[Ztirffritz]

I went to get in my car today to go to lunch and found an alert on the screen telling me that the right rear tire had 0psi pressure. I get out to take a look and sure enough...it's flat as can be. I know that there's no spare, but for how flat the tire is, no amount of "Fix-a-Flat" is going to make it usable again. There must be a nasty gash in the tire somewhere. My options are to have the car towed on a flatbed or jack up the car to get the wheel off. There's no jack...so...that's out. I tried to schedule a Tire Change via the MyChevrolet app but it just offered to help me call the local Chevy dealer to get the tire changed. I finally called them and they offered to send someone to jack it up, take the wheel off, replace/repair the tire and bring it back and put it on the car. Ugg....what a pain.

 

[Barry]

That is a pretty good illustration of why a car should have a spare. Although I have to admit I have not used the spare on any of my vehicles for maybe the past 30 years or so, so I see the argument for the other side. But I did add a spare to my Volt.

 

[kmac7800]

There is also a difference to the part of the country. On the east coast you can hit a golf ball and hit 3 or 4 states, whereas here on the west coast you may be up to 100 miles from a gas station and still be in the same county (I used to live in Klamath County in Oregon). Although spares may not be used very often, they can come in handy when you are miles out in the boonies.

//KMac

 

[Kvanhutton]

I would never drive a car without a spare. Just the way I am. I bought the GM spare kit for the Volt.

 

[Paulacton84]

"sooner or later your going to break down and call triple a..."
Flat is flat, it doesn't matter whether you picked up nail, or shredded your inner sidewall, a flat tire looks the same.

BUt if you picked up a nail, or any other small tread puncture, then the bottle of goop that comes with the car will work. so its worth checking. if it was inflated when you got out of the car, but flat when you came back to it, chances are that you have a tread zone puncture and could have used the fix a flat stuff that comes with the car.

I've had 2 nail punctures in 60,000 miles, both from driving around the back of different auto service shops... I carry tread plugs and plugging tools and a Jack (harbor freight scissors jack, harbor freight item 66907) and a socket wrench for pulling tires. Just in case. the green goop that comes with the car (you can buy the same stuff at any auto parts store) is only temporary, so I use plugs, ( which Are also supposed to be temporary, but I've never had one fail on me, so I don't bother with the inside patch that you are supposed ot install later.)

And I am very cautious near curbing, which can rip into the sidewalls of our volt tires. good luck.

 

[Steverino]

I have a spare and jack for my Volt. Cost me $20 total. I use it when I do my tire rotations. Never needed it for a flat, but it's in my garage if needed.

 

[no fumes]

I was very specifically told by the dealer when getting my car that, while the goop to fix the flat will work in an emergency, it will render the tire not repairable, and ruined. Something to think about before using that stuff. Emergency only.

 

[TSquare]

I was very specifically told by the dealer when getting my car that, while the goop to fix the flat will work in an emergency, it will render the tire not repairable, and ruined. Something to think about before using that stuff. Emergency only.

You do know how to tell when a dealer is lying don't you?

 

[caronjeff]

Most tire leaks are slow, picked up a nail or rivet for example. I always keep the air pressure display up, run 'em at 40 any time the number drops your aware of it. I have spare tires for all my vehicles sitting in stock. You need a cheap floor jack and a breaker bar and socket 3/4" to change a Volt tire. Discount tire will plug a tire for free if you've ever done business with them.

 

[LDB]

On the east coast you can hit a golf ball and hit 3 or 4 states

//KMac

You can drive 885 miles crossing Texas or you can start near the border of Maine and drive the same number of miles driving through a total of 13 states. Texas is a big place. A lot of people don't realize just how big.

 

[El Dobro]

Fewer and fewer cars come with a spare nowadays, so it's something you have to do on your own if you want one.

 

[homesteadelectric]

I have a spare and jack for my Volt. Cost me $20 total. I use it when I do my tire rotations. Never needed it for a flat, but it's in my garage if needed.

Where did you get both spare and jack for $20?

 

[Steverino]

Where did you get both spare and jack for $20?

Auto salvage yard. They have crates of scissor jacks and the donut spare came from a Caddy with the right wheel dimensions. See our spare tire FAQ in the Newcomers Forum.

 

[Ztirffritz]

In my case, I was at work. I have a jack...at home in the garage. It isn't doing me any good there though. The car was towed, the dealer claimed it was leaking around the bead. They "fixed" it. I drove home. It's now flat again. ��

 

[CurrentEvent]

I wonder if auto makers ever provide accessories that don't go in the car. I think every Volt should come with a jack and spare for your garage.

 

[El Dobro]

I used to own a Prius PiP and it came with a jack, wrench and a goop pump, but no spare.

 

[O'Dell]

It's the trend. Of the last eight cars I have owned, only one has come with a spare. That one is my MB SLK55, and it's one of those collapsible tires that have to be inflated for use. Although an electric pump is provided, I'd probably call roadside assistance.

 

[Joe67]

I was very specifically told by the dealer when getting my car that, while the goop to fix the flat will work in an emergency, it will render the tire not repairable, and ruined. Something to think about before using that stuff. Emergency only.

You do know how to tell when a dealer is lying don't you?

The dealer comment above is correct.

 

[bro1999]

52% of teens don't even know how to change a spare tire.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/majority-of-teens-say-they-dont-know-how-to-change-a-tire-1409025661

I'm sure the % for the overall driving population is a bit better, but seems for a lot of people, a spare tire would just be a waste of space.

 

[Joe67]

I was very specifically told by the dealer when getting my car that, while the goop to fix the flat will work in an emergency, it will render the tire not repairable, and ruined. Something to think about before using that stuff. Emergency only.

You do know how to tell when a dealer is lying don't you?

52% of teens don't even know how to change a spare tire.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/majority-of-teens-say-they-dont-know-how-to-change-a-tire-1409025661

I'm sure the % for the overall driving population is a bit better, but seems for a lot of people, a spare tire would just be a waste of space.

The parents are to blame for that stat lol