<p>Some new cars are coming without a spare tire. I took my month old new car to have a tire checked (slow leak). Turns out it has picked up a copper wire in the side wall so is not fixable. I wanted to check with the dealership if it was covered under the warranty so the take 10 guy said he would put the spare on. Imagine his, and our surprise to discover we have no spare. Thought it was a mistake at first but it turns out it does not come with a spare. Not even a donut. Not even a jack!! Just a can of seel it and an electric pump. Having googled around i discovered that this is actually becoming quite common and more new cars are doing this (some Hyundais, Fords, BMWs, Chevys). Supposedly to reduce weight and improve the gas mileage :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I’ve only once had to change my own tire. (And then I failed at it as the darn wheel would not come off and my husband had to come and pry it off with a crowbar). But a can of seal it and a pump would not have been much use as the tire was shredded. So I’m a little uncomfortable about the idea if not having a spare. Debating about buying a donut and a jack.</p>
<p>I love my new car and would still have bought it. But I would like to have known. I would not have been a happy camper if I had discovered I had no spare when i was on the side of the road with a flat!! So just a heads up for the rest of you.</p>
<p>Hyundai Elantra. I love it and the no spare would not have been a deal breaker. But I would have preferred not to be surprised. </p>
<p>After discovering this I have read that this is becoming more common and may be more so in the future.</p>
<p>I don’t know exactly which new cars do not have spares but I have read that the Chevy Cruze does not, some BMWss don’t, some Porches (maybe a space issue there as I don’t imagine MPG is a big concern). Apparently the 2008 ford focus did not, but it seems like the current one does.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this, as I would never even have considered it possible that a new car (or a rental, for that matter) could come without a spare.</p>
<p>I think a lot of cars are coming without them now. It’s just another attempt at the auto industry requiring you to use their services for anything and everything related to their vehicles. Also, it saves them money!</p>
<p>We actually replaced the donut spare with a full size one. We got stuck one time in the middle of the boondocks and the donut was NOT sufficient to get us where we needed to be (on a Sunday of course). We did make it to the next exit where we were severely FLEECED on a replacement tire. When we got home, we just got another rim, checking first to see if it fit in the wheel well. We use THIS full size spare whenever we are driving a distance…have the little donut for commuting to work.</p>
<p>I wonder if my DS’s mini cooper has a spare? Can’t imagine wher ethey would find rom to put it (even a donut spare) in or under that little thing!</p>
<p>I think I read when I was investigating that mini coopers do not have a spare. Wouldn’t swear to it though.</p>
<p>Thumper - in my above failed attempt to change my own tire, that car came with a donut which we put on after my husband pried the other wheel off. I had maybe 4-5 miles to drive to the closest walmart to get my tire fixed. The donut blew at about mile 3. So instead of having Walmart put the fixed tire on we had to take the wheel to them, have them fix it, and then take it back and change it ourselves. That was a fun day. The car was about 11 years old and the donut had been sitting in the trunk all that time. i guess they don’t hold up well. </p>
<p>That is a good idea about having a full size spare for longer journeys and a donut for shorter ones. I am not very knowledgeable about these things. </p>
<p>Is it easy to find a generic donut that fits a car, or do they make it where you can only buy a wheel from the dealer to get one that fits. If it’s generic then walmart here I come.</p>
<p>Tires in general deteriorate with age; the usual limit is 6 to 10 years (depending on whom you ask), although a spare tire stored inside the trunk may last longer. However, the tire may have blown because it was underinflated. Donut spares are typically supposed to be inflated to 60psi, and most owners do not check the spare tire air pressure as often as they check the other tire air pressures.</p>
<p>jym, Don’t worry. I got a mini cooper in January. They come with a spare tire. I forgot how to find it but I know it’s there. It’s tucked under something.</p>
<p>I’m surprised that this wasn’t part of the discussion with the salesperson at the dealer when you took delivery of the car. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to you!</p>
<p>It’s not uncommon these days, as, according to the manufacturers, the number of people who actually ever use their spare is very small. My H and I have had 30+ different cars in our adult lives, and have never once had to use a spare. The only time I’ve ever had a flat was when I was 17 and driving my mother’s Mustang, back in the dark ages. :)</p>
<p>Hmmm, I’ve gotten flat tires from road hazards every few years. Spare tires were useful.</p>
<p>Tire shops and mechanics really do not like to deal with tires that have fix-a-flat sealant in them, due to the mess involved (new cars that do not have spare tires come with fix-a-flat sealant that you spray into the tire if it has a puncture).</p>