Jump to content
Do Not Sell My Personal Information


Prius Plug-in costs


Mick F
 Share

Recommended Posts

Thing is Pete, I truly cannot remember when I last had a flat, and thats in the 2 cars we have had at the same time for the last 30 years of so. So, is there a need for a full spare, or spacesaver? Views will differ I know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


1 minute ago, Catlover said:

...So, is there a need for a full spare, or spacesaver? Views will differ I know.

Of course it will vary according to preference, experience, amount and type of driving and many other factors.

It's true, in the last few years, I've only had a few slow punctures that with the help of my own aftermarket Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (as opposed to Warning System that's built-in) I've made it to my dealer without changing the wheel (this has a small display that shows the actual pressure all 5 tyres, and monitors temperatures too - Google Tyrepal if you want to know more)).  If I get to the stage where I only ever drive a few miles from home (as one or two older neighbours do), I would think differently, and maybe even consider an EV.

However, since 2000, I've driven nearly 400,000 miles (about 320,000 in Hybrids, BTW) and had almost 20 occasions where a wheel change was necessary.  Four of those would absolutely certainly not have been repairable with gunge (especially one where there wasn't a shred of rubber left on the rim by the time I got to the hard shoulder! - unless there is some very clever gunge available!) three more where success of gunge would be dubious and the remainder where it would probably have worked.

I avoided space savers as long as possible (a trip on the M1 at 50 mph in a Volvo with one was hair raising, to say the least).  My RAV4 came with one, but as there's room under the boot floor for a full size, I bought one.

I've heard of a few stories of people who've been massively inconvenienced by the gunge not working, and a couple who didn't even know they had no spare wheel until they were informed by the AA/RAC person they'd called to fit it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd much rather live with the benefits of a PHEV than having a spare tyre. I think it's an acceptable risk, and the boot space is bad enough as it is. I have a spare at home, and I also have breakdown cover with my car insurance - no idea how good it would be out on the road, I've only used it from home with previous cars so far.

I'll probably get a puncture now...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our Yaris came with gunge and a pump.  I bought a jack, wheelbrace and space-saver tyre from eBay for £50 or so, and then gave away the gunge and the pump to someone who actually wanted it! 

Like has been suggested, I cannot remember the last time I had a flat tyre, but that's not the point.  Just say you get one, and you try to put the gunge in there.  Best you can hope for, is that it'll work ............. then what?

Take your gunged-up tyre for repair.  The local tyre place will laugh at you and refuse to touch it. Then what?  New tyre plus cleaning up the wheel = high cost.

Take the point again, and the gunge doesn't work.  Then what?  Call the AA, and what can they do?  Not much.

Best thing is for a space-saver available. Even if you can't or won't put it on, the AA man will.  Meanwhile, you can take your (clean) punctured tyre for repair.

Mick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Mick F said:

... New tyre plus cleaning up the wheel = high cost...

and my manual says to replace the TPWS sensor too.  The one I bought for my full size spare wheel was almost £90!

A few years ago I heard of someone who got a puncture 3 miles from home on a wet Friday night about 11 pm.  Gunge ran out f hole in tyre.  AA took over 2 hours to arrive (it was a very wet Friday night!). Got him and car with flat tyre home between 2 and 3 am.  Saturday took wheel in taxi to nearest town with tyre shop.  Not in stock, 2 hours to fetch.  Taxi home.  Taxis cost more than tyre, big chunk of Saturday lost.

We each have decided our own priorities.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Spot on, Pete. 😀

I understand - and I have no reason to doubt it if I were to look and measure - that our Yaris could take a full sized spare under the boot floor.  Main problem with a space-saver, is that you are speed-limited.  50mph if my memory serves me correctly.  If you need to get to your destination via a main dual carriageway or motorway, you could be a liability doing only 40mph+

Wish I'd bought a full size wheel/tyre ................. but does it matter? ...................... when was the last time I had a puncture?  (touch wood!)

Mick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There can be other considerations - on my car the manual says not to use a space saver on thebfront in snow/ice, so if you get a front puncture the recommended action is to remove a rear wheel, fit space saver, remove front wheel, fit wheel from rear. I wonder how many would do it, or even read the manual.

Also, book says don't tow if space saver fitted - so what do you do if you have a trailer and a flat tyre?

Plus, the rubber has a finite life, usually about 5 years.  If you keep a car for a long time (as I plan to) at least with a full size spare you can put it on the car when replacing tyres and put a new one in the boot.

I wouldn't be keen to make an emergency manoeuvre with a space saver fitted, especially in wet conditions.

But I'd rather have a space saver than gunge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mick F said:

Take your gunged-up tyre for repair.  The local tyre place will laugh at you and refuse to touch it.

Find a better tyre shop :) I asked my local one about this, if it's a puncture that can be plugged then it's no big deal washing out the tyre/wheel and fixing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, QuantumFireball said:

...if it's a puncture that can be plugged then it's no big deal washing out the tyre/wheel and fixing it.

I think the problem was with older gunge formulae - it's likely more recent versions have been improved to be less of a problem, but interesting what my manual says about the sensor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a front tyre puncture at midnight on our Gen 3. a few years ago. I called the AA and they were with me in 45 mins. Thee AA man fitted the "skinny" spare on the front. BIG mistake; the 10 mile drive home was scary. The car very unstable with other drivers tooting and flashing as I was driving at 40MPH and below. Above this speed it was very dangerous. Next day dealer advised to always fit the space saver on the rear. The AA chap told me it was a good job I had a space saver as recovery would have taken ages. Like Pete B I never purchased the Plug In because of no spare wheel. Our Gen 4 business edition came with space saver.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was very sad that our Yaris Hybrid came with gunge and pump.  Good job we did away with the things and bought the eBay tyre and tools, as I have said before, the AA chappy would be helpless without a wheel to fit had we needed rescuing. 

Thank you for the advice re fitting the space-saver on the rear.

Mick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Mick F said:

as I have said before, the AA chappy would be helpless without a wheel to fit had we needed rescuing. 

they have an universal spare wheel http://www.theaa.com/newsroom/news-2013/aa-pioneers-universal-spare-wheel.html

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

Thanks!  News to me!  The report said they're trialling it.

I wonder if it's universal in their breakdown vehicles now?  Hopefully it is, and if so, we no longer need any gunge or any spare wheels in any car.

Mick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not used this specific kit linked to below, (but I have used a nearly identical one several times), but at the price it could be part of your puncture-mitigating items, and get-you-home strategy.  Some tyre depots may be unwilling to repair a puncture properly that has had one of these up them because of any residue left, but then selling you a new tyre is a much quicker, more profitable job for them. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slime-20464-Tyre-Plug-Kit/dp/B00C5TJ1MM/ref=pd_sbs_263_6/259-8595893-0389313?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00C5TJ1MM&pd_rd_r=85a56a41-4d65-43c0-9903-7348dc049fd6&pd_rd_w=hbLuq&pd_rd_wg=ve1Vu&pf_rd_p=7f9048ad-9bda-4493-8578-13e4eff8da65&pf_rd_r=ZA6Q2EH34XCRSAR35VP4&psc=1&refRID=ZA6Q2EH34XCRSAR35VP4

The part you poke into the puncture itself has a very,very tacky bundle of fibres running along its length. It is probably best used for screw and nail type damage, but for me that is almost always the cause of my punctures.  Dropping self-tappers on a road should be a custodial offence, they will always end up in someone's tyre.

Of course, you will get dirty using this whilst you locate exactly where the puncture is, and it is meant as a temporary repair.  You've really got to get the car somewhere safe to investigate the puncture and fit one of these, so maybe of limited use for some, but I'd thought I'd put this up just to show it exists - I only spotted them a few years ago.

I've had 2 professionally puncture-repaired tyres leak quite seriously (at the exact point of the repair) over the years, perhaps others have, too?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


9 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

The Honda salesman I spoke to when looking at the C-RV as an alternative to my RAV4 mentioned this, but for the foreseeable future I'd still insist on a space saver and prefer a full size spare.

This is obviously a step forward (especially compared to the days when the AAs T&Cs excluded rescuing a motorist who "failed to carry a serviceable spare wheel"!).  My concern would be whether, if I needed one and had no alternative, the AA van had one on board or had already given out as many as were carried - wonder how many they carry?

Many moons ago I cycled to work, partly along the Thames tow path from Weybridge to Walton on Thames.  Unfortunately, I got rather a lot of punctures, and the cycle shop sold me a couple of "airless" tyres.  They had a sort of honeycomb structure inside, and felt a bit weird, as they 'wobbled' slightly on the rim as I turned the wheel (not enough to be dangerous, just disconcerting until I got used to it).

For cars, I'm pinning my hopes on developments along these lines:

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't entertain a car without a spare wheel. A space saver is a sensible compromise. A can of shaving foam, no way.

It's why the Prius on 15" wheels is win/win/win/win — spare wheel = less inconvenience, plus better ride, better economy, lower BIK. I struggle to understand why anyone would spec the 17s.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well said Seamaster. 15 inch wheels are better in every way;  turning circle is improved as well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to mention when I specified 15" I got a £400 rebate off the price of my old 2016 Excel.  I believe they are generally quieter too, although it depends to some extent on the tyres chosen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Seamaster73 said:

I struggle to understand why anyone would spec the 17s.

On the PHV and the facelift Gen4 I would agree that there is indeed no reason to go for 17s, because the 15" wheel designs on both of those are cleverly designed to make the wheels look bigger. However, on the original Gen4 the all-silver 15s made some people think it looked underwheeled, like a shopping trolley. I always thought the original Gen4 on 17s was an unexpectedly stylish thing from some angles (especially in Tyrol Silver) whereas to me it looked gawky all round on 15s. For some people, looks are important.

We all have different tastes and priorities. I personally couldn't give a monkeys about a spare wheel or a space saver, and that would never be a factor in any purchase decision. However, I do understand why having that reassurance is important for some. We buy our cars accordingly.

On a completely unrelated note, what does someone on here have to do to get a negative reputation of -40? Did you run off with a moderator's wife or something? 😄

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Ten Ninety said:

On a completely unrelated note, what does someone on here have to do to get a negative reputation of -40? Did you run off with a moderator's wife or something? 😄

Buy a Ferrari?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi I would be careful about using that Slime tyre repair on the road as it looks like its for off road use only and may not be legal to use on road 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, ian rooke said:

Hi I would be careful about using that Slime tyre repair on the road as it looks like its for off road use only and may not be legal to use on road 

Slime manufacture various versions of their tyre sealant - the sealant with the yellow label is for road vehicles, blue for off road vehicles. See

 A10017_SealantComparisonSheet.jpg?215547

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/1/2019 at 8:24 AM, Mick F said:

Thanks!  News to me!  The report said they're trialling it.

I wonder if it's universal in their breakdown vehicles now?  Hopefully it is, and if so, we no longer need any gunge or any spare wheels in any car.

Mick.

They were trialling it in 2013 ... it's standard now. Same for RAC https://www.rac.co.uk/business/breakdown/universal-spare-wheel 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi I was talking about the repair kit where you repair the the puncture with a plug not the sealant which I have always carried for years I don't think it is safe to have a amateur plug the tyre and then drive for miles on it  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

They were trialling it in 2013 ... it's standard now. Same for RAC https://www.rac.co.uk/business/breakdown/universal-spare-wheel 

Excellent.  Thanks. Ok, lets take this to what I said earlier .........

I personally wouldn't do a wheel-change.  Dirty hands, old and tired, and with a grumpy old man syndrome.  Let alone Mrs Mick F unable to undo the wheel nuts or jack the car up ...... or any other car ....... up enough to do a wheel-change.

We pay the AA .........and Toyota as well ..........  to provide breakdown cover, so they can get their hands dirty in the pouring rain by the side of the road.  That's what we pay them to do, so why do we need a spare wheel or a "puncture repair kit of dubious abilities" to do it, when the AA have a spare wheel to keep us going?

Sod 'em.  Let them do it.

Mick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share






×
×
  • Create New...




Forums


News


Membership