# No spare tire in new cars because of the 'guvmint? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507 "2014-03-25T06:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/41 "2014-03-25T16:18:37Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > You’re right.:smack: > > If I did buy a vehicle (I drive trucks/Jeeps/SUVs) without a spare, I’ll stop at the junkyard and buy one I guess. Good point. Really, only your wallet, trunk space, and gas usage stands in the way of carrying whatever spare parts you think might be worth it. I tend to have bulb problems every six months or so and like to carry a set of replacement bulbs. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/42 "2014-03-25T16:20:11Z")
Why not buy a rim and a tire? Now you have a spare. I’d get a used rim from a wrecking yard. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/43 "2014-03-25T16:22:31Z")
I have a spare tire ☹ ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/44 "2014-03-25T16:52:32Z")
In over 40 years of driving, I’ve never had a flat. I’ve had a couple of tires develop slow leaks that required getting plugs or a replacement, but never had one interrupt a journey. Nothing I’ve owned that was made since 2007 has had a spare - my 3 BMWs offered the option of some weird gunk and I’ve no idea what I was supposed to do with the Boxster if it had had one while I owned it. Since run-flats and included free roadside assistance, spares have been on the decline. If you bought new, the dealer has you covered. If you bought used, no one cares about you. 🙂 Tire tech has improved and not many people worry anymore except for cranky old folks, and they worry about everything. One of my motorcycles had a plug in the tread and I got helpful warnings every time someone noticed (like I didn’t know it was plugged?). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/45 "2014-03-25T16:55:49Z")
I had two flats in two days. I think all cars should come with a spare axle, complete with wheels and tires! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/46 "2014-03-25T17:04:53Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Almost everybody here seems to think that it’s no problem to call the AAA (or RAC ) guy to change your tire (or tyre:) ) > HUH? I’ve never been an AAA or RAC member - I have been known to call a local mechanic who also offers tows when I have a problem. Yes, sometimes there is a wait. And sometimes it takes you longer than you think it will to change a tire (or tyre). Stuff happens. That’s why we invented spare tires and cell phones and tow trucks. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/47 "2014-03-25T17:35:21Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Damn electric starter; I used to be able to just crank my car and it would start; that’s what real men do. 😃 > > Seriously, manufactures only care about the original owner and wants them to buy a new one every couple of years. Spares are for people who buy used cars. This is a good point. All those cars that I’ve never had a flat in? Every one of them I was the original owner. I don’t consider myself competent to own a used car. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/48 "2014-03-25T17:39:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Hell, I even have a sledgehammer in my trunk because I discovered my Mazda 3 rims have a habit of sticking/rusting to the hub so stubbornly, there’s no way to get them off. I’ve never been able to remove the wheel without using it. I’ve had cars where this happens too, it must be that certain alloy wheels stick worse than others. Whenever I had the wheels off, I always put some anti-seize compound on the hub before mounting the wheel/tire back on the car…works wonders. It’s pretty frustrating to kick and beat on the thing with hammer. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/49 "2014-03-25T17:44:23Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > This is a good point. All those cars that I’ve never had a flat in? Every one of them I was the original owner. I don’t consider myself competent to own a used car. Yeah; any argument for or against spare tires based on the (in)frequency of needing them ought to acknowledge that not all drivers have the same probability or frequency of flats. It’s going to depend on things like the condition of your tires and how old and worn you let them get before replacing them (or buying a new car), how much driving you do, what kind of terrain you drive in, and your driving style. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/50 "2014-03-25T17:57:29Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > He explains that it has something to do with the “government” wanting less tires in circulation! 😕😕:rolleyes::dubious::dubious::dubious: I believe a car salesman only slightly less than I trust a politician. This is a typical case of a salesperson making stuff up. But yes, the government is involved, to some extent, due to EPA regulations on fleet MPG requirements, which keep going up. The fewer spares in cars, the better the fleet MPG. It might make only a small difference, but my guess is the car companies are living on the edge most of the time, and every little bit counts. Should there be a law that cars should have to have spares? Hell no! ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/51 "2014-03-25T18:03:28Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > I’ve had cars where this happens too, it must be that certain alloy wheels stick worse than others. Whenever I had the wheels off, I always put some anti-seize compound on the hub before mounting the wheel/tire back on the car…works wonders. It’s pretty frustrating to kick and beat on the thing with hammer. :eek: Is this a woosh? If not, this is an extremely bad idea. The lug nuts are supposed to pull the rim tightly against the hub so that static friction between the two parts transmits the shear load created by accelerating, braking, and the weight of the vehicle. Any kind of lubricant results in the studs having to bear those cyclic shear loads, and that’s something they were not designed to do. It may be that your car has been fine, and will be fine until you sell it, but unless you have done the sort of rigorous testing that professional automotive engineers do when designing a vehicle, you are introducing an unknown factor into the situation that could well result in the studs breaking someday while driving, causing the wheel to separate from your car. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/52 "2014-03-25T18:04:04Z")
Whenever you hear some random dweeb say it’s the government’s fault, chances are it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/53 "2014-03-25T18:14:02Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Almost everybody here seems to think that it’s no problem to call the AAA (or RAC ) guy to change your tire (or tyre:) ) > HUH? > > The last time I called AAA (about 4 years ago), I waited for 3 hours. From 7 till 10 p.m. Yes, it ruined my day completely, forcing me to cancel the plans I had for that evening. > > And I was in a large metropolitan area. > I hate to think how long the wait will be if you are on a minor road in the countryside. > > I can change a flat in 10 minutes\*----not likely to to ruin my day. > > I will never buy a car without a reasonable spare tire. Thank you! I was on the Ohio turnpike once west of Cleveland and had engine problems. Took AAA over 2.5 hours to get there. Almost froze to death! > [@aceplace57](#): > > Why not buy a rim and a tire? Now you have a spare. I’d get a used rim from a wrecking yard. Buy a 30 or 40 thousand dollar car and then have to go to a junk yard for an accessory. Let me know when you realize how freaking ridiculous that sounds!!! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/54 "2014-03-25T18:21:51Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > I’ve had cars where this happens too, it must be that certain alloy wheels stick worse than others. Whenever I had the wheels off, I always put some anti-seize compound on the hub before mounting the wheel/tire back on the car…works wonders. It’s pretty frustrating to kick and beat on the thing with hammer. I’ll have to try the anti-seize. The first time this happened to me, I tried to do every trick in the book, or at least every trick I could find on the Internet. I’d apply percussion to the individual lugs using a rubber mallet, driving back and forth to loosen it, malletting the tire itself. Then I bought a sledgehammer, and reading about how you should never hit the wheel itself (just the tire), I tried that that. Repeatedly. No dice. Finally, I gave up and called a tire service. They came in, took a sledgehammer, whacked the rim from the inside, out it went. Done and done for $60. So I’ve done just that the last three times I had a flat and needed to replace my tire when it wouldn’t budge. Anyhow, will have to check on the anti-seize for next time ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/55 "2014-03-25T18:23:46Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Buy a 30 or 40 thousand dollar car and then have to go to a junk yard for an accessory. Let me know when you realize how freaking ridiculous that sounds!!! Well, if there’s no option for a spare, that’s not really a ridiculous suggestion. It’s either get that 30 or 40 thousand dollar car, or buy another one that does have a spare tire option. The market (apparently) doesn’t care about people like you and me who want a spare tire, so we have to come up with our own solutions. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/56 "2014-03-25T18:38:56Z")
My dirt-cheap, no-frills 2012 Fiesta has a spare. Just goes to show you should buy 'Merican. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/57 "2014-03-25T18:47:58Z")
They don’t even have a well to put a spare in. If you want to drive beyond the limits of your Metropolitan Statistical Area, (beyond where run-flat tires are in stock at 2-3x the price of standard tires), you have to drill holes in your roof and mount a spare up on top. When run-flats first came out, I was at my Toyota dealer’s when a spare-less Sienna pulled in. I asked him if he would drive that car to Alaska. He just laughed. He said those are designed for mom to drive the kids to soccer practice in. It’s the auto-makers market perceptions, not the guvmint. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/58 "2014-03-25T18:48:41Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I bought a Mustang GT in '11 and it had the spare (albeit a donut) Just to note that I have a 2012 Mustang. The 2012 'Stang underwent a number of small changes from the '11 (you can tell which one you’re looking at by the tail light shape), but one change is that it no longer has a spare. Mine has a small compressor and a can of fix-a-flat. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/59 "2014-03-25T19:12:18Z")
One rather tidy refutation of the government anti spare tire conspiracy theory is that the regulations that make TPM systems mandatory specifically exempted them from having to monitor the pressure in the spare tire because they thought that make car makers stop including spare tires. I do think TPMSs are somewhat contributing to the demise of the spare though. Even though they’re not required, a lot of car makers want the TPMS to work all the time and so include a pressure sensor in the spare tire as a sort of CYA measure. But an even cheaper way to avoid any potential liability from not having a monitor in the spare is just not including a spare at all. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507/60 "2014-03-25T19:25:44Z")
This is actually the first I have ever heard of run flat tires ([Wiki page here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-flat_tire)). Question: do bank robbers know about them? Seems like the perfect getaway car accessory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-spare-tire-in-new-cars-because-of-the-guvmint/684507.md?page=4)