Learned the hard way that run-flat tire cars don't have spares.

[Rick Lee]

What an effin nightmare. I took Mrs. Lee's car to band practice today and found the LF tire flat when I went to leave. It was only 100 deg. out by then. No spare and no jack in the car. WTF? I recall it came with run-flats and she just put on traditional tires three weeks ago. I was at my drummer's house. His two Toyota jacks wouldn't fit beneath the car, which was even lower because of the flat. Had we been able to get the wheel off, the nearby Pep Boys was open until 6pm and could have repaired it. Tow truck took two hours to arrive. We had him dump it off at Discount Tire, which is where she got the tires. Of course, they don't have a night drop, so I have to swing by there on the way to my first day at work tomorrow to drop the keys off. Why does this car have a space in the trunk for a spare, but no spare or tools? Looks like there never were either in there.

[jyl]

It comes with a spare tire well because in other markets, it is sold with conventional tires.

Discount Tire didn't check the spare when they changed the tires? That should be standard practice.

[Nickshu]

Wife's new C70 has no spare. Has a sealing kit with a pump. Useless in a blowout.

[aigel]

Well, the tire place sure should have pointed out that there is no spare. If nothing else, it would be a great opportunity for them to sell you one!

That said, of course there is no excuse for this happening to a car guy!

G

[red-beard]

Check on the internet. I bought a spare tire kit for our X5. It still has the run flats, but they will be replaced with standard tires.

[Baz]

I'd have left it at the drummer's house and came back later with a proper jack and tire.

[Rick Lee]

I will be finding a proper spare and jack for this car, but there was no way to go buy one at 6pm on a Sunday.

[gr8fl4porsche]

I changed the run flats on our '06 Odyssey.

I found a set of used Acura TL takeoffs on Ebay + new tires and lugs. $ 1,300.00

Found a used spare for about $200 and had to order the mounting kit from Honda for $30.

Van came with jack and tools and a nice place to put a tire.

Getting rid of the run flats is so popular that $50 donuts go for $200+. Honda wanted $300 for the spare.

By re-using the TPMS sensors I was able to get it done for $1,530.00

Not bad considering the Michelin PAX run flats went for $ 1,300.00 a set and only made it 35,000 miles before becoming slicks. Even new they rode terrible with no wet traction.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Baz

I'd have left it at the drummer's house and came back later with a proper jack and tire.

Have you ever met a drummer? They are pretty flakey.

I would have the run flat tires switched for real ones before I drove it off the lot if I ever was looking at a car with those. Not a fan of the mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems either.

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by Nickshu

Wife's new C70 has no spare. Has a sealing kit with a pump. Useless in a blowout.

The car had an optional spare, so you can retrofit one.

[89911]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Check on the internet. I bought a spare tire kit for our X5. It still has the run flats, but they will be replaced with standard tires.

Thinking about doing the same. The car rides like the tires are made of bricks with 19" rims. My previous 550i had the same wheel diameters but traditional tires and it ran like butter. If you switch to non run flats on your car, will your full coverage road side service be canned? Will they even know? I realize you can add a emergency kit, but how effective are they? It's just the longer 4 hour trips that concern me.

[weseeeee]

I got rid of the run flats on my SC430 and purchased a spare to keep in the trunk. The car rides completely different (better) with traditional tires.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Baz

I'd have left it at the drummer's house ...

Originally Posted by Tobra

Have you ever met a drummer? They are pretty flakey.
....

And I was thinkin' "this thread" was the social experiment!

What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend?

Homeless

I keed, I keed...