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Post by LilyRose on Sept 11, 2023 18:09:22 GMT
I’m car shopping, and I’m so over the process! I thought I had made my choice, but I found out today that the car I was looking at has a tiny third row seat (I’ll never use it). So it will fold into the floor, but because of that, there is no room for a spare tire in the car. There’s a “tire repair kit”. Now, I’ll never repair a tire or put on the spare, whichever I have—I’ll be calling AAA. But I feel like I should have a spare. Am I nuts? Do you think a spare is important to have?
Thanks for your thoughts.
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Post by katlady on Sept 11, 2023 18:15:35 GMT
I think a spare is important for me. At least I can call AAA and have them change the tire and then l’ll drive to the car repair shop. Otherwise, they would have to tow it and cost me more money. I wouldn’t know how to use a tire repair kit. I know how to change a tire, but getting the bolts off might be difficult for me.
ETA - But in all my years of driving, I have never used the spare. I’ve always managed to get to a repair shop before things got too bad. I’ve never had a blow out, just slow leaks. So in that sense, maybe they aren’t needed. But I would still like to have one.
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Post by ntsf on Sept 11, 2023 18:42:11 GMT
I have been stuck in eastern nevada on a easter sunday morning with leaking tire.. and if I didn't have a spare I would have been stuck (along with 3 young adults including my son) overnight.
if you only drive in the city/suburbs... maybe. but I want to be able to take care of stuff and not be stuck I drive long distances in the middle of nowhere quite often.
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Post by femalebusiness on Sept 11, 2023 18:48:11 GMT
I would never ever buy a car without a spare tire.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Sept 11, 2023 18:57:30 GMT
I wouldn't buy a car, without a spot for a spare tire.
I do have a tire pumper in my car trunk, but sometimes it's not the best solution.
Sometimes a tire is drivable with replacement air, but sometimes it's not.
More than once, I've needed the spare tire put on, just to be able to make it to the tire store.....to get the tire repaired or replaced.
The last flat that I had, the nail tore the inner part. The tire was leaking air as fast as air was being put it.....so the spare had to be put on. I wouldn't have been able to make it to the tire store on air only.
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Post by dewryce on Sept 11, 2023 18:59:08 GMT
It would have saved our bacon when our tire flew off and we couldn’t find it in the middle of the night outside of Abilene, Tx. It went a really long way on the other side of the highway. It took 4 hours to walk into town. And the next week a tire almost hit our windshield on a highway in Lubbock. Since then we’ve noticed it many times. So unless you always drive in a city or close to towns, I’d get a spare.
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Post by littlemama on Sept 11, 2023 18:59:42 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019.
To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop.
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Post by myshelly on Sept 11, 2023 19:03:59 GMT
We take road trips a lot. I have had to change the tire more times than I can count. I couldn’t travel like I do without a spare, so I would not buy a car without a spare. I am ok with it not being a full size spare (a donut), but it has to be enough to get me into the next town.
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Post by dewryce on Sept 11, 2023 19:05:34 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019. To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop. Depends on where you live. We drive in areas where AAA would physically be at least an hour away. At 2 am in the middle of nowhere you don’t want to wait that long. |
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Post by compeateropeator on Sept 11, 2023 19:07:20 GMT
I am another that would not have a car without a spare. Too much rural driving, dirts roads, and places where one could be needed, even with having AAA. My 2021 Subaru still has one.
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Post by lucyg on Sept 11, 2023 19:12:40 GMT
My new car (RAV4 Prime) is my first one ever that only has a small-size spare. Even that gives me the heebie-jeebies. I’d never buy a car with no spare at all.
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Post by VanC on Sept 11, 2023 19:15:48 GMT
Absolute deal breaker no spare no purchase! And none of those little weenie wheels either, I think they call them donuts. I want one that will get me to at least the next decent size town which is always 50 miles away. One thing I have learned to be incredibly grateful to Daddy for is making me change the tires on every vehicle we owned before I could apply for my Drivers License. Including the tractor.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,295 
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Post by iowgirl on Sept 11, 2023 19:29:21 GMT
I drive a pickup, and it has a full size spare. But god help me if I ever have to change it! LOL
I can definitely change a tire, but when I do now, I have a big jack and air tools to get the lugs off.
But if I had to change my truck tire in the wild - ugh. You have to lower it down from underneath the bed of the pickup.
I had a blow-out on my husbands truck when hauling livestock. I was an hour from home, and he came to change it for me. He brought a cutting torch to cut the tire loose from underneath, because he knew it had been up there for so long, there was no way it was coming off easily.
I do carry a a jump pack that also has an air pump in it. So I can air up a tire, hopefully enough to get me somewhere to fix a tire. I don't travel too far off the ranch most of the time though!
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
Posts: 4,827
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Post by Rhondito on Sept 11, 2023 20:44:51 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019. To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop. Except what happens if it's after-hours and there's no tire shop open?
I want a spare so I can either call roadside assistance to come change it for me, or worst case change it myself - which I've had to do.
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Post by melanieg on Sept 11, 2023 22:58:11 GMT
My 2022 that I got last year didn't come w a spare. Just a repair kit.
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Post by lisacharlotte on Sept 11, 2023 23:06:44 GMT
That's one thing I'm crossing my fingers over. We are driving from Omaha to Los Angeles in two weeks. 1558 miles in a small car with run flats and no spare. The tires aren't even common. We had to have one replaced due to a nail a few months ago and had to wait for a tire from California. Granted, it was through the dealer under our tire warranty, but still, I worry!
We considered buying a full sized spare and just dropping it in the trunk, but we also have different sized tires front and back.
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Post by myshelly on Sept 11, 2023 23:09:55 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019. To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop. This statement is so weird to me. If I’m on a road trip, what do I do? How do I get from the middle of nowhere to a hotel? I am frequently in places (like national parks) where I don’t have cell service and couldn’t call AAA and even if I could the closest tire shop would be hundreds of miles away. I’ve never had a car that didn’t have a spare. |
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Post by littlemama on Sept 11, 2023 23:11:27 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019. To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop. Except what happens if it's after-hours and there's no tire shop open?
I want a spare so I can either call roadside assistance to come change it for me, or worst case change it myself - which I've had to do.
If Im not mistaken, AAA will take ot to your house and then come back in the morning to tow to the shop. Im not saying I wouldnt prefer to have a spare, but it just isnt as common any more. My 2019 Subaru does not have a spare. I cant change that, so if something happens, I'll figure it out then. 🤷🏼♀️ |
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Post by katlady on Sept 11, 2023 23:12:37 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019. To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop. Except what happens if it's after-hours and there's no tire shop open?
I want a spare so I can either call roadside assistance to come change it for me, or worst case change it myself - which I've had to do.
Also, AAA only tows a few miles for free, unless you have the premium service. |
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Post by Merge on Sept 11, 2023 23:12:50 GMT
This thread made me think of this commercial, which DH and I quote with some regularity. youtu.be/MunowVfXOuY?si=k0rmtLAxMFfqgp9_My little Hyundai has a full size spare, so we call it the coelacanth. 😂 And I had a complete tire blowout and had to use the dang thing within a few months of buying the car. I have no idea how to change a tire, though, and don’t plan to learn. We have good roadside assistance through our car insurance. |
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Post by littlemama on Sept 11, 2023 23:13:09 GMT
Spare tires arent that common any more. My 2012 car didnt have one and neither does my 2019. To me, there is no difference between AAA coming out and changing the tire and AAA coming and towing the car to the tire shop. This statement is so weird to me. If I’m on a road trip, what do I do? How do I get from the middle of nowhere to a hotel? I am frequently in places (like national parks) where I don’t have cell service and couldn’t call AAA and even if I could the closest tire shop would be hundreds of miles away. I’ve never had a car that didn’t have a spare. I hardly think there is a place in this country that is "hundreds of miles away" from a tire shop. In any event- would I prefer to have a spare? Of course. Is a spare common any more? Nope. |
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Post by mollycoddle on Sept 11, 2023 23:14:49 GMT
This happened to me last Spring. I got a flat tire, I had a spare, but it needed air. AAA came, but the guy didn’t have an air pump. 🤨🙄. Luckily our custodian did have a pump.
I think that a spare is important. I guess that AAA could tow you to a mechanic or tire shop, but that would be a pain.
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Post by myshelly on Sept 11, 2023 23:15:19 GMT
This statement is so weird to me. If I’m on a road trip, what do I do? How do I get from the middle of nowhere to a hotel? I am frequently in places (like national parks) where I don’t have cell service and couldn’t call AAA and even if I could the closest tire shop would be hundreds of miles away. I’ve never had a car that didn’t have a spare. I hardly think there is a place in this country that is "hundreds of miles away" from a tire shop. In any event- would I prefer to have a spare? Of course. Is a spare common any more? Nope. Really? Ma’am. That is a serious geography fail. There are plenty of places in this country that are hundreds of miles from *anything* at all. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Sept 11, 2023 23:17:05 GMT
I would never buy a car without a spare tyre. I would also be reluctant to buy a car that only comes with the little temporary spare tyre, instead of the full sized tyre.
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Post by katlady on Sept 11, 2023 23:17:06 GMT
Except what happens if it's after-hours and there's no tire shop open?
I want a spare so I can either call roadside assistance to come change it for me, or worst case change it myself - which I've had to do.
If Im not mistaken, AAA will take ot to your house and then come back in the morning to tow to the shop. Im not saying I wouldnt prefer to have a spare, but it just isnt as common any more. My 2019 Subaru does not have a spare. I cant change that, so if something happens, I'll figure it out then. 🤷🏼♀️ California AAA will only tow a car once per incident. So they would tow to your house for free, but charge you to tow from there to a shop. |
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Post by ntsf on Sept 11, 2023 23:27:05 GMT
when I was stuck in elko nv on an easter sunday.. nothing was open. and the aaa guy who did come and change the tire to the spare.. 1 hour of waiting and I was in town, said there wasn't aaa tow truck between elko and winnemucca.. what---500 miles away.. and going up logging roads to trailheads... or out in the national forest.. you can be hours from even being able to call them.
in a national park, you are more likely to be able to contact a ranger who will help getting you car help. and it may be hours of waiting.
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Post by auntiepeas on Sept 11, 2023 23:36:46 GMT
Our cars have always had a spare - I don't think we'd buy one without a method of getting the vehicle to safety. lucyg you look lovely in your photo. 😊 |
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Post by compeateropeator on Sept 11, 2023 23:37:17 GMT
Except what happens if it's after-hours and there's no tire shop open?
I want a spare so I can either call roadside assistance to come change it for me, or worst case change it myself - which I've had to do.
If Im not mistaken, AAA will take ot to your house and then come back in the morning to tow to the shop. Im not saying I wouldnt prefer to have a spare, but it just isnt as common any more. My 2019 Subaru does not have a spare. I cant change that, so if something happens, I'll figure it out then. 🤷🏼♀️ Curious on what model of Subaru you have that doesn’t have a spare? Everything I have read says that Subaru still has a spare. Your post freaked me out so much that I just had to go out and check to make sure mine really did…and luckily it does! It is a 2021 Forester. |
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Gennifer
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,203
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Post by Gennifer on Sept 11, 2023 23:43:47 GMT
I’m really surprised at how many people have had to change tires, let alone repeatedly. In the 30 years that I’ve been driving, I’ve never had a flat tire.
I didn’t think very many new cars even come with spare tires anymore. I honestly don’t know if my Explorer has one, but I know the Corvette I used to drive didn’t.
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Post by compeateropeator on Sept 11, 2023 23:52:19 GMT
I’m really surprised at how many people have had to change tires, let alone repeatedly. In the 30 years that I’ve been driving, I’ve never had a flat tire. I didn’t think very many new cars even come with spare tires anymore. I honestly don’t know if my Explorer has one, but I know the Corvette I used to drive didn’t. From what have read only about 30% of cars don’t have a spare anymore. Maybe that is an old stat, but it seems that the majority still have them. You must have great roads in your area. 😄. Between dirt roads, potholes, debris and such…flats are not totally uncommon in our area. Not frequent but not really uncommon either. |
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