I always had a hand-picked tool kit and a puncture repair kit. And, I had more than one occasion to use it all. I've gotten lazy since driving four wheels.

 

Just made a trip to Halfords. I leave for Sicily with 36.5 psi in each tyre, plenty of tread. A scissor jack, two wheel chocks, two extendable wheel bolt wrenches, two 17 mm sockets, a dry-plug tyre repair kit, a can of TyreWeld, a can of Škoda-supplied goop, a Škoda-supplied compressor, a foot pump, a cheap emergency set of tools and Škoda's own breakdown service.

 

My nine-day trip to Berlin was uneventful and so will be this one. (Touches head)

[facet edge]

11 hours ago, JR RS said:

i've been driving cars for 20+ years now  - touch wood i haven't had a puncture

 

all the cars i've had in the past have had a proper steel spare tyre, like this one in my Superb now.

i'd much prefer this than a can of gobbly goop.

 

 

Funny you should a continental.

I've got those on my car and a Michelin as a spare!

[Adrian55555]

Mine in my sportline 220 is also a conti spare

[JR RS]

7 hours ago, facet edge said:

Funny you should a continental.

I've got those on my car and a Michelin as a spare!

 

my previous MY11 Octavia RS had 18" Continetal CSC2s on all four wheels, and it had Contiental CEC5 as a spare tyre in the boot.

my Superb 220 now has 19" Pirelli Cinturatos on all four wheels, also with Contiental CEC5 as a spare tyre in the boot.

 

looks like Skoda like to stick to ContiEcoContact as their choice of a spare tyre.

[Albourneboy]

My L&K 190 4x4 wasn't new when I bought it (ex demo with 6K miles on the clock) and has 19 inch Phoenix alloys and no spare which, being a caravanner, I wasn't happy with but I loved the car and it's proved to be a terrific tug. With hindsight, I should have done something about a spare when I bought the car but didn't and 18 months later, regretted that.

 

3 days before the end of our holiday in the Ardeche back in July, I picked up a slow puncture in the front nearside tyre. I avoided using the sealant gunk for as long as I could while searching for a replacement tyre (the puncture was right on the inner shoulder where it couldn't be repaired). Nobody in the area had one so in the end, used the gunk which got us to within 100 miles of Calais before the tyre started going down again. Got some more gunk and put that in and managed to get to Cambridge on a Sunday before giving up and stopping at Cherry Hinton Caravan Club site. Managed to get 2 new tyres from a well-known tyre dealers in Cambridge (no names but I would normally avoid them like the plague but I was desperate!). This got us home but was a stressful few days.

 

I wasn't going through that again so shortly after arriving home, I went to our local Skoda dealers and asked them to get me full-size alloy spare. Well, it took 2 months to arrive but yesterday, I called in to pick it up. A guy from the workshop came out and together with the Service advisor emptied my boot, fitted the wheel securing device to the wheel well and then discovered that part of the boot trim at the rear was preventing the  wheel (complete with tyre I hasten to add) from entering the well. So the workshop guy took the car in and attacked the trim with a dremel. 15 minutes later, out came the car complete with full size spare and all the kit necessary to change the wheel in a foam insert strapped securely inside the wheel.

The spare sits proud of the boot floor but not by very much and once the boot cover is in, you wouldn't notice. All right, it cost me a shade over £500 for the lot and may never be used (in 40+ years of driving that was probably only my 3rd or 4th puncture) but it's well worth it to me and the family for the peace of mind it gives us.

 

[Adrian55555]

Yeah of doing a lot of long journeys, which we do too a spare is a must for us having family in car etc.  Like you said its peace of mind.