Jeep wouldn't start today...

[Gareth]

Panic not Gareth, its not actually a legal requirement to carry a spare over here.  Though it'd be a good idea to check your spare anyway

it isn't?  I was always under the impression it was.   I wonder how much I could save in petrol if  kept it in the shed?

[jzmtl]

Pump your spare to 5 or 10 psi over the running pressure (check the spec max pressure 1st though!), and unless it has a slow leak you'll get away with check it once a year.

[Carlos]

it isn't?  I was always under the impression it was.   I wonder how much I could save in petrol if  kept it in the shed?

Cars from bmw or ford, for example, are known for being delivery with no extra tyre these last years. bmw due to the runflats and fords because they have some can to stop leakage (as described before on this topic). If you or your friends have models from these brands you check if there's the extra.

Pump your spare to 5 or 10 psi over the running pressure (check the spec max pressure 1st though!), and unless it has a slow leak you'll get away with check it once a year.

Everyone should do that. It saves tyres lifetime and saves fuel.
Unfortunately most people (including me!) seems to don't care. Last time I went to periodic car check, the guys checked tyres pressure. Front was 1.8bar, rear was 1.9bar. The correct values are 2.1 and 2.6 respectively 

[Threeme2189]

I think it's mandatory to carry a spare in the car in israel too.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I don't think there's any laws regarding spare tires here- I think it's just intelligent.  Both my cars have full sized spares which is good because I hate the little doughnut tires most cars have as a spare.



They are supposed to only be good for lower speeds and a short amount of time but I know people that leave them on for weeks before getting a real tire fixed or replaced.   

Some modern cars like the Smart Car don't even have spares, but they do come with a sealant kit and compressor, which makes sense to me.  Barring a catastrophic sidewall blowout you should be able to seal and re inflate just about any flat.



Of course if you get a catastrophic failure like that there's always roadside assistance that comes standard with most cars nowadays.

Def

[Gareth]

I do have a Ford as it happens (a Mondeo) and it does indeed have a full sized spare.  Coincidentally the only time I've ever needed to change a tire was when I had a full blow out when doing 85mph.  So, as well as a proper spare tire, an extra pair of trousers would have been nice. 

 

[Mercury]

I do have a Ford as it happens (a Mondeo) and it does indeed have a full sized spare.  Coincidentally the only time I've ever needed to change a tire was when I had a full blow out when doing 85mph.  So, as well as a proper spare tire, an extra pair of trousers would have been nice. 

 

I keep a heavy duty pair of coveralls in the trunk from my Oilfield days for just that type of occasion.

[Neil]

I do have a Ford as it happens (a Mondeo) and it does indeed have a full sized spare.  Coincidentally the only time I've ever needed to change a tire was when I had a full blow out when doing 85mph.  So, as well as a proper spare tire, an extra pair of trousers would have been nice. 

 

EEk!  That must have been a life affirming moment .... even on a race track  as I'm sure you'd never be doing 85mph on a public road and then admit it in writing

The only problem with those cans of sealant is that most garages won't touch the tyre once its had that stuff squirted in it.  I used it once on the Toyota (it has a space saver and that's thirteen years old now, so I wouldn't trust it.) All my local garages said nope