Thread: Spare wheel/tire - and not having one

My 9-4X doesn't have the $250 spare wheel/tire option so it has a kit with a tire sealant and air compressor. I like the safety feel of a spare tire but I can't remember having any major tire failure other than a slow leak from a nail or other sharp object.

Have you ever needed your spare wheel/tire for anything other than a slow leak? Does that tire sealant do a pretty good job? Is the soare tire/wheel a relic from the old days when tire quality wasn't as good as it is now? I think I'll carry a tire repair kit like I had with my motorcycle because I don't really like to put that tire sealant in a tire that can still be repaired.

I never really heard any good stories about run-flat tires so I am glad the 9-4X doesn't use those.

I was following my parents and they had a pop-up camper in-tow. One of the camper tires delaminated and the treads flew off. Luckly camper had a spare, and we threw that on. That's the only time where a sealant wouldn't of worked. I've had a slow leak myself, but sealant would have fixed. My brother once pinched up against a root when we were camping, putting a big 2 inch slice down the side. Again, a spare would of been the only thing to fix it.

I know most cars with run-flats have nothing. No spare, no sealant, not even a lug wrench.

Picked up a left over 2011 9-5 Aero yesterday. While making the 230 mile drive home the tire went out and we were stranded on the side of the road (no tire places open on Saturday night/Sunday). Tried using the sealant but it looks like it was too late. Needless to say, I'm getting a full sized spare and jack for the car.

Never had a tire problem before and thought I'd be fine without even a donut but I was wrong.

I really should get one as well. With a previous 9-5 purchase, I was driving from CA to MI and got a puncture somewhere in North Dakota on Saturday evening. Good luck finding a tire shop like you mentioned. I had a donut but you don't want to drive too long on those.

Well - for the 9-4X install - have fun. I had to install the kit in an SRX one Saturday @ work - what a joke. I hate how these cars don't come with one anymore.... I too would ensure I had one if a car I owned was not equipted.

On a plus side - those air compressors are kick ass tire inflators

Had tires go where sealant wouldn't fix it. Some shops won't work on tires with sealant in them, safety or PITA, depending on the shop.

Originally Posted by oliversexpedition

Had tires go where sealant wouldn't fix it. Some shops won't work on tires with sealant in them, safety or PITA, depending on the shop.

Many tire "sealants" have PROPANE in them - so when a tech reams a metal reamer through the tire past the cords - it could spark and ignite killing the tech. I refuse to touch them unless it has slime - then I just don't like to deal with it.

Install your spare tire, don't waste time trying to "seal" a flat people - just have a spare and learn to change it or have AAA membership

I've had to use my spare FOR a small leak. It went totally flat after awhile an I don't have an air compressor. I had to put the spare on the car while I took the wheel down to a tire shop to get a new tire put on. I say get a spare.

I've actually had a quite a few punctures over 4 1/2 years with my Saab, but I haven't had to use my spare yet. '

Having a spare is a safety net, I guess. I wouldn't be comfortable with just a can of Fix-A-Flat.

I've had at least one garage tell me they wouldn't repair a tire if sealant had been used on it.

I've had a tire blowout on me on the highway. The outside sidewal had completely seperated from the tread. No way sealant would have fixed that.

I ditched the donut in my 9-3 and bought a junkyard G6 wheel and put a decent used tire on it. I didn't want to be stuck on the highway with a donut and have to do 50 or get stuck with it on a drivewheel in the snow. Small price to pay for some peace of mind.

I've had a tire blowout on my SAAB... on the parking lot of the SAAB dealership in Atlanta!

It was a metal piece embedded in the pavement, I was there for an oil change but I had to skip it. I was shipping the car to Germany the next day, so I had no time to argue with them that the dealership should pay for it since they had some metal sticking out of the pavement... 2.5" inch side wall cut on a tire with less than half tread left.

I installed my spare, drove down another half mile down the road and had four new tires installed. Thank goodness I had a spare!

The spare tire kit (wheel, tire, jack, wrench, inserts etc) is about $400 for mine (from the Caddy SRX). Not something I am looking forward to spend money on but it's pretty much the same as insurance. GM probably saved about $50 per vehicle for not including a spare tire?

Can you fit a regular sized wheel in the well and get a bottle jack and proper sized spanner? Would save a few bucks.

Those scissor jacks can be unreliable at best.

Unfortunately not, a regular sized wheel and tire is too big to fit in there.