A Space Saver Tyre is a must!

[Blu]

Last Sunday, at 5:15am while on my way to pick up a friend - (we were both playing golf), I was about 2ks from his place when my front driver's side tyre blew.
Result; a 5mm hole in the sidewall a goo kit would have been useless!
And at that time/day, roadside assist and a replacement tyre would have easily taken 1/2 a day and cost me mega bucks and more importantly ruin my social golf round.
Enter my SS tyre, a 15min change, I arrive at my friend's, where we load my golf cart and bag into his car and still make it to the game on time.
I ran 5th out of 27, so, a good social day, after lunch, I drive on my crippled car home approx 45km, check tyre pressures (all good). The next day, drove to my tyre store of choice 13km where the tyre was replaced under warranty. I had to pay a $30 change and wheel balance.
This is now the 4th occasion my space-saver tyre has been used in around 2.5 years.
I will never regret not opting for only having a goo kit. Aussie roads are tough, a tyre can blow at the most inappropriate moment, as outlined above, no spare = no choice.

 

[webhiker]

4th time in 2.5 years! Australia must be a bitch (pardon my French)
Living in Europe (incl Swedish gravel and forest roads) I have never had a blow up and only 2-3 slow leaks in over 40 years?

 

[Kithmo]

I've had spacesaver tyres in all my cars since 1999 and never had to use them.
The 2 or 3 punctures I've had were a nail or screw in the centre of the tread which deflated very slowly. We have several local tyre fitters so each time I was able to inflate the tyre above normal and drive to the tyre depot and get a repair.
Yet I still wouldn't go any distance without one.

 

[pollenface]

I want to replace all of the standard tyres with spacesaver ones ... that would turn heads for sure

Seriously though, I've used them a handful of times on other cars. It was the first thing I got when we bought the MG.

 

[Blu]

4th time in 2.5 years! Australia must be a bitch (pardon my French)
Living in Europe (incl Swedish gravel and forest roads) I have never had a blow up and only 2-3 slow leaks in over 40 years?

I guess 4 times in 2.5 years is a lot, nevertheless - once is enough and this last time (5:45am on a Sunday Morning) was easily the most inconvenient, twice before the leaks were slow and I found them the next day when I discovered the flat, even so, I live a few ks from any service station, so would need to inflate before driving or I would risk further damage to the tyre. On both of those occasions using the space saver spare allowed the tyres to have a plug repair, still a fraction of a new tyer replacement. Brisbane roadways are bitumen over concrete and 8 to 9 months they bake in 30+degree heat, which does react differently to travel on cooler or cold roadways. My point in posting the thread was I feel the no spare/goo kit that now comes standard with new MG4's is both inadequate, and short-sighted.

 

[Blacksmith]

Last Sunday, at 5:15am while on my way to pick up a friend - (we were both playing golf), I was about 2ks from his place when my front driver's side tyre blew.
Result; a 5mm hole in the sidewall a goo kit would have been useless!
And at that time/day, roadside assist and a replacement tyre would have easily taken 1/2 a day and cost me mega bucks and more importantly ruin my social golf round.
Enter my SS tyre, a 15min change, I arrive at my friend's, where we load my golf cart and bag into his car and still make it to the game on time.
I ran 5th out of 27, so, a good social day, after lunch, I drive on my crippled car home approx 45km, check tyre pressures (all good). The next day, drove to my tyre store of choice 13km where the tyre was replaced under warranty. I had to pay a $30 change and wheel balance.
This is now the 4th occasion my space-saver tyre has been used in around 2.5 years.
I will never regret not opting for only having a goo kit. Aussie roads are tough, a tyre can blow at the most inappropriate moment, as outlined above, no spare = no choice.

What are the specs of the SS tyre / wheel?

 

[Rolfe]

This is my cue to lament yet again that I let Copart take my old Golf awat for scrap, without realising that its space saver wheel would fit the MG4.

 

[Ian Key]

What are the specs of the SS tyre / wheel?

There is a thread about space saver wheels and their specifications

Space-saver spare wheel queries ...

With at least 80% of my mileage is on long trips to SW France, and being of an age now when I adopt at least a belt and braces (+ string and sellotape, if poss) approach, I am looking at various 'precautions' before my first trip in 2024. One thing I am looking into buying is a space-saver [and...

www.mgevs.com

 

[wattmatters]

My point in posting the thread was I feel the no spare/goo kit that now comes standard with new MG4's is both inadequate, and short-sighted.

Sadly this is the case for a lot of cars nowadays. We still have my old Golf so I could use its space saver in a pinch, although it is old and they are supposed to have a use by date.

 

[AndyL61]

Sadly this is the case for a lot of cars nowadays. We still have my old Golf so I could use its space saver in a pinch, although it is old and they are supposed to have a use by date.

You could get a new SS tyre fitted to the wheel. Shouldn't cost too much and you have peace of mind.

 

[Rolfe]

Oh don't rub it in.

 

[iqon]

Never used a spare in 45 years

 

[HazardLights]

A couple of years ago I got a nail through the sidewall of a tyre on my Octavia on the ten mile drive back from getting four new premium tyres fitted. I was far from happy

 

[M44LCY]

I just bought a full MG5 spacesaver kit from my local MG dealer yesterday. I'd previously had a few false starts with eBay 'genuine' items which were either incorrect, dented and/or heavily rusted. The list is about £280, but I got it for £225. That's much, much more than those on eBay from a salvage yard, but half way between a new aftermarket kit and the full MG price. I have the reassurance that, if/when required, it will actually fit. And it shows that it never does any harm to ask for a discount!

 

[DerekH]

I guess 4 times in 2.5 years is a lot, nevertheless - once is enough and this last time (5:45am on a Sunday Morning) was easily the most inconvenient, twice before the leaks were slow and I found them the next day when I discovered the flat, even so, I live a few ks from any service station, so would need to inflate before driving or I would risk further damage to the tyre. On both of those occasions using the space saver spare allowed the tyres to have a plug repair, still a fraction of a new tyer replacement. Brisbane roadways are bitumen over concrete and 8 to 9 months they bake in 30+degree heat, which does react differently to travel on cooler or cold roadways. My point in posting the thread was I feel the no spare/goo kit that now comes standard with new MG4's is both inadequate, and short-sighted.

I understand your point and I too live in Oz. However my previous car before my MG4 was a Mazda mx5. That car also had no space saver and far less boot space than the MG4 so wasn't a possibility. It had the goo and pump and i carried some tyre plugs. In 6 years I never had a flat in the mx5 and I had done 140,000 kms from new before I sold it. My Mg4 Essence 77kw has now done some long country trips and since Sept 2023 I have just done 21,000 kms. Not had a puncture as yet. I also ride a motorbike and obviously no spare for that. I carry co2 and tyre plugs just in case. So yes it will be inconvenient if I get a major flat, I.e sidewall and not repairable but I have decided based on years of driving and minimal tyre issues that a space saver being lugged around and taking up space isn't needed for the potential.times I may need it and the time it would save me. Just my perspective of course. I think I may invest in a fully size spare, but leave it at home. If I actually ever needed it, I would have a family member bring it out to where I had broken down if that was possible and where the included MG4 breakdown service couldn't assist. I have assumed that the incl breakdown service for the MG4 would carry a spare tyre / wheel but probably worth a call to see if they actually do?

 

[chiarabrixia]

Last Sunday, at 5:15am while on my way to pick up a friend - (we were both playing golf), I was about 2ks from his place when my front driver's side tyre blew.
Result; a 5mm hole in the sidewall a goo kit would have been useless!
And at that time/day, roadside assist and a replacement tyre would have easily taken 1/2 a day and cost me mega bucks and more importantly ruin my social golf round.
Enter my SS tyre, a 15min change, I arrive at my friend's, where we load my golf cart and bag into his car and still make it to the game on time.
I ran 5th out of 27, so, a good social day, after lunch, I drive on my crippled car home approx 45km, check tyre pressures (all good). The next day, drove to my tyre store of choice 13km where the tyre was replaced under warranty. I had to pay a $30 change and wheel balance.
This is now the 4th occasion my space-saver tyre has been used in around 2.5 years.
I will never regret not opting for only having a goo kit. Aussie roads are tough, a tyre can blow at the most inappropriate moment, as outlined above, no spare = no choice.

I don't know how to change a tyre anyway !

 

[Brianlescargot]

In UK good breakdown cover is a must. I have only ever had one car with a space saver and when I had a blow out in France I had to drive 600+ miles at a max 50mph home. That was painful compared to being brought home on the back of a breakdown truck!

 

[wattmatters]

I think I may invest in a fully size spare, but leave it at home. If I actually ever needed it, I would have a family member bring it out to where I had broken down if that was possible and where the included MG4 breakdown service couldn't assist. I have assumed that the incl breakdown service for the MG4 would carry a spare tyre / wheel but probably worth a call to see if they actually do?

I still think the case for a space saver rather than full sized spare is there in this instance.

If a spare is required you are either near enough to home for the family member to bring a spare, or you are on a longer trip away from home and so the family delivered spare isn't an option.

If they were going to bring a spare, then it may as well be a space saver. Lighter/easier to lug for them and you are more than likely going to either repair the original or if not repairable replace at least a pair of tyres in any case (not usually good for the car to drive with tyres of uneven wear for very long) and so all you are looking for is a means of getting home and/or to the tyre shop.

Meanwhile the space saver is an easier option to take on board for longer journeys when the option of waiting for road service support is going to take hours. Just getting on your way to the next town with a tyre shop would probably be preferable.

It's a balance whether it's worthwhile. I've had three flats since moving to our current home eight years ago. Two on the Golf and the on board space saver was really helpful. The other was sidewall damage on my Merc with no spare (run flat tyres). Turned out to be a damaged rim as well.

Since we still have the Golf, all I need is for the Golf to arrive and I can use its space saver spare. But on longer trips at the moment I'm at the mercy of MG's roadside service.

 

[Blacksmith]

I had the car for 9 days, and picked up a stray piece of metal. If I had a plug kit or space saver onboard, it would have been an easy fix. Instead I had to listen to that incredibly loud compressor for an inordinate amount of time to limp home and do a plug fix. ( I'd rather avoid the goo unless a last resort).

 

[Narrowgauge725]

I hated not having a spare and got a Mercedes one which fits perfectly for £40 circumference is within 5% so perfectly acceptable. Previous car I had winter tyres on wheels so kept one in as spare very glad of it when I got a piece of metal 3” wide through the tread.