Space Saver wheel for a car without a spare wheel

[KingoftheSandy]

Taking the car to France in the Summer, however I don’t want to take a chance with the inflator kit in my E Class - S212.

Has anyone bought a small space saver wheel (few of them kicking about the internet), that will sit in dormant the boot with little fuss?

I’ve got 19” alloys, but it’s a mire of conflicting info about what size is safe to use.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[rifiki]

Make sure you have all the wheel changing equipment.
Place the wheel on boot floor, just like any other bit of luggage.

 

[richlumb]

Not had any personal experience with this company but this company has just been recommended on the GLC forum (you will need to do a search for your model) they mentioned that the wheel and Jack were both bagged etc

20" Space saver spare wheel + tool kit + cover bag compatible with Mercedes GLC (2015-present day)

Cheap Spare Wheels & Space Saver Wheels - Thewheelshop.co.uk 20" Space saver spare wheel + tool kit + cover bag compatible with Mercedes GLC (2015-present day)

www.thewheelshop.co.uk

 

[NJS5]

Whatever you get I would advise a test fitting before you depart to both front & rear. The wheel kit should include wheel bolts.

NJSS

 

[KingoftheSandy]

Not had any personal experience with this company but this company has just been recommended on the GLC forum (you will need to do a search for your model) they mentioned that the wheel and Jack were both bagged etc

20" Space saver spare wheel + tool kit + cover bag compatible with Mercedes GLC (2015-present day)

Cheap Spare Wheels & Space Saver Wheels - Thewheelshop.co.uk 20" Space saver spare wheel + tool kit + cover bag compatible with Mercedes GLC (2015-present day)

www.thewheelshop.co.uk

I was looking at these, there are others that are similar.

Nice to see they are getting recommended elsewhere as nobody wants to buy something that will let you down just when you need it the most.

 

[richlumb]

I was looking at these, there are others that are similar.

Nice to see they are getting recommended elsewhere as nobody wants to buy something that will let you down just when you need it the most.

I asked the guy who bought one about stud lengths and he said they ok as well

 

[Snake Charmer]

Whatever you get I would advise a test fitting before you depart to both front & rear. The wheel kit should include wheel bolts.

NJSS

Sound advice, I have a set of bolts for the space saver on my S211.

 

[51315]

In May we are off to France for 2 weeks (mainly motorways.) At 86 and, if a tyre gives problems, not feeling I want to fix anything myself, do I simply go with what's on the car (gunge) - or perhaps buy this kit (presumably I can secure it to boot floor?) Then phone Mercedes recovery and wait - hopefully mechanic will choose best option on arrival, although on French motorways a truck arrives and carts you and car to nearest garage. Am I being too manic?

 

[onefortheroad]

I bought a 17 inch for my c207 , it's fitted with 19 inch wheels . You need to buy a wheel that matches your cars ET and rolling radius of what's fitted now . You may also need a jack and tools to remove nuts/bolts.
The wheel you need will have a mb part number on it .

Mine started out like A207 ******. If it's a 212 it'll be like A212*******. Etc etc .

 

[rorywquin]

Taking the car to France in the Summer, however I don’t want to take a chance with the inflator kit in my E Class - S212.

Has anyone bought a small space saver wheel (few of them kicking about the internet), that will sit in dormant the boot with little fuss?

I’ve got 19” alloys, but it’s a mire of conflicting info about what size is safe to use.

Any advice appreciated.

How often do you need a spare wheel? I don’t recall needing one for about 40 years.

 

[EmilysDad]

How often do you need a spare wheel? I don’t recall needing one for about 40 years.

It had been very many years since I last needed/fitted a spare wheel, but I could have done with one a few Fridays ago when I got a message at work that I had a flat on my Smart ....

 

[onefortheroad]

How often do you need a spare wheel? I don’t recall needing one for about 40 years.

I had 2 tyres fail within a week ,it does happen.

 

[rorywquin]

I had 2 tyres fail within a week ,it does happen.

Agreed. But that is just pure bad luck (or you have rubbish tyres ) and the exception does not make the rule. It is a statistical outlier.

 

[rorywquin]

It had been very many years since I last needed/fitted a spare wheel, but I could have done with one a few Fridays ago when I got a message at work that I had a flat on my Smart ....

Oh yes I agree. However for 99% of the time in the reasonably rare event of a puncture, a goop kit will get you going.

I wonder how many people who cary a spare wheel actually ever check that it is inflated.

 

[V6Matty]

Oh yes I agree. However for 99% of the time in the reasonably rare event of a puncture, a goop kit will get you going.

I wonder how many people who cary a spare wheel actually ever check that it is inflated.

Per the other thread I’ve had to use my space saver twice in the last 6 months, both times the tyres had damage to the sidewall so no goop would have saved me, and hours waiting for a recovery is no fun, especially with family onboard as we had last week

 

[LostKiwi]

I drive to mid west France 3 to 4 times per year and have done for 7 years (just over 550 miles per time each way from Calais). Before that drove to the Alps/South of France the preceding 3 years.
In that time we have used a car with a spare only 3 times. I've needed a spare only once and that was the last trip. We had a puncture on the way to France (fixed roadside in 10 minutes using a puncture repair kit) and needed a new tyre on the way home after a (different) tyre delaminated the tread from the carcass. We still made it back to the UK having driven nearly 500 miles on it.

This trip we still haven't taken a spare as don't feel the need.

Just make sure your compressor works (we had a bad one last time but fortunately had 2) and that your tyres are a reputable brand and in good condition inflated correctly for the load you're carrying.

This is my kit:
https://amzn.eu/d/bTZ4ceD
Plus two cans of tyre goo.

This is our failed tyre:


Also bear in mind that if you use space saver you need to find a hole for the dirty full size wheel to go in which case you're probably better with a full size spare in the first place.

 

[onefortheroad]

I drive to mid west France 3 to 4 times per year and have done for 7 years (just over 550 miles per time each way from Calais). Before that drove to the Alps/South of France the preceding 3 years.
In that time we have used a car with a spare only 3 times. I've needed a spare only once and that was the last trip. We had a puncture on the way to France (fixed roadside in 10 minutes using a puncture repair kit) and needed a new tyre on the way home after a (different) tyre delaminated the tread from the carcass. We still made it back to the UK having driven nearly 500 miles on it.

This trip we still haven't taken a spare as don't feel the need.

Just make sure your compressor works (we had a bad one last time but fortunately had 2) and that your tyres are a reputable brand and in good condition inflated correctly for the load you're carrying.

This is my kit:
https://amzn.eu/d/bTZ4ceD
Plus two cans of tyre goo.

This is our failed tyre:
View attachment 83177

Also bear in mind that if you use space saver you need to find a hole for the dirty full size wheel to go in which case you're probably better with a full size spare in the first place.

It must be nice to have a hole for any size spare . I'm stuck with an ad blue tank .

 

[rorywquin]

I drive to mid west France 3 to 4 times per year and have done for 7 years (just over 550 miles per time each way from Calais). Before that drove to the Alps/South of France the preceding 3 years.
In that time we have used a car with a spare only 3 times. I've needed a spare only once and that was the last trip. We had a puncture on the way to France (fixed roadside in 10 minutes using a puncture repair kit) and needed a new tyre on the way home after a (different) tyre delaminated the tread from the carcass. We still made it back to the UK having driven nearly 500 miles on it.

This trip we still haven't taken a spare as don't feel the need.

Just make sure your compressor works (we had a bad one last time but fortunately had 2) and that your tyres are a reputable brand and in good condition inflated correctly for the load you're carrying.

This is my kit:
https://amzn.eu/d/bTZ4ceD
Plus two cans of tyre goo.

This is our failed tyre:
View attachment 83177

Also bear in mind that if you use space saver you need to find a hole for the dirty full size wheel to go in which case you're probably better with a full size spare in the first place.

I never thought of that. In something like a SLK or SL on a road trip, it could be a real problem.

 

[LostKiwi]

I never thought of that. In something like a SLK or SL on a road trip, it could be a real problem.

Three of our trips to the south of France were in a Smart Roadster.

A spare tyre is not an option.

 

[Blobcat]

Three of our trips to the south of France were in a Smart Roadster.

A spare tyre is not an option.

I've done most of Europe on motorcycle without spare wheel...