New Car Spare Tyre
Published Date: 18th Oct 2012
New Car Spare Wheel
BBC TV consumer programme Watchdog ran a story on the increasingly common practice of New Car Manufacturers deleting the spare wheel when producing new cars.
All new car manufacturers are competing to obtain the lowest CO2 emission banding for their new vehicles and the trend is smaller, more powerful engines and reduced kerb weight and as a result the spare tyre has had to go.
The opinion in the uk car discount office seems to be that manufacturers justify the removal of spare wheels as a way of losing 20 kilos from the weight of the car and by doing so the fuel saved during the lifetime ownership benefits the driver considerably. Other justifications for omitting the spare wheel revolve around increased load capacity in the boot and the environmental benefits in savings on steel and rubber production.
Other anecdotal justification comes from the practicality of a Tyre inflation kit for drivers when a simple puncture can be repaired by the side of the road without the need to change a wheel or a call to the AA, RAC or Green Flag to change a wheel because the driver cannot change the wheel themselves.
In the UK drivers have grown up with the perceived security of having the spare wheel in the boot of the vehicle which allows them to change a tyre and continue their journey, but just how many drivers would actually change a wheel themselves is unknown.
It seems whatever the pros and cons of having a spare wheel it is becoming increasingly common for new car manufacturers to remove them on the basis of environmental/practical justification, so it is important for consumers to ensure they understand that it is more likely than not that their new car will not have a spare wheel in the boot.
Manufacturers who no longer include a spare wheel are:
Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Mini, Nissan, Porsche, Skoda, Smart, Seat, Vauxhall.
According to the BBC Watchdog programme, out of the top ten new cars sold in the uk in 2012 only the Volkswagen Golf and Polo contain a spare wheel.
There are quite a few new car manufacturers who offer the option at the point of order of adding a spare wheel to the specification, but this can often result in the vehicle having to be a factory order which would normally mean a eight to ten week lead time for the new vehicle.
At uk car discount we can advise on all aspects of your new car purchase, so if you want to discuss this or any other subject call 0161 946 3500 and we will be happy to help.
BBC TV Watchdog video on Spare Wheels on New Cars