Is Mini-size Spare Wheel The Best Solution?

[Alberto Michelatti]

Hi!

My Toyota Avensis have a mini-size spare wheel and I am happy of this, because for me this is the best solution.

Nowadays there are four possible solutions when a tyre get punctured:

1) full-size spare wheel:

this is the classical solution but, for the life of the car, you have less space in the trunk and, above all, the car weights more, so the performances are inferior and the fuel consumption is thinly higher. In my opinion this is a money throw away solution, because a regular tyre and a regular rim are wasted for the life of the car.

2) "fix and go" kit:

this is the solution preferred on the luxury sport cars. It is a kit composed by a little air compressor and a can of tyre repairing foam. This solution weights very few and the space used is the lowest, but there is the big disadvantage that if the tyre is ripped and not punctured this kit is useless.

3) run flat tyres:

they allow you to reach the next tyre shop, also with zero pressure, but they are very expensive and often after a puncture they are to throw away. In case of ripping they are useless.

4) mini-size spare wheel:

this solution, in comparison with full-size spare wheel, allows you to have more space in the trunk and the car weights less, with all the relating advantages.

Alberto.

[JAHill]

I'd always tend to go for the mini-spare but have can of tyre-weld or similar just in case. I've had two go once while driving through a very rural part of the UK. No phone signal, no sign of any garages and only one spare! Not good at all. (There was a length of barbed wire in the road and it was night time and very wet :( )

There is of course a fifth option... Motor Breakdown Cover. IF you can get a signal! ;)

[daktari]

Can of tyre weld does me, Living on a small island helps as i`m never more than ten minutes away from a garage. :D . My mini spare lives under the bench in the workshop. Although I can throw it in the boot if i ever go to the mainland.

[Karma Supra]

I have a space saver spare in the back of mine, although I have a horrid feeling that it won;t fit over my uprated front brakes