Getting a fifth alloy wheel in place of space saver.

[Konrad C]

Last week I had a puncture, which was discovered by my brother when he came to visit me. I did notice the tyre looking slightly low, but did not use the car that day, so it was flat by the time it was discovered.

I changed the wheel with the space saver and had the puncture repaired the next day. 

Though better than nothing, space savers do not feel nice to drive on. 

I have seen a couple of alloys £60 + £20 delivery each, on eBay that matches the wheels and tyre size for my car. Would anyone do the same and buy this, plus the thinner tool tray? 

The wheel well accommodates full size diameter fine.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Think it depends how often one gets punctures severe enough to use the spare. Although I'm tempting fate, the last time we had to use a spacesaver was in 2004 on 2003 Mazda Premacy where my wife caught something in the road and cut the sidewall of one rear tyre.

We've had slow punctures since, but none severe enough to deflate the tyre fully.

[Konrad C]

6 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Think it depends how often one gets punctures severe enough to use the spare. Although I'm tempting fate, the last time we had to use a spacesaver was in 2004 on 2003 Mazda Premacy where my wife caught something in the road and cut the sidewall of one rear tyre.

We've had slow punctures since, but none severe enough to deflate the tyre fully.

Mike, that is the point - how much use will it get? If rotated pwith the other wheels then may be yes. There is always a tyre place at least 50 miles, if the puncture is slow drive. 

Still anything is better than no spare.

[Anthony Poli]

I bought an identical wheel on eBay, just as backup. If one wheel ever needs repairing, I have the proper wheel to put on while its getting repaired. Since the spacesaver is only meant to be emergency use only. Not recommended in the manual to use.

[Owdjockey]

You know Konrad I have had an issue with the word "space saver" when it comes to spare wheels. It does not save any space whatsoever. On my Avensis D4D 54 plate, there is a piece of polystyrene with a nut wrench sitting on top of the "space saver" ascting as a spacer between it and the boot floor!! The cycnic in me tells me that this is a common money saving tactic employed by most car manufacturers.

I travel to the Scottish Highlands alot and dread trying to come back late on a Sunday night if I get a flat. A  journey of 400miles + at 50m/hr!! Toyota justify having a "compact spare" for space saving (*&^locks), saving fuel (*&^locks) and ease of tyre change (*&^locks).

Only ever had an issue with a puncture and that was with my old Yaris driving south along Loch Lomond, fortunately it was during the day and so was able to limp down to Dumbarton and find a tyre fitter.

[frankie406]

It's not about the use konrad! It's about the looks! The space saver is horrible and as you say not good to drive on! As soon as I get my alloys refurbished I'm on the look out for a 5th alloy too! 

(Go on spend some of that money of yours)😂

[Konrad C]

4 hours ago, frankie406 said:

It's not about the use konrad! It's about the looks! The space saver is horrible and as you say not good to drive on! As soon as I get my alloys refurbished I'm on the look out for a 5th alloy too! 

(Go on spend some of that money of yours)😂

Frank, I could not resist and bought the wheel. I rather have five proper wheels, than the space saver.

I am poor! 

[Carl H]

I once had a V plate Honda Accord  that came with five full size alloys, rather than four plus an awful looking steel space saver. In the 7 years I had the car, that spare never came out of the boot. 

Unless, like Owdjockey, you regularly travel to remote places where there isn't a tyre shop within 15 minutes drive, then I don't think you really need one. 

[frankie406]

I had my avensis for 7/8years with space saver never used.but the point is that it's the 5th"alloy is better looking and a better drive plus there's not the 50mph speed limit on the saver.but each to their own. 

[Greydog]

My X5 comes with a space saver but more because the wheel set up is staggered 285 on the front 315 on the rear, it also has a couple of cans of sealant and a small compressor. The space saver is really a last resort if the cans fail to get us going. Tempting fate time now !! in 10 years I have used 1 can of sealant (a slow puncture it stayed that way until the tyres were changed) and the space saver once when a stuffing great bolt destroyed a rear tyre.

As has been said above they don't look good (and on the X5 it looked like a bicycle wheel) but it did the job and got me to a tyre shop. I will have to look under the floor of the Avensis and check now

[frankie406]

Yeah as greydog says a can of sealant in the boot in most car manufacturers models.what if your tyre has been blown off car or shredded like greydogs.what do you do then? Keep the original idea a spare full size wheel in the boot.

[Greydog]

Checked under the floor in the Avensis and found a full size spare steel wheel, it looks brand new as well. My wife's Subaru Outback has a full size Alloy as well so it's only the cheap skates at BMW who give a couple of cans of Goo a little compressor (they do have BMW badges though) and a bike wheel !!

A word of warning about the Goo I have been told that a lot of tyre shops will not repair a tyre that has had the tyre sealant used. I my case it didn't come to light as I ran the tyre with no more issues until it needed changing.

[Carl H]

28 minutes ago, Greydog said:

A word of warning about the Goo I have been told that a lot of tyre shops will not repair a tyre that has had the tyre sealant used. 

That happened to a friend of mine. He was also charged a bit extra for cleaning the goo off the wheel before the new tyre on went on. Apparently the goo is pretty unpleasant stuff. 

[Anthony Poli]

33 minutes ago, Greydog said:

Checked under the floor in the Avensis and found a full size spare steel wheel, it looks brand new as well. My wife's Subaru Outback has a full size Alloy as well so it's only the cheap skates at BMW who give a couple of cans of Goo a little compressor (they do have BMW badges though) and a bike wheel !!

A word of warning about the Goo I have been told that a lot of tyre shops will not repair a tyre that has had the tyre sealant used. I my case it didn't come to light as I ran the tyre with no more issues until it needed changing.

Not all goo is the same, some of them are water soluble, messy but can be cleaned up. Thats what one tyre centre told me.

[frankie406]

Yeah but they (tyre centre)can't be bothered cleaning them most of the time.they tell you the tyre is shot once the "goo" is used.so the price of a new tyre or time cleaning and putting a patch on? I think the new tyre price wins..

[Carl H]

On 9/12/2016 at 0:23 PM, Konrad C said:

Would anyone do the same and buy this, plus the thinner tool tray? 

How much is the thinner tool tray?  And where from? 

[Konrad C]

The wheel arrived a week ago. It was as described with a Goodyear tyre that is good condition. The was let out for posting.

Today I got my cheaper Lidl bike pump, and inflated the tyre to 35 PSI in less than 5 minutes. I think it was was 3 minutes. 

Now to source a tray or tool holder for the jack and stuff. I will loose the under floor storage, but don't really mind. There is one further forward.