Have any of you MK4 owners considered a space saver spare, if so have you obtained one?Â
Maybe a Mazda 2 space saver spare will do the job?
My MK3 Sport is equipped with a RX7 space saver, I don’t trust the canister things,
they are next to useless for seriously damaged tyres.
(I’ve yet to buy a MK4, waiting for some brighter colours to be available).Â
Never ever again a black car!!Â
Keith
Â
Surely there is no room in the ND boot for even a spacesaver ?
Has anyone thought about fitting run flats.
Hi,
A bit of a thread resurrection here, but I’m currently looking at buying an ND 1.5 and am trying to find out whether there’s actually a workable solution for a spacesaver spare which will fit in the boot. Has anyone managed to find a definitive answer and, if so, some details and, even better, a picture would be much appreciated.
I’m aware of the issues about what to do with the full-size punctured wheel, etc, but I simply don’t want to be reliant on either a can of sealant or the recovery services in the event of a problem.
Any help would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Mike
Hi team
I have a mark 4 and have been told several times why a spare will not do unless it is actually identical in size rim tyre etc to original,appt a slightly smaller wheel will not fit the front because of fowling the brakes,and if you have the 2 litre model with ltd slip differential the wheel has to be identical size or else in a very few miles you can destroy the diff.
So basically you have to have a spare the same as original fitted wheel,which will barely fit in the boot,may actually be imposs to get in at all,but certainly room for nothing else.
All best Simon
Make sure you have a good recovery service.
Thanks for the replies.
Yes, I’m aware of the issue with limited slip diffs but, while it’s a bit of a faff, the solution for a rear wheel puncture is to swap one of the front wheels to the back and to use the spacesaver on the front. It’s not a problem with the 1.5 though. In terms of fouling the front brakes, I’m not sure how tight the clearance is on the calipers, but I think the ND 1.5 has 16" wheels as standard and I’ve certainly seen 4-stud 16" spacesavers advertised:
Has anyone tried one of these - does it fit in the boot?
Thanks
Mike
Yes it does fit in the boot but you have to take out the tyre mending kit to fit it in. There’s still room for a small case. Mine came with a jack and wheel brace.
Hi Nogbad,
Thanks for your answer - really helpful to know that it actually fits in the boot. Is there any chance you could post a picture?
Much appreciated
Mike
FWIW when did you last have a flat, cant remember when I had one, TBH I had thought about it, Ive a 2.0 gt on order. Looked at the possibility because I anticipate going to far flung places but its a no go, guess Ill keep my fingers crossed.Â
Seriously though, what are you going to do with the full sized wheel you remove? Especially if you have a passenger and a boot full of stuff!
Well, punctures are a pretty random event and I guess some people are simply more/less fortunate than others in that respect. Give or take, the risk is similar for all of us but what we each choose to do in terms of a contingency plan is a personal choice. I just prefer the security of a spare/spacesaver - others may be perfectly ok with relying on the recovery services or the can of sealant.
In terms of dealing with the full-sized punctured wheel, that’s a fair challenge. A lot of the time, I’m either on my own or I don’t have a full boot so it can either go on the passenger side or be propped in the boot with the lid tied down. If I’ve got a passenger and a boot full of stuff then I’d just revert to plan B, i.e. the recovery services or a can of sealant.
Based on my experience a couple of years ago of being stuck (in a friend’s car) late on a winter’s afternoon at a remote part of the Norfolk coast with the light fading rapidly, a completely flat tyre and no mobile phone signal, it’s always good to have a back-up plan!
Thanks for all the comments
Regards
Mike
I suggest you stash a dustbin liner in the rear wing with the jack, lest the mucky wheel has to travel in the spare seat or the passenger’s lap.
I agree that there is a great comfort factor in having a spare wheel in the boot of a car and my ND is the first car I have owned without one.
When considering last years Scottish NC 500 road trip in the MX5 I did some research on the options. With limited space and a lot of luggage to pack in for the three week trip a space saver wheel, even if there was a suitable one, was not an option.
For peace of mind, should I have a puncture miles from anywhere, I bought a MX5 scissor jack, a wheelbrace to remove the wheel, sourced a suitable strong piece of flat wood to act as a base for the jack, should the ground be soft and a puncture repair kit.
The puncture repair kit was the following:-
https://www.mandp.co.uk/stop-and-go-standard-tyre-plugger-tool.html
It is very solid and does seem to be one of the best around and although I haven’t yet had to use it so far it has given me the peace of mind I was seeking.
I also have kept the supplied “goo” kit as an option if speed is a priority.
HTH
Â
I did something very similar ahead of a trip to northern Italy recently. The jack fits in the wing (jacks complete with T-bolt are frequently on ebay for about £20). I also have a plugging kit and a second “through-the-valve” tyre sealant kit which unlike the Mazda one does not necessitate removing the valve core, which might not be entirely convenient in the dark with freezing fingers.
The jack is clearly of limited use without a spare wheel but at least it would give me the option of removing the wheel and getting a repair/new tyre in extremis.
In fact I now have a second jack at home - for swapping wheels around on the drive, to even out wear, a pair of side jacks is very convenient. This one is ÂŁ10.45 delivered from ebay.
For me, the boot is is just too small to take up half of it with a spare wheel.
What we need is a mounting bracket to fit a spare on the outside of the boot lid like you get on the back doors of land rovers etc.