View Poll Results: When is the last time you had a catastrophic tire failure that REQUIRED a spare tire?
Within the last year
14
24.14%
1-5 years ago
16
27.59%
6-10 years ago
5
8.62%
11-20 years ago
7
12.07%
20+ years ago
5
8.62%
Never, but I've been driving less than 10 years
3
5.17%
Never, and I've been driving over 20 years
8
13.79%
Voters: 58. You may not vote on this poll
When's the last time you had to use a spare tire (I.e had a catastrophic flat tire)?
05-21-19, 04:02 AM
#46
Super Moderator
05-21-19, 05:38 AM
#47
Lexus Fanatic
The reality is it's not legal to change a tire on many roads, and then, it's not worth your life. I'd rather have my car flatbed'd home with AAA Plus (I got it in 2014 and have never used it, isn't that how these things and extended warranties work--risk aversion for a price), then change it myself in my driveway. If people get run over and killed in a gym parking lot due to distracted driving, imagine what goes on, on the side of a road.
Although tire changing was pretty funny in CDB's, "Uneasy Rider."
Although tire changing was pretty funny in CDB's, "Uneasy Rider."
05-21-19, 05:42 AM
#48
Lexus Fanatic
That's so funny my parents did that as well, despite me knowing all the specs for any and every car they ever considered. Everytime they bought a new car, I just so happened to be at summer camp, hockey camp, staying at the cousins' house, you name it. I think to be honest they didn't want to appear unknowledgeable in front of the salespeople, and my mom is a tough negotiator. Meaning she doesn't care that her number is not reasonable, and she doesn't feel the need to justify it. I meet this type today in business, and it's not easy. She really squeezes blood from stones, or at least she did when she was in her 30's and 40's.
05-21-19, 07:17 AM
#49
Super Moderator
So lets say you take a long trip, a multi-day trip that crosses 5 or 6 states, somewhere along the way you get a flat in the new LS500, those run flats take you how far? Then you have to get a new tire? It is Saturday evening at 10pm when the flat occurs. You still have 1000 miles to go and you are trying to get something for Monday which is very important for you... compared that to driving a previous year LS460? The flat occurs, full size tires goes on, you can continue your travels uninterrupted.
I ask, because in 25 years of driving and over a half-million miles, I've never been stranded away from home (regardless of distance) with an unmanageable flat tire. I have had several with leaks that could only make it a certain distance before needing to be aired up again. But I or an immediate family member have been stuck on the side of the road numerous times for other reasons, including but not limited to:
- PCM failures
- Alternator failure
- Battery cell reversal
- bad fuel
- catalyst failure
- plug wires
For some specific examples:
My wife's Lexus RX350 never once had a flat tire away from home in 12 years and 158,000 miles. But the PCM failed while driving on three separate occasions (thankfully all under either the factory or extended warranty), resulting in the car suddenly shutting off and coasting to a stop and necessitating being towed to the dealer for replacement. Yet we took numerous multi-state drives in this car, without a spare PCM and tools necessary to swap it, even though statistically that was far more likely to interrupt our trip than a tire was.
My 335d had an SCR Catalyst failure a few months ago that caused the computer to only allow 200 miles to be driven before the car would be disabled. The fix took a week due to parts availability. I took two multi-state trips in it last year for my son's Lacrosse tournaments, and have two more coming up this summer. But I did not and will not bring a spare SCR with me. Or a spare tire for that matter--there simply isn't room.
So if one day in my next half-million miles we're on a trip and get a flat tire with no spare available, I'll use roadside assistance and deal with whatever the situation happens to be at that time. I'll never plan a trip where I have to drive 1000 miles on Sunday to go to work on Monday, because that's just a recipe for a horrible week even if everything goes perfectly. But let's say it's a more reasonable 5-600 miles, and something happens. Either I'll hang out until the work is done and continue, or rent a car and come back for mine later in the week. All depends on the situation. But at least based on my experience, if such a thing happens it probably won't be a tire.
On the flipside, my wife's Q7 does not come with a spare tire, so there is a vanishingly small chance that we'll be inconvenienced by a flat on a long trip at some point while we own it. Possibly next spring when we drive from Illinois to South Florida and back, but probably not. But the second-generation Q7 weighs 700 lbs less than the first-gen every single day no matter what, which results in a better drive and higher fuel efficiency. Part of that difference is due to the lack of a 70 lb spare tire, along with a place to store it and the jack/associated tools. It also has more cargo space every single day than it would if there had to be room for a full-size spare--a compartment to store it would be just about 8 cubic feet.
05-21-19, 07:17 AM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
I've seen cops doing it....even State Troopers.
05-21-19, 07:53 AM
#51
Lexus Champion
05-21-19, 07:54 AM
#52
Lexus Fanatic
So you're on a trip where you're out and about relatively late on Saturday night (considering the next day), and have to drive for 14-16 hours on Sunday--no matter what--to get home for something very important on Monday. Sounds like poor planning. Lots of things could happen. You or a member of your group could get sick and be unable to travel. You could get into an accident or the car damaged/stolen. Something could break on the car that is not a tire. There could be a horrible storm that makes travel difficult/impossible. What happens then? If you're going to get fired for not making it to work on Monday--or something similarly dire--why make such a risky plan?
I ask, because in 25 years of driving and over a half-million miles, I've never been stranded away from home (regardless of distance) with an unmanageable flat tire. I have had several with leaks that could only make it a certain distance before needing to be aired up again. But I or an immediate family member have been stuck on the side of the road numerous times for other reasons, including but not limited to:
For some specific examples:
My wife's Lexus RX350 never once had a flat tire away from home in 12 years and 158,000 miles. But the PCM failed while driving on three separate occasions (thankfully all under either the factory or extended warranty), resulting in the car suddenly shutting off and coasting to a stop and necessitating being towed to the dealer for replacement. Yet we took numerous multi-state drives in this car, without a spare PCM and tools necessary to swap it, even though statistically that was far more likely to interrupt our trip than a tire was.
My 335d had an SCR Catalyst failure a few months ago that caused the computer to only allow 200 miles to be driven before the car would be disabled. The fix took a week due to parts availability. I took two multi-state trips in it last year for my son's Lacrosse tournaments, and have two more coming up this summer. But I did not and will not bring a spare SCR with me. Or a spare tire for that matter--there simply isn't room.
So if one day in my next half-million miles we're on a trip and get a flat tire with no spare available, I'll use roadside assistance and deal with whatever the situation happens to be at that time. I'll never plan a trip where I have to drive 1000 miles on Sunday to go to work on Monday, because that's just a recipe for a horrible week even if everything goes perfectly. But let's say it's a more reasonable 5-600 miles, and something happens. Either I'll hang out until the work is done and continue, or rent a car and come back for mine later in the week. All depends on the situation. But at least based on my experience, if such a thing happens it probably won't be a tire.
On the flipside, my wife's Q7 does not come with a spare tire, so there is a vanishingly small chance that we'll be inconvenienced by a flat on a long trip at some point while we own it. Possibly next spring when we drive from Illinois to South Florida and back, but probably not. But the second-generation Q7 weighs 700 lbs less than the first-gen every single day no matter what, which results in a better drive and higher fuel efficiency. Part of that difference is due to the lack of a 70 lb spare tire, along with a place to store it and the jack/associated tools. It also has more cargo space every single day than it would if there had to be room for a full-size spare--a compartment to store it would be just about 8 cubic feet.
I ask, because in 25 years of driving and over a half-million miles, I've never been stranded away from home (regardless of distance) with an unmanageable flat tire. I have had several with leaks that could only make it a certain distance before needing to be aired up again. But I or an immediate family member have been stuck on the side of the road numerous times for other reasons, including but not limited to:
- PCM failures
- Alternator failure
- Battery cell reversal
- bad fuel
- catalyst failure
- plug wires
For some specific examples:
My wife's Lexus RX350 never once had a flat tire away from home in 12 years and 158,000 miles. But the PCM failed while driving on three separate occasions (thankfully all under either the factory or extended warranty), resulting in the car suddenly shutting off and coasting to a stop and necessitating being towed to the dealer for replacement. Yet we took numerous multi-state drives in this car, without a spare PCM and tools necessary to swap it, even though statistically that was far more likely to interrupt our trip than a tire was.
My 335d had an SCR Catalyst failure a few months ago that caused the computer to only allow 200 miles to be driven before the car would be disabled. The fix took a week due to parts availability. I took two multi-state trips in it last year for my son's Lacrosse tournaments, and have two more coming up this summer. But I did not and will not bring a spare SCR with me. Or a spare tire for that matter--there simply isn't room.
So if one day in my next half-million miles we're on a trip and get a flat tire with no spare available, I'll use roadside assistance and deal with whatever the situation happens to be at that time. I'll never plan a trip where I have to drive 1000 miles on Sunday to go to work on Monday, because that's just a recipe for a horrible week even if everything goes perfectly. But let's say it's a more reasonable 5-600 miles, and something happens. Either I'll hang out until the work is done and continue, or rent a car and come back for mine later in the week. All depends on the situation. But at least based on my experience, if such a thing happens it probably won't be a tire.
On the flipside, my wife's Q7 does not come with a spare tire, so there is a vanishingly small chance that we'll be inconvenienced by a flat on a long trip at some point while we own it. Possibly next spring when we drive from Illinois to South Florida and back, but probably not. But the second-generation Q7 weighs 700 lbs less than the first-gen every single day no matter what, which results in a better drive and higher fuel efficiency. Part of that difference is due to the lack of a 70 lb spare tire, along with a place to store it and the jack/associated tools. It also has more cargo space every single day than it would if there had to be room for a full-size spare--a compartment to store it would be just about 8 cubic feet.
05-21-19, 07:55 AM
#53
Lexus Champion
Ok, but I don't think you are the typical Buick Regal customer. I think that typical customer (1) wouldn't even realize to ask if there is one, and (2) would be pretty upset if they had a flat only to find out there is just an inflator kit in the trunk. You made an informed decision on the point--I'm suspicious that many people are not, and I think that the Buick Regal is a prime example. If the Buick sales reps are overtly telling every customer--then fine. I doubt they do that.
05-21-19, 07:58 AM
#54
Lexus Fanatic
05-21-19, 08:01 AM
#55
Lexus Fanatic
Ok, but I don't think you are the typical Buick Regal customer. I think that typical customer (1) wouldn't even realize to ask if there is one, and (2) would be pretty upset if they had a flat only to find out there is just an inflator kit in the trunk. You made an informed decision on the point--I'm suspicious that many people are not, and I think that the Buick Regal is a prime example. If the Buick sales reps are overtly telling every customer--then fine. I doubt they do that.
05-21-19, 08:01 AM
#56
Lexus Champion
Correct. It's all about making an informed decision. There are those that don't care that their car has no spare; there are those that must have it. But--we all know that many car buyers don't always know what they are getting. How many times have we seen posts "I didn't know my car didn't have [nav/HID headlights/blind spot/advanced cruise/leather/etc etc]." If people are buying cars not knowing that, then they certainly are not asking about spare tires.
05-21-19, 08:04 AM
#57
Lexus Fanatic
05-21-19, 08:34 AM
#58
Lexus Champion
Personally, I don't care about a full-sized spare. But if a car I was looking at had NO spare, and no option or accessory to add one, I'd move on and get a different car--informed decision.
05-21-19, 09:16 AM
#59
Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Hit a huge pot hole last November and the runflat on my Mercedes failed in the side wall. The runflat was useless and I had to limp home, good thing I wasn't too far. I then had to call Mercedes to get the car flatbedded to the dealer.
05-21-19, 11:10 AM
#60
Lexus Fanatic