Saw a mk5 Golf this morning (don't worry, there's more). Was amused to see it had a space saver spare wheel on it, knowing my Fabia has a full size spare. Anyway, next time I saw him we was doing about 70 on the M5 towards Bromsgrove. And there was me thinking a space saver was just supposed to get you to the nearest Halfords...

He's braver than me - I ran my spacesaver to get me home from work in the pouring rain a year or so back and it made cornering quite exciting

Chris

Space saver = unicycle wheel.

Generally intended for no more than 80 KILOMETERS per hour - not MPH

I recall catching some low rent car show where they ran an old Nissan/Datsun (IIRC) with an increasing number of space savers. when it got to all 4 wheels it was quite amusing

My dads Focus ST doesn't even have a spacesaver, just a can of foam I think!

whats so funny about having a space saver? oh don't tell me it makes you think your cars better than a mk5 golf

my 21 yearold mazda has a space saver, brothers focus has a space saver, its all about space thats all.

I think it was the inappropriate speed while using the space saver not so much the wheel itself.

Saw a mk5 Golf this morning (don't worry, there's more). Was amused to see it had a space saver spare wheel on it, knowing my Fabia has a full size spare.

nope, nothing to do with speed there, just a my cars better than your car as far as i see it.

Anyway, next time I saw him we was doing about 70 on the M5 towards Bromsgrove. And there was me thinking a space saver was just supposed to get you to the nearest Halfords...

thats quite a silly thing to do though, i know i wouldn't.

my 21 yearold mazda has a space saver, brothers focus has a space saver, its all about space thats all.

More like saving cost!

nope, nothing to do with speed there, just a my cars better than your car as far as i see it.

My car has a better spare wheel than the bigger, more sophisticated and more expensive Golf. It's not a big deal and I wasn't being totally serious there TBH. Oh well.

Thing that I dont understand with space savers, is that all the ones I have seen come in a full size cage/well anyway.... so that you have somewhere to put the damaged wheel when swapped over - so whats the point? Cost cutting as far as I can see!

My dads Focus ST doesn't even have a spacesaver, just a can of foam I think!

The space saver is a no cost option, but you lose a fair bit of boot space.

As well as saving space you'll also have a weight saving over carrying a full size spare.

As well as saving space you'll also have a weight saving over carrying a full size spare.

Until you have a puncture that the tyre foam can't fix. A blowout for example. Then you're a bit stuck.

Steve

Until you have a puncture that the tyre foam can't fix. A blowout for example. Then you're a bit stuck.

Steve

Thats what breakdown services are for

My dads Focus ST doesn't even have a spacesaver, just a can of foam I think!

So does my £17.5k Polo (cost new)!!!!

Good thing I have a full set or two of full sized alloys lying around - usually several hundred miles away from where I am, sat in my garage!

Thing that I dont understand with space savers, is that all the ones I have seen come in a full size cage/well anyway.... so that you have somewhere to put the damaged wheel when swapped over - so whats the point? Cost cutting as far as I can see!

On mine the wheel well is not as deep so if you put one of your normal wheels in the boot, the boot floor sits a couple of inches higher. I think a space saver is an ingenious idea and not sure why you'd want to lug around a full sized spare which may itself have a 50mph limit if you're running directional tyres on it.

Chris

brothers focus and my mazda both have slim wheel wells to accomodate sapce savers only

Thats what breakdown services are for

But it's usually a condition that you have a serviceable spare with the car, although of course if you keep the pressure correct a blow out shouldn't usually happen.

I'd much rather have a full size spare myself.

why is yours better?? because it is bigger, heavier and has the same speed rating?

I'd rather have a full size spare as well thanks.

I might be 200 miles from home late at night and I like to know that my full (ish) size spare will get me back in one piece. Rather that than wait on the hard shoulder at 1am for a few hours for the AA to arrive to tow me home.

Fair enough, I have had limited experience with them (Peugeot 206 and Mazda Premacy) but the ones I have seen have been in full size wells. If they're not full size wells then you have the problem of where to store a full size wheel in the event of a puncture. It may be unlikely, but what happens if you have 4 people + luggage?? Having driven with a space saver once I am very pleased that I don't own a vehicle with one now. Punctures are rare, but I much prefer the peace of mind knowing that I can swap my wheels over and drive as normal. As for the directional tyre issue, it's a fair point... but mine has the original continental which will run on either side.

Made me think about where the smeg I'd put my wheel actually. The spare is in the boot, but where would you put the punctured? It wouldn't fit in the boot, nor in the passenger footwell.

My standard wheels are 20mm deeper than the spare so the floor will stick up that 22mm, no major problem though

So if you got a puncture and had to use a space saver wheel would a normal wheel fit in the space savers bay?

So if you got a puncture and had to use a space saver wheel would a normal wheel fit in the space savers bay?

It fits, but the wheel well is too shallow so the boot floor sits higher....

Chris

I'd rather have a full size spare as well thanks.

I might be 200 miles from home late at night and I like to know that my full (ish) size spare will get me back in one piece. Rather that than wait on the hard shoulder at 1am for a few hours for the AA to arrive to tow me home.

:iagree: