Spare wheel

[oldtimer]

I'm not happy with my wife's car not having a spare wheel. ( only the compressor and can of gunk ) anyone know if a spare with 215/45 R16 tyre will fit in the space in the boot floor?
In my opinion it's a stupid idea that manufacturers are now not suppling spare wheels as they used to. If you have a puncture of the kind that the GUNK won't fix you have to get towed or recovered. Then when you go to get the tyre fixed it's mega bucks to get it all cleaned out and usually a new tyre.

 

[Biker]

It will fit no problem, I recently had a puncture and put the original wheel into the well in the boot till I got it repaired.

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks for that, just got to find somewhere to get one from now.

 

[Dave_]

Tell me about it, I have 4 Ibizas on my fleet at work. Had a real ball-ache getting the correct sized spare wheel.

I agree the compressor/gunk is daft.

Ended up buying 4x 15" steel rims with a 185/60 tyre. Same rolling radius as the 17s fitted to the cars (they're SportRiders).

 

[RUM4MO]

I agree, stupid on the face of it, but I think that the feeling across Europe is that (a) punctures are rare events, (b) supplying a spare costs more money, (c) carrying a spare adds weight and reduces MPG and (d) most people are not safe to let loose wth a jack etc.

A friend at work has a Punto Grande, I suggested that he bought a spare wheel and tyre - easy as his car has steel wheels, so nothing fancy - he thought that was a good idea - but did nothing! When the car was about 6 months old he suffered a complete tyre failure (probably due to hitting something on the motorway), using his "included with warranty" AA cover he thought he had no problem - no! AA call centre insisted that the kit supplied with the car would solve his problem and get him home safely - he took quite a long time to reason with them that the tyre was totally wrecked, eventually a patrol was sent out to check the car and later a recovery truck was sent out to recover him - but only one journey was allowed and it was 18:30 on a Saturday - and the car was loaded with wedding presents (he had been at his daughter's wedding about 150 miles away), so option was, (a) get car left outside dealer in retail estate with yobs around to empty the car, or (b) get car taken home to own driveway. He opted for the second one so that the wedding presents could be safely stored indoors. After that he was on his own, so next was to get the wheel off - not possible no wheel wrench also he would not have a trolley jack etc. Next, to organise a new tyre - he needed to use a day's holiday to get a mobile tyre fitter to come to his home, then, as Fiat used "uncommon" tyre size, he had to wait 3 days until the mobile fitter ordered, took delivery and fitted the tyre - not very handy! He has a real full sized wheel, tyre, wheel wrench and jack now - which cost quite a lot as well as the high cost of getting the initial replacement tyre - lesson learned.

 

[Dave_]

The effect of mpg would be negligible...

Anyway, a spare wheel is much more convenient and effective when the tyre is a total write off than a repair kit.

Even if the driver can't change it themselves, there should be someone that can - be it a breakdown patrol or a friend/colleague etc.

Personally I didn't think it was worth the grief I would get as fleet manager of not having a spare on board so I bough some and popped them in the boot.

The next Ibiza arrives next week and I've sourced one already for it.

 

[Biker]

It makes me laugh, the suggestion that punctures are rare events! In the last month I have suffered a self tapping screw through the sidewall of a tyre and another wrecked thanks to a pothole. Both these tyres could not be repaired, where would I have been without a spare.
I feel so strongly about having a spare tyre that if a car could not have one fitted it would be a deal breaker for me, no spare, no sale! Simple as that.

 

[Dave_]

Yep

Fortunately on all Ibizas there is a spare wheel well, so it's isn't impossible.

I was supplied 18" spacesavers by a main dealer - obviously incorrect when I got them - did some research to find the right size before talking to them but they insisted.

Cue embarrassed main dealer... Lol

 

[Jammytoad]

Dave- don't know if its true or not but when I had a picanto I was told spare wheel wasn't a standard feature as te extra weight pushed up CO2 level so that it fell into a higher road duty banding. I insisted I had one and they put one in as a free option.

The gunk stuff( even if it does work) is more hassle than its worth. Not had to use it but instruction say you have to fill up, drive for bit, stop inflate tyre again then still can't drive at a decent speed or for very long. Surely that's just extra chance of causing or having an accident tt

 

[RUM4MO]

I'd hope that customer pressure would drive this "no spare provided" idea away, I'll be in the market for a couple of new cars over the next year or so, and I aint going to be buying a car without at least the space to store a full sized spare wheel that can idealy be used to run the car at the national speed limits - that is the other issue if ending up with a skinny temporary use space saver.

 

[RUM4MO]

Dave- don't know if its true or not but when I had a picanto I was told spare wheel wasn't a standard feature as te extra weight pushed up CO2 level so that it fell into a higher road duty banding.

Oh I'd believe that, car makers want/need to sqeeze into lower VED bandings as that means a lot to some people - and in reality, if you are just buying a tin box for gettng from A to B, then if similar in all other ways, this group of buyers will always go for the lower VED car as it seems to be in our nature to keep tax paying to a minimum.

 

[staffordian]

I've just bought a new Ibiza 1.4 SE Copa, with 16" alloys, and am trying to get hold of a spare and the tool kit (jack, brace etc) and moulded holder to fit inside the wheel. The dealer I bought from says they are not available to buy!

If anyone knows different, I'd love to know!

The salesman says he will "look out" for one if a p/x Ibiza comes in, but I'm not holding my breath...

 

[oldtimer]

Bl***y hell, I didn't think so many people would be on my side. Maybe there is some way of starting an EU protest against this ridiculous no spare wheel nonsensense the dealers are palming off on us, we are paying the money after all, and should be able to demand a spare wheel whether it's an option or not!!!

Who would like their wife, girlfriend ,partner, mother etc, stuck on a motorway or dark dangerous B road trying to get a breakdown company to take you home or to a garage/dealer because the tyre is too badly damaged to fix with GUNK, when the provision of a spare wheel as has been the norm for donkeys years, would have you on your way with no problem.

Come on manufacturers wise up, you are potentially losing sales here over a simple item.

 

[J400uk]

It is very silly. Have recently got a new A1 and that too lacks the spare wheel so I think its a new thing as my 58' plate Ibiza has one. In fairness though its never been used!

You can probably easily enough get a wheel from eBay, any VAG 5x100 steel will do the trick so that's most Golf MK4 era of cars and anything Polo based from the last 10 years.

 

[J400uk]

I've just bought a new Ibiza 1.4 SE Copa, with 16" alloys, and am trying to get hold of a spare and the tool kit (jack, brace etc) and moulded holder to fit inside the wheel. The dealer I bought from says they are not available to buy!

If anyone knows different, I'd love to know!

The salesman says he will "look out" for one if a p/x Ibiza comes in, but I'm not holding my breath...

The tool kit can be had from - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seat-Ibiza-Mk4-6J-2008-Jack-and-Brace-/270905826023

For wheel as said in my other post it isn't really anything specific to the Ibiza. I wouldn't go for 16" though as the 215-45-R16 tyres are super expensive, get a 14" or 15".

 

[G.P]

I've just bought a new Ibiza 1.4 SE Copa, with 16" alloys, and am trying to get hold of a spare and the tool kit (jack, brace etc) and moulded holder to fit inside the wheel. The dealer I bought from says they are not available to buy!

Your dealer does not know what he/she is talking about, I have purchased from my local dealer a wheel, brace, jack & holder to fit inside the wheel from my local dealer for my wife's Ibiza. . .

 

[big rich]

I've got a steel spare that will fit mk5 ibizas sat in garage doing nothing - size - 175/80/r14 so very very close radius to 214/45 16. Been used once but in great condition.
Tyre foam is okay for screws n small debris in tyre but cuts etc don't even bother.

 

[G.P]

I feel so strongly about having a spare tyre that if a car could not have one fitted it would be a deal breaker for me, no spare, no sale! Simple as that.

+1, friend of mine got a flat late one night, the tyre weld glued the valve, rac had to be called, the low loader pulled the car onto the back wrecking the alloy, he now has a spare. My dad has a BM and has put a spare in the boot, so he now has a car with no boot space. . .

 

[NetworkMan]

I've got a steel spare that will fit mk5 ibizas sat in garage doing nothing - size - 175/80/r14 so very very close radius to 214/45 16.

Not close at all:-
Rolling diameter of 175/80-14 is about 25.0 inches
Rolling diameter of 215/45-16 is about 23.6 inches

Are you sure it's not 175/70- 14? That would be about 23.7 inches.

 

[big rich]

My bad, was thinking radius... It's been a long day.

Still better than a towtruck! Lol