Full size spare, space saver, gaskets or puncture repair kit? | what to pay attention to

Many new vehicles are now equipped with smaller, more compact and lighter aftermarket parts.

When was the last time you changed a tire, and do you think you could do it tomorrow if you had to?

There's a good chance you're wrong and you won't be able to loosen the wheel nuts, but there's also a good chance you'll have a hard time remembering the last time you had a flat tire.

According to Jack Haley, NRMA Senior Policy Advisor for Vehicles and the Environment, tire technology and sidewall strength in particular have improved so much over the years that punctures have become much less common.

"Most people haven't had a piercing in years," he says. “Tire technology has improved, but closed-load trucks don't dump as much trash on the roads these days. Not much trash."

However, if you are unlucky, you may also find that you and your tire wrench are not up to the task. “We found that a lot of people, even men, can't loosen screws because these days they've all been screwed on with an air gun and they're just too tight,” explains Mr. Haley.

You don't want to be 300km from the nearest tire center and try to use your space savings because you wear it out before you get there

“They used to be made by hand, but now everyone has performance pistols because it's faster. Our roadside assistance guys have guns too, so that's fine, but if you try it yourself, you'll find that you can even stand on the tire iron and they won't budge. Come on, go outside and try it right now.

"I actually bought a piece of pipe as an extension for mine, so I can do it, but my wife still can't."

There are, of course, other options; many car companies now offer roadside assistance, most of which is provided by car clubs such as the NRMA, but some men find it castration to ask for help with a simple tire change.

Not all spare parts are the same

There are also plenty of options when you buy a new car now: full-size parts are offered less often or only as an option, and many cars are fitted with smaller, lighter compact parts or TUSTs (Temporarily Used Spare Tires). ). 

Many other premium vehicles are also offered with run-flat tires with stronger sidewalls, which means they can travel around 80 km at speeds up to 80 km/h even after a puncture. 

Then there are the more expensive sports cars that you get less with - no spare tire at all, just a puncture repair kit, which is a can of "goo" that you can hopefully fill a tire with that will keep it. ride until you help. As long as help is close at hand.

So which option is better, especially in Australian conditions?

Full size or compact

“If you're traveling long distances, we highly recommend a full-size spare, you don't want to be 300km from the nearest tire shop and try to save space because you wear it out before you get there,” says Mr. Haley.

“You also can't get to 80 km/h on compact cars and they're narrow to save space so they don't have much ground for the weight of the car, which affects handling and therefore lower speed.

“They don't do well on a gravel road and they wear out and I would be very careful with them on a wet road too.

“Many car companies offer a space saver as standard, but you can ask for a full-size spare and it will fit nicely in the wheel, in most cases it just raises the rear floor a bit. You may have to pay for this, but Holden made it an extra free option when they introduced the space saver on the Commodore.

Puncture repair kit

Puncture repair kit

Mr Haley says the slime jar option is also a very emergency solution. “If you have something in a tire and you lubricate it, you can go 100 or 200 kilometers, but it can be a little tricky if you haven't done it before,” he says.

"Fortunately, the only sports cars that are really trying to save on weight usually have a can of goo and a few Mercedes-Benz sedans."

Run flat tire

Running shoes

Benz spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says only the company's sportier AMG-equipped sedans have puncture repair kits. “It's because of the type of tires that AMG uses, but almost every second car we sell now uses run flat tires and we have a lot of faith in this technology,” explains Mr. Stamoulis.

“The sidewalls are much stronger, they just don’t tear and tear like they used to. But the good thing is that if something goes wrong, you can keep moving and find a place to stop.”

Mr. Haley says the problem with run-flat tires is that stock is not good and you might have a hard time finding a place that has one within the 80km you get with run-flat tires. "They also don't fit all types of punctures, I've had sidewall cuts on gravel roads so they're not good for that," he says.

The other problem, of course, is that if you get a puncture during a run, you will have to replace it. Just like you will need to replace a compact spare part if you are forced to drive it for more than 40 or 50 km.

BMW, which advocated run-flat tires back when Mercedes thought they were a ridiculous idea, also uses them across its entire fleet, with the exception of its M (slime jar) sports cars. 

The company has long highlighted the safety benefits of Run Flats, which it believes will eventually lead to them taking over the automotive world. “People should not put themselves in danger by getting out of the car and trying to make repairs,” the spokeswoman said.

Every year, unfortunately, all over the world, people are hit and killed when they try to change a tire on the side of the road, but a used driver will never do it. It may be easier and safer to just call for roadside assistance, no matter what spare parts you have.