Spacesaver spares

[wharfedale]

I have just followed a Saab with a spacesaver on the NSR , it looked like it was ready to part company on right hand bends. it has allways been ileagal to mix tyre sizes on the same axle, have the motor manufacturors managed to overcome this by telling us its OK in the handbook. has anyone one tried an emergecy stop at 50 with one of these on the front?

[Yung Man]

There is a Volkswagen Golf near me that had a flat tyre over Christmas, I noticed it 6 or 7 weeks ago with a space saver on the same corner (rear n/s), It's still like that today.

[Engineer1]

space savers are usually good for 50miles @ a max speed of 50mph, they are intended as a get you to the nearest tire place or safely home not for continued use

[F i F]

The Construction and Use Regs 1986 state that the same size and type of tyre should be used on an axle. Spacesavers* clearly contravene those regulations.

The 50 mph max is to make use of a dispensation in law which allows different tyres providing that the vehicle is not used above 50mph.

I'm not aware that the law places a distance / time limit on such temporary use tyres, but v willing to be corrected, there may well be something hidden in EU regs for example.

I sometimes see vehicles driven in excess of the motorway limit on spacesaver tyres, not only is the vehicle unstable, but could have a significant effect on the safe and effective operation of vehicle stability systems. This would, imo, warrant an immediate pull and appearance before the beak, facing a 3pts and £2500 fine.

It is an MOT failure.

If you go here from the VOSA archives you will see a lovely picture of a totally bald spacesaver.

As far as I'm concerned a driver who allows his vehicle to get into this condition should be required to take an extended retest as clearly their attitude is distinctly below the standard required.

• * Spacesavers are now termed by some manufacturers, convenience spares. Convenience? Whose convenience? Not mine that is for sure.

[tigger1]

"Space-savers" are a joke - and save pretty much no space at all.

I bet they're cheaper for the manufacturers though.

[mechsympathy]

tigger1 said:

"Space-savers" are a joke - and save pretty much no space at all.

I bet they're cheaper for the manufacturers though.

Calling them "profit-enhancers" would be a little more honest.

I was passed by someone on the motorway the other day who had a space-saver on the front N/S of their Alfa, and it was raining I'm with FiF on this, it's far more dangerous than using a phone or the miriad other priorities the shower of ste have seen fit to legislate against.

[henrycrun]

I've taken the trouble to buy a 5th full size wheel to keep at home, so if I do get a puncture (locally) I might be able to get the spacesaver off the car ASAP.

[wharfedale]

perhaps they should be in sets of 4 ?

[Piglet]

I thought the title was Specsaver Spares

I have a Saab 9-3 and I've bought a spare steel wheel that fits nicely in the original bay for the "space saver" spare - it sits up just slightly higher than the space saver so there was clearly a space saving there for Saab

I can't bear the thought of being somewhere miles from home on a wet sunday night, getting a puncture and being speed etc. limited, especially as we often tow a trailer.

[Chrispy Porker]

Trouble is the alternative in my car would be to carry 2 spares, both fairly large.