Crosstar: space saver spare wheel

[BestwoodRoadie]

I’d had my new ex about 4 weeks( July 2022), was on my way to Scotland from Nottingham, had a n/side blowout in yorks, it ripped the tyre to shreds, as came out after 3 hours, they could only lift the car & take me somewhere??, luckily my son lived in Wakefield so as took me there(3 am), rang round the next day for a new tyre only one open (Sunday) that had one was at pontefract, rang as again, 3 hours for a piggy bag to get a new tyre fitted, then on to Scotland.
It was a ball ache and a pain.

[Kremmen]

I wonder if other cars and manufacturers will follow suit.

Whilst punctures are rare these days I'm happy to pay the hundred or so to carry one but having no dedicated space is an inconvenience.

Having to wait 3 hours then more delay later on is a worry.

[sportse]

I had a loan civic once that they used the tyre goo on (without telling me) before loaning it.

I’d thought something was off as the handling/vibration was a bit weird.

The tyre only managed maybe 100 miles before it failed, then I had to call Honda assistance.

As it was on the M11 they sent a flatbed to recover the car - was quite silly seeing it delivered to the dealers when all that was wrong was a puncture.

The problem with space savers is you have nowhere to put the full size wheel you have just taken off.

We are a few years away from tyres that can’t be punctured, but it’s coming.

[Lord Voltermore]

I agree that carrying a spare makes less sense  if its in your home country, or adjoining countries on main roads. Especially if you have to buy a wheel , and dont have  a wheel well. 

Sure I could call out a breakdown service , and might need to do so anyway  if the car is somewhere hazardous.  But they (or I )  can fit my spare and I'm on my way. Able to arrange ,at my convenience , tyre repair or replacement with a brand of my choosing,   , or even sourcing a new wheel of the correct type.

Its probably 15 years since I last  needed to fit a spare .  But without it I would  have needed to call out a breakdown service   It was  out of hours so unless a 24 hour mobile tyre fitter could attend  PDQ  its  likely we would have needed at least one night in a hotel for two couples. 

I,m not advocating it for everybody  , but for some of my Journeys  I am happy to sacrifice some boot space  to avoid this situation, however unlikely .  Especially as I often travel in remote and mountainous parts of europe, with potholes. It helps that I have two sets of  wheels and can use one as a spare.     Imagine how I would feel, stranded, miles from anywhere,   knowing  I have  suitable spare sitting at home in the garage.

  I thought some readers might be interested to see  how it looks. 

[culzean]

We are a few years away from tyres that can’t be punctured, but it’s coming.

They have been runflat tyres for a long time, trouble is they are stiff and expensive....   A lot of industrial vehicles have foam filled tyres, as do a lot of wheelchairs and electric mobility stuff,  where a puncture could be a massive problem...

https://www.bigtyres.co.uk/tyre-foam-filling

[Karoq]

The AA now carry universal hub adapters and universal spacesaver. They fit it and follow you to the nearest tyre shop where they retrieve their 'gubbins'. What happens if it occurs in the middle of the night or on a Sunday, I know not!

[Lord Voltermore]

The AA now carry universal hub adapters and universal spacesaver. They fit it and follow you to the nearest tyre shop where they retrieve their 'gubbins'. What happens if it occurs in the middle of the night or on a Sunday, I know not!

Choice between paying for a hotel  or a 24 hour tyre fitter ? Or would they take you and the vehicle to your home/destination   Same could happen with a major mechanical breakdown  far from home I suppose, but this one is avoidable. 

For those who do want to carry a spare and lash it down the photos show a way.

 Just a prototype at present.  I may buy better strapping, and add more padding in case of chaffing.   One end to the rear left lashing point  .( I  hadnt noticed it before - Photo is the right hand one)  The other end  is attached to a sturdy  child seat  anchorage, from behind. You can just see the strap I used, which leads out to the rear.  There is a straight 'line of sight'  for tensioning the strap  without fouling anything.  But  do so at your own risk.   

One slight hitch, if you put the right hand seat back down the child seat anchorage moves forward, and the strap fouls the sprung flap.  But you can put the left one down.

[Jazzyone]

Out of interest would the tyre squeeze in the rear foot well? With one side jammed just under a front seat and the other under the rear seat effectively anchoring it. If it does  I suppose a rear passenger if they had to could travel ok in the rear with  their feet resting on the top of it. This would leave the boot clear for luggage.

[Lord Voltermore]

Out of interest would the tyre squeeze in the rear foot well? With one side jammed just under a front seat and the other under the rear seat effectively anchoring it. If it does  I suppose a rear passenger if they had to could travel ok in the rear with  their feet resting on the top of it. This would leave the boot clear for luggage.

No. I tried it a while ago, and I may  have adopted that method if  it had worked. .  If you lift the magic seat  it is possible to lay a full size spare on the floor but the seat base wont fold back enough to sit on . It  only reaches about 45 degrees IIRC .    It might just be possible with a space saver,  but I wouldnt bet on it , and the folding leg wouldnt engage properly so the seat may be unsafe.   If you have lost a passenger seat anyway it probably better just to fold the back seat down flat.   But in some situations having the magic seat up, wheel low  down on the  floor,weighed down  with cargo on top, might be quite a good option ,and might even allow more volume overall.

If you have a passenger able to safely  travel with no leg room  an alternative would be to lay a bag on the floor that restores some of the lost luggage volume.   A cabin luggage sized wheelie bag fits nicely.  Or squashy bag that allows feet to reach the floor.

[RuthieB]

Out of interest would the tyre squeeze in the rear foot well? With one side jammed just under a front seat and the other under the rear seat effectively anchoring it. If it does  I suppose a rear passenger if they had to could travel ok in the rear with  their feet resting on the top of it. This would leave the boot clear for luggage.

No. I tried it a while ago, and I may  have adopted that method if  it had worked. .  If you lift the magic seat  it is possible to lay a full size spare on the floor but the seat base wont fold back enough to sit on . It  only reaches about 45 degrees IIRC .    It might just be possible with a space saver,  but I wouldnt bet on it , and the folding leg wouldnt engage properly so the seat may be unsafe.   If you have lost a passenger seat anyway it probably better just to fold the back seat down flat.   But in some situations having the magic seat up, wheel low  down on the  floor,weighed down  with cargo on top, might be quite a good option ,and might even allow more volume overall.

If you have a passenger able to safely  travel with no leg room  an alternative would be to lay a bag on the floor that restores some of the lost luggage volume.   A cabin luggage sized wheelie bag fits nicely.  Or squashy bag that allows feet to reach the floor.

I do similar with my space saver which  kept from our 2011 Jazz IMA hybrid (which also didn’t have a proper spare wheel. On the old Jazz you could lie it flat in the rear footwell and still engage the rear seat floor mechanism as normal. I have to use similar adaptations as yourself on the new Jazz but only tend to put the spare in when travelling more than 20 miles from home…..wife’s car. My CRV hybrid currently doesn’t have a spare so I’m relying on the residual Honda AA assist if I get a problem!

[John Ratsey]

My CRV hybrid currently doesn’t have a spare so I’m relying on the residual Honda AA assist if I get a problem!

Unless it's been discontinued recently your dealer, if you request, can arrange for a free one year extension of Honda assistance as part of a service.

[RuthieB]

My CRV hybrid currently doesn’t have a spare so I’m relying on the residual Honda AA assist if I get a problem!

Unless it's been discontinued recently your dealer, if you request, can arrange for a free one year extension of Honda assistance as part of a service.

Thanks John, CRV is a2019 demo with included 5 year service plan so probably wouldn’t qualify for that

[ColinB]

My CRV hybrid currently doesn’t have a spare so I’m relying on the residual Honda AA assist if I get a problem!

Unless it's been discontinued recently your dealer, if you request, can arrange for a free one year extension of Honda assistance as part of a service.

Thanks John, CRV is a2019 demo with included 5 year service plan so probably wouldn’t qualify for that

The service plan shouldn’t be a factor. My Mk3 also has a service plan, and at every service I just ask the dealer to extend the Honda Assist. They don’t advertise or offer it, but it’s available if you ask.

[Jazzik]

I think that's the normal way of doing things. Here (in Poland) the dealer extends the Honda Assist every year (free of charge... or maybe it's included in the service price?) as long as the car receives its prescribed service at a Honda dealer.