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New cars don't come with spare tires... This seems to be the trend with car manufacturers. Got a flat? Call roadside assistance. I found out (the hard way) my new car doesn't have a spare tire. There is a well for a temporary spare, but it's filled with a foam block that holds a pump and a can of 'fix-a-flat- product. If your tire needs more than a plug, you could be stranded as roadside assistance may have to arrange towing to get a replacement tire. What happened to me was, I lost tire pressure and drove a few blocks until I could safely pull over. My car has low-profile tires that cannot go any distance flat (like many conventional tires can) and the manufacturer's size isn't common. I was fortunate a Tire Kingdom store is 2 miles from me and they have that size in stock. If you have a late model car, I suggest you have a look to see if your car comes with a spare tire. |
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I'm lucky enough there is a 'doughnut' spare tire kit available for my car but the dealer charges $300. I found a few listings on Amazon and eBay in the $200-$230 range. The kit comes with a jack and lug wrench. A coworker drives a BMW and he says he has nothing... no spare and no place to keep a spare should he want to carry one.
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They do this crap because the average customer accept it. When people demand the better equipment, they will have to sell it or the customer can go buy a different model. I wrote about poor quality products, in the blog Stuff but people are more attuned to pursue 'romantic drama blogs 
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The question is why is this happening? Did money change hands from roadside assistance to allow auto makers to send business their way? I'm not shouting conspiracy... or am I?
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I went to a messageboard website for this brand/model car and there were several complaints about the lack of doughnut spare. It appears the Canadian version does come with a spare.
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I have to go on a road trip for business next week that will have me driving all day. My concern is not having a spare. Short of time to shop around, I'll be forced to pay $300 for the dealer to install a temporary spare.
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