No Spare Wheel!

[three5]

Hi folks,

I'm in W. Yorks and new to the forum as I collect my first Toyota, a RAV4 XT5 D-4D in about a fortnight. The thing that is worrying me a bit is the lack of a spare wheel. Has anyone had any experience of using the "repair kit" in a roadside situation?

I know that none of us seem to get the number of punctures that we did 20 or 30 years ago and that applies to me as well. However I did have one on the northbound M1 on a Friday afternoon a few months ago. Changed the wheel OK but when I got home and took the wheel in for repair the side walls were in a terrible state - i.e. the tyre was a write-off. The puncture was caused by a nail and was pretty well central in the tread but it did go down quickly so I probably did 70 or 80 metres before coming to a stop on the hard shoulder. Not sure how long the tyre would have lasted with a roadside repair but I think that I would have had to replace it in a few miles at the most.

Has anyone actually used a repair kit in anger? Can't see a company like Toyota not having done a fair amount of R&D on the problem though.

Best regards

three5

[T600]

Welcome.

You've not read the many threads on this subject in here yet then. I get the impression that the no spare wheel idea is not popular with most owners. Probably better than it used to be when very few dealers had the appropriate kit to fit the tyres though.

Apart from that the XT5 D-4D is a beautiful machine though. Enjoy.

[three5]

Welcome.

You've not read the many threads on this subject in here yet then. I get the impression that the no spare wheel idea is not popular with most owners. Probably better than it used to be when very few dealers had the appropriate kit to fit the tyres though.

Apart from that the XT5 D-4D is a beautiful machine though. Enjoy.

Thanks - the "no spare" situation nearly stopped the purchase for me. Only problem was that the only real alternative with one is a Freeloader - not a pleasant prospect!

I'm very impressed with the forum, but, no - I haven't found the other threads on the spare wheel issue. Can you point me in the right direction?

[dave.m]

Hi mate and welcome to TOC, as T600 said, the no spare is a hot topic on here which will get hotter as most new Rav's

now dont have one. Regarding threads on the issue, here's one I made earlier -

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76532

edit, heres another -

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77955

edit, edit and another -

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76546

[T600]

and this one

Though I'm not sure if my comment about the machines applies to all of the vehicles without spares; do some have run flats, and some have a canister then?

[Yossarian]

Hi folks,

I'm in W. Yorks and new to the forum as I collect my first Toyota, a RAV4 XT5 D-4D in about a fortnight. The thing that is worrying me a bit is the lack of a spare wheel. Has anyone had any experience of using the "repair kit" in a roadside situation?

I hadn't had a puncture in years, then three in the space of a month, none of them repairable with the tube of gunk supplied with my Audi A2. Luckily I had bought a spare set of wheels on eBay and I was able to swap them (the problems all happened close to home luckily).

The A2 has now been replaced by a RAV 4 XT-R which has the same problem (or is it a 'feature'?) so I had a look on eBay again and managed to get a spare set of 17" Toyota alloys before I even took delivery of the car! I shall be keeping one as a spare which will go in the boot for trips to the Highlands and Islands and take my chance with the 'repair kit' the rest of the time. The remaining three wheels may well find themselves back on eBay when I have time to do it.

Only 200 miles so far in the RAV but very impressed with it already - and no punctures yet!

Yossarian

[bothwell_buyer]

I can't be bothered posting up the pic, but I saw a LR with 2 spare wheels bolted on the back door in a mag!!

With our Punto, I bought a spare full size wheel rather than the space saver. I've got a bit of a quandery now as my 1st RAV has 18" wheels but my 2nd still has 16" alloys which are quite nice. Its easier if I have all the same but we'll see. Still have a spare set of 16" RAV alloys and tyres.

My LR now has 4 new wheels and tyres but as its capability is 30 miles from home and the tyres are huge mud fluggers, then things shouldn't be a problem!!

Just couldn't think of going without a spare.

[three5]

Hi mate and welcome to TOC, as T600 said, the no spare is a hot topic on here which will get hotter as most new Rav's

now dont have one. Regarding threads on the issue, here's one I made earlier -

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76532

edit, heres another -

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77955

edit, edit and another -

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76546

Thanks Dave - I thought it was just me ( getting old and grumpy ) who was concerned. I'll be getting a spare wheel.