Space Saver Spare

[barrycoll]

with the help of you folks I now have the OBD location sorted, but the other 'worry' of a solar roof Gen 3 is that they dispense with the spare wheel...

as I am driving down to Spain in June, the thought of a flat tyre in the Pyrenees is a a bit spooky so will have to buy a space saver to take with

does anybody have any ideas regarding regarding a discount wheel as Mr T wants £185 for a thin rim and a bike tyre???

how many owners are happy to drive around with a wing and a prayer, as they used to say in WW2??

thanks barrycoll

[Terry953]

Have a look at this :--- http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/119257-tire-temporary-mobility-restoration-kit/

There is another thread somewhere but I can't pin it down just now - Some sort of rumour that Toyota are sorting out a space saver spare wheel as an accessory, due out May ??? - for Auris Icons and presumably the others in the new range.

[barrycoll]

Thanks Terry...

maybe the Auris is anot afflicted by the CO2 versus weight, that the Prius with opening roof does...the roof kit weighs 50kgs, so the spare wheel goes, in order to get those 92grms, so an after market accesory would be the only way forward...

but I am still back to £185 for cheap wheel and tyre....if it was a 20" alloy and low profile tyre it would be a different matter

cheers barrycoll

[Parts-King]

For some reason space saver tyres and spares are a stupid price, always have been and with very little margin in them

There will be SOME spare wheel kits available around June but have no idea what models will be available at this time

Kingo

[johalareewi]

have you checked car breakers for second hand ones?

[barrycoll]

yes, johal, I have tried wrecking yards...sometimes they do, sometimes they dont, have space savers...."not this week, sir"

but thanks for the thought

barrycoll

[Peter Sale]

Do you really need a space saver or if the car won't be full, would it be an option to find a 'full sized' or something close wheel ?

Think if there were only the two of us travelling I would prefer the inconvenience of that than not having a spare - your call of course.

Peter

[barrycoll]

its true Peter, that a full sized would be the best option, but when we travel down to Spain, there are bikes on the back, and windsurfers and a sail/boom bag on the roof, plus a boot full of my wife's clothes etc etc....so a 15" wheel and tyre would be a problem

I am actaully picking up mt new T Spirit this Thursday, and its quite exciting....the supplying dealer can't/won't supply a space saver at the time of delivery, as it goes against regs. (homologation, or something), so I still have time to look for a cheaper option

cheers barrycoll

[Duffryn]

As you've obviously 'invested' a lot of money in your new car, if it was me, well I'd certainly go for a new spacesaver. Worth it for peace of mind, especially with you future trip in mind.

"Don't spoil the ship for a ha'peth of tar" .

[barrycoll]

Good advice David, and think that I will act on it.

The 'big money' was tempered somewhat by buying the car through an online broker, and saving about £4000 over showroom price.....the supplying dealers seem more interested in volume sales to achieve bonuses rather than individual car profit margins..

....and its interesting just how much good practical philosophy is available for free, on this site!

cheers barrycoll

[PeteB]

At least you have (presumably) a space under the boot floor to put a space saver. I was going to buy a Plug-in Prius until I found there wasn't anywhere to put a spare wheel, even if I bought one (same rationale as you - I plan some trips to Spain).

Some years ago I occasionally used a firm's 2006 Prius with a plug-in conversion, which despite having nearly three times the EV range of the official model, still had room for the space saver, so I was gobsmacked to find that a firm with all Toyota's resources hadn't achieved the same with their Plug-in.

Luckily the latest revisions meant I could buy a T3 (15" wheels) with SatNav and Cruise Control so I got what I really needed without the ludicrous 17" wheels of the T4/Spirit (which reverse the drag coefficient improvement to worse then the Mk2!), but to my horror, when I went to buy a full size spare to replace the space saver, found that although there was enough room under the boot floor, the design of the underfloor trays meant it wouldn't fit, so I'll either have to stay with the space saver, have the under floor trays modified, or leave the trays out altogether, which removes the support for the main boot floor. Brilliant!

Regards, PeteB

[cuius]

...on a related topic...interesting that Suzuki deleted the spare wheel from the Grand Vitara in 2010...it's back due to public demand (or probably lack of sales) for the 2013 update

[barrycoll]

space savers seem to bring the worst out in manufacturers....but just maybe we all see a conspiracy were none really is, and its all down to Euro 5 and weight saving

its interesting Pete, that you and I come the same conclusions but from different directions....I too didn't want (the pretty) but ineffective 17" wheels and low profile tyres, but I wanted all the other bells & whistles, and especially a sunroof....but no sunroof available on anything but a T spirit, but amazingly (for me) only with 15" rims

perhaps if the rear suspension was a little more sophisticated, the 17" rims would ride as well on crap UK roads, as they do on the new Mark 7 Golf.......but they dont

nevertheless , the new car is available for me from tomorrow, and rather than have some lead foot deliver it to me, I will take a train journey to the Yorkshire from London, and pick it up.............far more exciting

[PeteB]

space savers seem to bring the worst out in manufacturers....but just maybe we all see a conspiracy were none really is, and its all down to Euro 5 and weight saving

its interesting Pete, that you and I come the same conclusions but from different directions....I too didn't want (the pretty) but ineffective 17" wheels and low profile tyres, but I wanted all the other bells & whistles, and especially a sunroof....but no sunroof available on anything but a T spirit, but amazingly (for me) only with 15" rims

perhaps if the rear suspension was a little more sophisticated, the 17" rims would ride as well on crap UK roads, as they do on the new Mark 7 Golf.......but they dont

nevertheless , the new car is available for me from tomorrow, and rather than have some lead foot deliver it to me, I will take a train journey to the Yorkshire from London, and pick it up.............far more exciting

Hi barrycoll

How did the journey, car collection go? Hope you are pleased with it.

Regards, PeteB

[barrycoll]

thanks for the interest Pete, and as per my 2013 prius review post, the big feature that would 'disappoint you is the 17" rims that came with the new car

very unexpected, and now 50% happy and 50% disappointed.....eg appearance versus ride quality

on the other hand, I have been searching online for a space saver for a 15" wheeled Prius, and the 17" wheel may make the search easier, as more have been possibly produced?

at this stage, I think we may consider ourselves 'lucky' that there is any sort of cut-out in the boot space to take a spare wheel, as somebody on this site or the USA one, has found no space had been left at all on a new Plug in

[PeteB]

thanks for the interest Pete, and as per my 2013 prius review post, the big feature that would 'disappoint you is the 17" rims that came with the new car

very unexpected, and now 50% happy and 50% disappointed.....eg appearance versus ride quality

on the other hand, I have been searching online for a space saver for a 15" wheeled Prius, and the 17" wheel may make the search easier, as more have been possibly produced?

at this stage, I think we may consider ourselves 'lucky' that there is any sort of cut-out in the boot space to take a spare wheel, as somebody on this site or the USA one, has found no space had been left at all on a new Plug in

Twas me that wanted the Plug-in, I would have bought one for sure but for that. Especially as it also has 15" wheels.

Once or twice a month I do a long journey (doing a 300 mile round trip tomorrow), but most of my journeys here in Norfolk are ½-10 mile round trips, so I'd hardly use any juice most of the month, apart from keeping my 96-year-old mother warm!). Even many of my coffee stops have charging points, so I'd be able to top up the Battery a little en route on my extended journey days. I did a few thousand miles in a converted 2006 plug-in Prius, and frequently got 1500 miles between fuel stops, despite using the engine on the M1 a fair but (much less rpm than a standard Prius though).

Isn't the space saver the same whether you have 15" or 17" wheels?

I gather the new Auris has no spare at all either.

Regards, PeteB

[barrycoll]

No Pete, apparently not, re the 15 versus 17" wheels...

the wheels are the same, but the tyres are different, according to the supplying dealer of my Prius....he had wheels but no tyres for 15" wheels, but as the rolling radius should be the same, it confuses me...???

sorry to not recall your "lack of spare space" post, but it is the passing of time

cheers barrycoll

[Sagitar]

No Pete, apparently not, re the 15 versus 17" wheels...

the wheels are the same, but the tyres are different, according to the supplying dealer of my Prius....he had wheels but no tyres for 15" wheels, but as the rolling radius should be the same, it confuses me...???

sorry to not recall your "lack of spare space" post, but it is the passing of time

cheers barrycoll

I must admit that it confuses me too.

I have both 15" and 17" wheels for my T Spirit. The wheel and tyre combination (15" with 195/65 or 17" with 215/45) is such that the peripheral diameter is essentially the same. Likewise for the space saver which is a 16" wheel with a 135/80 tyre. They are all well within the 2.5% diameter difference limit that manufacturers recommend.

I have never even considered the possibility of needing two space savers . . . .

[Terry953]

No Pete, apparently not, re the 15 versus 17" wheels...

the wheels are the same, but the tyres are different, according to the supplying dealer of my Prius....he had wheels but no tyres for 15" wheels, but as the rolling radius should be the same, it confuses me...???

sorry to not recall your "lack of spare space" post, but it is the passing of time

cheers barrycoll

I must admit that it confuses me too.

I have both 15" and 17" wheels for my T Spirit. The wheel and tyre combination (15" with 195/65 or 17" with 215/45) is such that the peripheral diameter is essentially the same. Likewise for the space saver which is a 16" wheel with a 135/80 tyre. They are all well within the 2.5% diameter difference limit that manufacturers recommend.

I have never even considered the possibility of needing two space savers . . . .

Lets look at your figures first = (15" with 195/65 or 17" with 215/45)

15” is the diameter of the wheel rim in inches. [or the diameter of the tyre bead where it fits onto the rim\ inside diameter]

195 is the width of the tyre at the widest place when fitted to the rim in millimetres.

65 is the profile % calculated from the tyre width [195mm]

In other words the tyre is 65% of 195mm measured radially from the wheel rim, so is a High Profile tyre.

This sort of tyre looks like the old doughy crossply tyres with a deep measurement from rim to tread [the radial depth].

Next

17” is the rim diameter in inches.

215 the width of the tyre ay the widest part [215mm]

45 in the profile %.

In other words the tyre is 45% of 215mm measured radially from the wheel rim, and is classed as a Low Profile tyre.

This sort of tyre is noticeably thinner in height from rim to tread than the other.

However the Overall Diameter of the two tyre/wheel assemblies if place side by side are about the same.

This is what matters not the wheel diameters.

You could do that or work it out arithmetically, or compare the overall outside diameters by using a tape measure.

Hope this helps

Cheers TerryB

[barrycoll]

I have seen Prius space saver on eBay for £89+P&P supposedly with an unused Goodrich tyre

size 125X70X D16", but it comes from an 09 car

in the light of Terry's analysis, I am wondering if it is a good deal..............£185 new apparently

cheers barrycoll

[steverally]

I have seen Prius space saver on ebay for £89+P&P supposedly with an unused Goodrich tyre

size 125X70X D16", but it comes from an 09 car

in the light of Terry's analysis, I am wondering if it is a good deal..............£185 new apparently

cheers barrycoll

It sounds like a good buy but check whether its 4 or 5 stud and what the stud pattern (distance between studs) is suitable for your vehicle.

[Sagitar]

I have seen Prius space saver on ebay for £89+P&P supposedly with an unused Goodrich tyre

size 125X70X D16", but it comes from an 09 car

in the light of Terry's analysis, I am wondering if it is a good deal..............£185 new apparently

cheers barrycoll

If that wheel and tyre size is described correctly then it gives a wheel diameter of 22.9 inches compared with 25 inches for the standard 195/65 - 15 wheel.

Isn't that too small?

[barrycoll]

it certainly doesn't sound right, by your calculations, Sagitar, but it would be interesting to know the measurements for a curently available space saver.....

and as for the stud hole distances, well now we are getting a bit esoteric, Steve, and we don't know whether Toy R&D have changed the wheel specs since 09 cars...

sounds, and looks, like a new wheel would be the safest option

cheers barrycoll

[barrycoll]

just to get my head straight about the availability and sizing of a new space saver, you wouldn't believe the faff that Jemca the local Toy delaer is making over the sizing of the wheel for this car

because the car is listed on their data base as a solar roof model, and so not having a space saver, the bloke behind the counter is having a nervous breakdown...

he didn't seem to realise that it is basically a T Spirit with 17" rims, but he came back with a size of 135X70X17" as the space saver, which looks a bit ridiculous to me

the local motor factor has some used wheels in stock with a size of 125 x 70 x16

so who is correct here????????.....if I order a new wheel from Toy Town, and it doesn't fit, its my problem apparently and they wont take it back....amazing

[PeteB]

just to get my head straight about the availability and sizing of a new space saver, you wouldn't believe the faff that Jemca the local Toy delaer is making over the sizing of the wheel for this car

I think I'd try to find a T4 or T-Spirit in a showroom, and have a look under the boot floor.

I wonder why they suddenly switch to 17" on the sunroof model?

Good luck! Regards, PeteB