Could someone bring me up to speed on this one. My question emanates from another thread where some owners indicated that they were opting out of carrying a spare. What are people doing to repair flats? It use to be: patch it, plug it, tube it or buy a new tire. Plugs were always of questionable value especially at high speed travel. I personally have never had a plug fail and I even plug my own tires. Not rocket science! But at speeds that I could be doing with the S2k, I don't think I'd trust a plug. Temporarily - yes, but not at high speed.

What are the choices? Trying to get an original tire to match the S2K's tire seems like a problem even in an urban area where accessibility is substantially improved. As to those owners who are spare-less and are relying on AAA or other assistance, what happens next after you're flatbedded in? If you don't have a spare do you now buy temp tires if you can't get immediate delivery of OEMs?

Sorry if I'm seeming a little dense to you guys (and ladies) but I've always lived by a different creed: 1. have a spare, 2. keep things simple - rely on yourself as much as possible and 3. be ever vigilent that Mr. Murphy is out to do you harm and the more susceptible you are the more harm will befall you.

I would appreciate your responses to firstly my question about flats and secondly your perceptions on the difficulties of tire replacement under undesireable circumstances - like a blowout going cross country to Asheville (with or without spare)?

 

As one of those who has decided to go spareless, I can tell you that I'm taking a risk that I won't get a flat in some god- forsaken place place where AAA is not readily available. But yes, I will be relying on service from AAA if I get a flat. Since the spare is a temporary (and very problemtic for a rear tire flat) fix, the original tire will have to be repaired anyway, so the only issue for me is that of lost time with AAA versus replacing it with the spare and taking the flat to a repair place. If I think of the two flats I've had with other cars in the past ten years and the trouble and time lost involved in fixing them, getting rid of the spare in the S2000 in exchange for some more space seems like a pretty good gamble.

I hope I don't end up eating my words .

 

Considering the probability of a flat, I carry the spare. I have never owned a vehicle without getting at least one flat sometime in the period of ownership.

Also, I don't want to take the chance of getting the front spoiler or other low hanging parts damaged while being pulled on to a flatbed!

 

I do carry the spare.

I have patched high performance tires for years with no negative impact. As long it is a small puncture away from the sidewall it is a safe repair.

Have done high speed runs and several track days in the last year on patched tires.

 

hmmmmmmmmmm

'93 Prelude VTEC .. owned 8 years 1 month. Never a tire problem. 41,000 miles

'94 Accord EX .. owned 7 years 1 month. Never used spare. Had one leak that needed fixing. 75,000 miles. Did replace several tires for bubbles in sidewall but these never leaked. These are from bad potholes.

'92 Accord EX .. owned 8 years 5 months. Used spare 1 month ago when 18 year old son skidded into curb on ice, caused slow leak, then drove on flat tire for 4 miles. 110,000 miles.

'88 Prelude 4WS .. never had a tire problem in 80,000 miles of ownership. (no longer owned)

'86 Accord LX .. had a flat and used spare once. 80,000 miles (no longer owned)

'81 Aries piece of junk. Wife had a blow-out after a rock stuck in the wheel well and ate the tire. Wife used spare. (no longer owned THANK HEAVENS)

It seems to me going without a spare is a good bet. You probably save enough in gasoline alone. However, it seems to me the best strategy if you do get a flat is to remove the bad tire and take it someplace to get it patched and then put it back on and drive. This sounds like a better deal than having it flatbedded.

For myself, I'll keep the spare so that if I ever get a flat I can drive someplace to get the bad tire patched while I wait for new tires.

But I don't have the guts of Rick and others to take that space for audio.

Barry
'01 #52
enjoying winter driving on SO-2's on dry warm days.

 

Something that has been said before but it is worth repeating: never replace a rear wheel with the spare wheel! The proper way is to swap a front for the spare and use the front at the rear.

I have also questioned the usefulness of the spare. In fact there are a few cars today that come without one (BMW Z3M, is one, but there are others...).

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rick Hesel:
[B]As one of those who has decided to go spareless, I can tell you that I'm taking a risk that I won't get a flat in some god- forsaken place place where AAA is not readily available.

 

Does anyone know if a 245/40/17 fits in the trunk?

People that have upgraded their wheels may be carrying the spare for nothing...

 

I am a spareless driver........swapped out for improved sound system like Rick. The S2K is not my daily driver and I dont live in the middle of no where so that is my reason for not having it. I figure if I get stuck away from home and cant get a replacement tire I could always use someones computer and ask owners here who are in the area "Hey I'm stuck can you help" and I'm sure you guys n gals would bail me out of a jam.

 

What about the idea of carrying an air compressor in the car? Use compressor to give it enough air so you can get to service area. If you live in an urban area, it may be workable. I have left the spare in the S2k for now. If I were to remove the spare, it would be for the purpose of extra trunk space. I am so paranoid about flats that I don't even carry a doughnut-size spare in my MR2. I carry a full size spare at all times, I happen to have an extra steel wheel lying around.