Spare Wheel

(29-04-2013 08:38am)Nantmoel Wrote:  I do find this a little strange that you can not fit a full size spare into the boot space - where were the designers when they made this decision?

You can fit a wheel in there, but not with the Boot floor cover in place or all the luggage which you'd have to move if you ever do have to swap a punctured tyre with the space saver, Since the wheel is thicker than the space saver...

From a weight and space point of view they can save a lot leaving it out though...

I've got the space-saver, but as a result there are no cubby holes in the back for junk that we all carry around. There's nowhere to store the detachable tow-hook. I suppose I could leave it at home, as I'm hardly likely to need it by surprise when out.

Funny thing. My wife's Sport came with a space-saver tire. But I bought one full-size wheel and tire on ebay (for next to nothing) and it fit perfectly. Of course her's is under the car.

(29-04-2013 08:55am)Donny Dog Wrote:  Sadly, it's common nowadays. They obviously think that punctures are a thing of the past.

They actually are... with runflats.

BMW/Mini and Audi have suffered huge criticism in the UK by fitting their cars with run-flats - the ride is even worse and they have as far as I am aware stopped fitting them as standard.

(30-04-2013 12:56pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  BMW/Mini and Audi have suffered huge criticism in the UK by fitting their cars with run-flats - the ride is even worse and they have as far as I am aware stopped fitting them as standard.

Tim, I was browsing the Bmw site the other day and they still seem to be fitting them.
Hateful things! I had them on my 535D, ok on perfectly smooth roads but in the UK???
I'm glad I included the space-saver spare on my order for my Evoque, looking at the price for aftermarket fitment.
Runflats are of limited use after a puncture but anything more and you are stranded.
The blokes from Event Tyres who I use for new rubber love fitting runflats - NOT!
The myth that they cannot fail badly enough to prevent you carrying on driving is exactly that, a myth!

Actually I like runflats. My Corvette had them and will ultimately try to fit to my Evoque at some point. BMW is probably still fitting them because they are v. good and getting better all the time. They can sometimes be "plugged" just the way an ordinary tire can (though this is still an issue due to warranty). Of course it's possible for them to totally fail -- but unlikely in the extreme. As Arthur C. Clarke one said: "Embrace the inevitable". Because they are.

Further... one of the main reasons I like the runflats in an urban environment, such as So. California, is the idea of my wife sitting on a freeway shoulder at night waiting for AAA to come change her tire is really terrifying. With a runflat she can drive home or to a repair station. My son's GF had a blow out on the 101 fwy in the middle of the night -- had to wait over an hour for AAA to get to her. The technology is getting better by the minute and Mercedes is exploring their use.

Honestly so long as you make it home safely, I really don't care if the tire has to be chucked. BTW, my son's GF had to check her non-runflat anyway.

I would sooner have the tube of gunk or run flats than have the Evoque re-tested for CO2 emissions and weight that ended up with me paying more tax on it each year because it has a full size spare that I might never have to use.

So far in 36 years of driving I have had one puncture, all other tyre problems have either destroyed more than one tyre in the incident rendering the spare useless anyway as I needed two spares or as happened with the Evoque I rendered a tyre unsafe to use when it got a large slash that didn't end up in a puncture, just it wasn't safe to drive fast on it.

Are you saying if you changed spec you would have to have the car re-tested for emissions?

(01-05-2013 04:12pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  ...So far in 36 years of driving I have had one puncture

Blimey, your darned lucky. Pretty much every car I've had has had one or more punctures, hence the reason for getting the TPMS. A week before the Mrs company car was due to go back, got a puncture in that. Of course, it was unrepairable as it wasn't in the 3mm band right in the centre of the tyre that is the repairable zone Funny that.