No Spare Wheel

[thelewisgang]

I have a 2009 Smart For Two car but they weren't manufactured with a spare tyre. I need to get breakdown cover but the companies I have contacted won't sign me up unless I have a tyre repair kit in the car. I know I can buy a can of the gunk that's put into the tyre but have no idea if one type is better than another. Has anyone had experience of this product? Thanks

[sapelesam]

I believe they are all very similar. They are a temporary fix for small punctures. You then have the problem of tyre fitters who refuse to repair the tyre due to the gunk inside. I would buy one to satisfy the breakdown company but try not to use it. Do you have different wheel sizes on the front and back. Just wondered if you have room for a space saver spare. I know the boot is tiny.

[thelewisgang]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, different wheel sizes front & back. A space saver would have been ideal..The boot space isn't as tiny as people think

[mikey4444]

Given the different wheel sizes, its not easy to see how a space saver wheel would help, given that you would need to carry 2 of them.

What does Smart say about this ?

[Togo]

I think you can stow a front tyre for the smart car behind the passenger seat. The front tyre will fit on the back as well as a temporary measure if it is a rear puncture. Doers the drop down rear door have a little compartment built into it? In there you can stow a little jack and socket wrench, but bag them up or wrap them to prevent rattling. Get a socket wrench with an extension bar unless you are exceedingly strong.

[mikey4444]

Togo....I am not a fan of these daft tyre repair kits at all, but given the problem with the size of the car, and the different wheel sizes, maybe a kit is the only really plausible solution.

By the way...different wheel sizes....not sure if I have come across this before...how widespread is it ?

[Old_Geezer]

This 2009 Smart For Two: not a drag racer is it ?

Otherwise it seems to have a big design issue.
Just get any kit, get the cover, and make a point of trading in for a more standard car in the near future.

[Togo]

I think that they are just different widths Mikey. Same size but the front is narrower. It would be dangerous to have different widths on the front but is OK as a temporary measure to have different width rear tyres. Hence get a spare for the front and it just about fits behind the passenger seat as long as the passenger is not a six footer who needs the seat right back.

[mikey4444]

I agree with OG here....this is serious inbuilt design problem for Smart. Personally, while I think that they look quite cute, I really can't think of a good reason for anyone to buy one, given that there are other small cars available, that would do the job just as well.

[Prudie]

To just satisfy breakdown cover I'd just get any tin of gunk. It's all I have in my car as standard. It is only for real emergency use, it destroys the tyre. If you wanted to be safe by carrying a spare it looks like you'd need 2 and that will use up any space.

[mikey4444]

The difficulty with these daft repair kits is that they can't cope with all punctures, and you end up having to buy a new tyre anyway.

Can you imagine being out in the snow, at this time of year, and then being stranded because you haven't got a proper spare ?

When I changed over my Fiesta in March, I took the spare out of my old Fiesta and put into the empty well. I have had this space-saver spare for 6 years, and have had to use it 3 times.

But with this Smart Car, that would not be possible I suppose.

[bhg481]

I don't see how it's a "big design issue". There are lots of cars on the market that come without a spare wheel and have no room to put one (most of dual-fuel cars that were popular a while ago, to name but a few). Do the current hybrid cars have a spare or is the space taken up by the batteries? It would stop me buying one because of the sort of use to which I put a car but no problem for lots of people. When did you last have a puncture? I've had 2 in the 180,000 miles I've done in this car

[Old_Geezer]

Then there are a lot of cars with a design issue.
The one I have fails. I didn't realise until I needed to use it but all it has is one of those thin "Noddy" spares.

[Prudie]

Well I have an SLK and that has no spare - as for design it's outstanding!

[mikey4444]

Prudie....until you have a puncture !

[furrypusscat]

I personally would go for a space saver wheel. I understand that only one is required. However, they are to get you out of an emergency situation with a maximum distance of 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50 mph. I assume that is relevant to all vehicles.

[Prudie]

Not really Mikey, I'd use the gunk or call my breakdown people

[furrypusscat]

Once you have used the gunk, as said earlier, most tyre fitters won't do a repair they will want to sell you a new tyre, then you have the expense of the new tyre plus another repair kit.

[Old_Geezer]

"However, they are to get you out of an emergency situation with a maximum distance of 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50 mph."

So when I needed to use it I should have flown the last 80 miles not touching the motorway ? A useless change done just to save money which, no doubt, ended up on the manufacturer's bottom line.

[furrypusscat]

I would imagine that possibly within 50 miles, there may be a tyre repair company, however probably doesn't fit everyone's personal circumstances. Apart from money saving, it allows the manufacturers to up the mpg as the weight may have some bearing on the fuel consumption.

[bhg481]

Nowhere in the manual for my Volvo (safety conscious company) am I told that there is a distance limit on the temporary spare. They point out the speed limit of 50mph and say "Replace as soon as possible". Can someone whose manual says otherwise please tell us which car/model it refers to?