Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Fri 31 Jul 2015 21:48

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Avant

There's an opportunity for us to help each other here.

Some manufacturers offer a spare wheel or spacesaver as standard; some list it as an optional extra; some make cars that don't even have space for one.

I understand the reasons for spacesavers, and for them being an option; but most of us drive from time to time on potholed roads, and most of us drive from time to time in areas where there's no mobile reception. I would feel considerable Schadenfreude if I heard of a car designer who'd designed a car with no room for even a spacesaver getting a tyre gashed irreparably in that situation.

Could we please post from our own experience which camp our own cars' makers fall? You'll find this information for most recent models in the car-by-car reviews on this site (www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/) but I thought a thread might be useful to see quickly how widespread the problem is.

I'll kick off:

Skoda - optional spacesaver.

Most VWs I think - spacesaver as standard.

Mini - the Roadster has it as an option: I think run-flats are also an option.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV- spacesaver standard according to the info on this site although when i had a test drive neither the salesman nor I could find it.

Mazda CX-3 - no provision that I could see and the salesman wasn't sure.

Volvo - optional spacesaver.

Edited by Avant on 02/08/2015 at 01:35

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 22:28

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - oldroverboy.

Kia Rio, space saver but room for full size spare. (i have one)

previous chevy cruze saloon, room for full size spare, mine had one supplied OEM.

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 22:49

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - bazza

2010 Focus 1.6 = spacesaver

2007 Panda = spacesaver

2008 Octavia- full size spare

2003 Corolla = full size spare

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 23:05

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - galileo

Had a new Hyundai i10 as courtesy car while my i30 was in for service (that came with full size alloy spare, by the way, in 2009), I noticed it had the dreaded can of goo but there was a wheel well which looked big enough for a fullsize spare. Maybe higher spec models get a space saver thrown in?

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 22:44

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Andrew-T

Avant, I presume you are really interested only in current models here? My newest car is now 7½ years old, so I'm afraid I can't contribute usefully.

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 23:19

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Big John

Maybee the consideration should be is there a spare wheel well in the car and can a spare tyre be fitted as an option:-

In the Skoda range some cars have a spare wheel well (Octavia, Citigo, Superb II) but some don't (Yeti)

If you need an optional spacesaver in a Yeti you loose LOADS of boot space

I've just bought a used Superb (14 plate) and was pleased to see a spare wheel under the boot carpet! Suspect it must have been an option.

Edited by Big John on 31/07/2015 at 23:22

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 23:43

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Trilogy

A client bought a new Honda Jazz in 2009. Spare wheel did not come as standard.

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Fri 31 Jul 2015 23:42

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Leif

VW TakeUp 2012: Came with electric pump and tyre sealant. A proper spare wheel and jack was a £50 option, not available to me because I bought the one in the the showroom.

I bought a spare wheel, and a few months later had a puncture. Not sure if that was cause and effect. :) The wheel fits in the boot, beneath a cover. I'd never want to be without a spare wheel.

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Sat 1 Aug 2015 00:13

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - bathtub tom

2014 Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol.

Came with a can-of-goo and compressor. Cost me around a hundred quid for a space-saver spare, jack and wheel brace. Spare sits in boot space vacated by polystyrene block that held goo and compressor. Jack fits compartment under passenger seat and wheel brace sits in holder in boot.

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Sat 1 Aug 2015 06:57

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - RT

It can vary by model, not just by brand.

Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento used to get full-sized matching ALLOY spares, I think they still do, but i30 just gets a space-saver.

VW Touareg gets a collapsible space-saver plus air compressor and jack - with air removed, it's smaller diameter to fit the under-floor storage.

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Sat 1 Aug 2015 08:32

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - daveyK_UK

Skoda rapid - optional space saver

Seat toledo - optional space saver

Citroen berlingo multispace - full size spare as standard

Peugeot partner tepee - full size spare as standard

Hyundai I10 - optional space saver

Peugeot 2008 - optional space saver

Nissan note - optional space saver

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Sat 1 Aug 2015 17:41

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - andyp

Peugeot 208 - Full size spare as standard

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Sat 1 Aug 2015 18:27

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - John Boy

Obviously, I haven't checked them all, but, for cars which are currently available, this information seems to be given in the Specification sections of HJ's Car by Car Reviews:

www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 11:48

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Benet

whereas a 2010 Yaris (old shape), as just purchased by me, does have a space saver wheel

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Sat 1 Aug 2015 20:16

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Smileyman

Some Skoda offer full size spares. as well as space savers dependant on wheel size (15", 16" etc) all are chargeable

Nissan Juke/Note/Pulsar/Micra (ot sure others) come with a bottle of tyre sealant only, there may be well to store a spacesaver spare but it may not be big enough for the full size damaged tyre, so take bags to wrap around dirty tyre as it is stored in the boot or inside the car (space permitting!)

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 00:27

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Andrew-T

I suppose the thinking is that provided owners keep their tyres properly inflated and avoid hitting sharp objects, the chance of needing a spare is very small. The space released may be worth having.

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 01:15

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Avant

"Obviously, I haven't checked them all, but, for cars which are currently available, this information seems to be given in the Specification sections of HJ's Car by Car Reviews:

www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/"

Many thanks, JohnBoy - I should have said this in the original post, which I'll now edit. The information is there, after dimensions, for most recent models (click on 'details' for the model you want). If it isn't there, look at another model in the same group.

Edited by Avant on 02/08/2015 at 01:15

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 01:27

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - doctorchris

Dacia. There's only one model in the range with a full-size spare as standard and that's the Duster 4x4 which also has a well for it in the boot.

Duster 4x2, no well in the boot. A full-size spare can be ordered at extra cost but involves also fitting a cradle beneath the car.

Sandero and Logan. Full-size spare available at extra cost. 2 years ago this was £50. A bargain since a replacement tyre currently costs £55. Now costs £95 which is still good value as you also get a jack and wheelbrace.

Sandero Stepway. A supposedly full-size spare at extra cost but some owners disappointed that the spare comprises a 15in wheel with a higher profile tyre when the roadwheels are 16in.

I have needed to fit the spare on both our Dacias, Logan and Sandero, so I was grateful I specified this option.

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 08:43

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - jc2

I had a sidewall failure on my Fiesta(my own fault);Thank God I had a spare-no sealer would have fixed it.The dealer I bought it from told me that almost all of the new cars he sells are ordered with a spare.

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 13:48

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - John Boy

I'm a great admirer of the Specifications section of the Car by Car Reviews. It seems to me that manufacturers have a vested interest in preventing you from making direct comparisons with each others' products and often obfuscate in this respect. Producing standard specifications like those on this site is really valuable to potential car buyers.

I did something similar when I used to write about video equipment for a part series (published in instalments) book on video production. I'd use the manufacturers' catalogues as a starting point, but I'd often have to use a magnifying glass to study photographs of the equipment itself to find information they had, probably deliberately, left out. I was only dealing with about 6 manufacturers. HJ's team are dealing with substantially more, so it must be a really tedious job.

Having said that, I'd like to see more specific information included in the Gearbox section. When automatic transmission is used I like to see more specific information about the type. At the moment, it's a bit too vague. As another current topic on here shows, it's an area which causes a lot of confusion, even amongst car enthusiasts.

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 18:02

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - skidpan

Just bought a Nissan Note. Bottle of Glue standard, space saver extra £200. The well in the boot will take a full size so I have spent £70 on a brand new full size steel wheel and tyre and another £10 on a jack. The wheelbrace is already in the boot. It has no impact on bootspace but you do loose part of the capacity of the underfloor storage.

The Seat Leon had glue when we bought it. Space saver was a £100 option but ours was a stock car which mean't they wanted £300 for a space saver accessory kit. Bought a brand new full size steel wheel and tyre for £68 and a jack for £10. It does raise the boot floor slightly but there is still quite a bit of underfloor storage left for those items you want out of sight. Seat did eventaully write to me saying that they had had loads of requests for a spare kit and had reduced it to £200.

Better doing it this way than being stuck 400 miles from home at 6.00 on Saturday morning with a flat and either a can of glue or a bike tyre.

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Sun 2 Aug 2015 23:11

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - focussed

My 07 Civic 2.2 cdti type S compressor and bottle of gloop standard - skinny spare £95 extra fits in spare wheel well.

The recent new Accord tourer 2.2 type S the same but spare was £206.18!!!

Bit of a rip off really but when you need it you need it !!

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Wed 5 Aug 2015 23:24

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Smileyman

agreed - a space saver is not great either, full size spare is the only way to go .. even runflats are a problem, lots of reports of shredded tyres leaving quality cars stranded roadside, tyre sealant gloop will not stick the pieces back together again

Edited by Smileyman on 05/08/2015 at 23:26

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Thu 6 Aug 2015 18:39

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - freman

If I remember correctly that many years ago when tubeless tyres were first introduced, no spare wheel was provided as tubeless tyres did not puncture.

After many protests spares were supplied as standard.

Could be a moral there.

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Thu 6 Aug 2015 18:57

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - gordonbennet

If I remember correctly that many years ago when tubeless tyres were first introduced, no spare wheel was provided as tubeless tyres did not puncture.

After many protests spares were supplied as standard.

Could be a moral there.

I don't recall that but then having never been into new cars apart from delivering the horrid things i couldn't say either way.

Which makes and models came like this? 60's and early 70's timeline i suppose.

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 14:20

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - galileo

If I remember correctly that many years ago when tubeless tyres were first introduced, no spare wheel was provided as tubeless tyres did not puncture.

Tubeless tyres did puncture of course, the difference was that even with a nail through the tread they would not deflate at once as a tubed tyre would.

Cars I had in the 60s and 70s all had spares, I had a couple of occasions when I had a nail puncture a tubeless but pressure was only lost at about 1psi per day, so no problem to continue driving (at moderate speed) till convenient to pump up/change.

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 15:08

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Engineer Andy

Whilst I'm normally loyal in my opinions about Mazda (I'm a satisfied customer owning a mk1 Mazda3), they have, in my view, really dropped the ball in going to the 'nth degree' on weight-saving on their latest range of cars, opting for no space-savers on most (if not all) as standard and going for the 'tube of glue' instead. Not even sure if some even come with an option for a space-saver (let alone a full-size wheel/tyre, which I can understand is not really needed) on some, if I recall.

When it does come as an option, it appears to be very expensive at £300+ (even if factory-fitted), whereas other makes charge far less. That amongst other things (including possibly reducing the bodyshell thickness to save weight), may well sway my decision away from them when I eventually change cars. Hopefully by then sanity might have been restored.

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 23:02

Which car makers do / don't offer a spare wheel? - Avant

Agreed - the new CX-3 seems to have nowhere to stow a spare wheel, so it's off my list for next year for this and another equally stupid reason: you can have the 150 bhp engine only with the expensive Sportnav trim, which includes extras I don't want and one (keyless entry) which I wouldn't have if you paid me.

Spares or spacesavers for £75 or so - fair enough. But if a manufacturer tries to charge £200, then Skidpan's excellent advice a few posts up is the way to go.

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