Space Saver Wheel - Is my paranoia justified?

[DV52]

I recently had need to lift the floor panel from the rear of my Golf (something I don't do often) and I noticed how snug the space saver wheel fitted into the car's boot well. I've had little experience with space saver wheels and I've read with some scepticism VW's claim (in the car manual) that they work as requied, when needed. That said, I'm not sure how the Golf will handle, or how safely the car would brake with the space saver fitted when travelling at 80kms/hr (I guess, fitted on the front of the car would be the most problematic). I assume that some aspects of the car's behaviour (like stopping distance) would be affected but I have no idea how impacting the compromise would be for the car's occupants.

Anyhow, solutions such as buying a full size tyre and wheel (from a wreckers rather than from our rapacious friends at VW) are academic if there is not enough space in the Golf's wheel well. Has anyone actually used a full size tyre as a spare in a mk7 Golf? If so, are there any consequences (like not being able to use the lower setting for the floor cover, or not being able to stow away the car-jack tools)?

If using a full size wheels is an viable option, I would welcome others views about my (small) paranoia for space saver spares. Are my suspicions justified, or do you simply recommend that I seek psychiatric help from a trained therapist?

[dylan8]

There is a few restrictions to them I think.
For example to be used on the rear of the car, and 80km/h max speed.
As you said it wouldn't be the greatest thing to drive on, but to get you back home from down at the shops or stuck in the middle of no where to the nearest town it would come in handy and do the trick

[elephino]

Space savers aren't the death traps some would have you believe. Yes, it is generally recommended not to fit it to a driving wheel (obviously impossible on a 4WD car). But the main thing to remember is that it is a temporary wheel designed to get you from where you have your flat to where you can get your flat replaced - not like some people I've seen do and drive about for a bit cos they couldn't be bothered replacing it as "it's a wheel, it works, aren't they all the same?"

They are a compromise as they are narrower, so have less grip and it creates an amount of imbalance with differing grip on each corner, plus the 80km/h restriction. So if you do ever fit it, drive carefully and allow bigger gaps to cars in front and generally take more care than you would otherwise. And most importantly, get the flat tyre fixed or replaced as soon as possible.

[kl85]

I had a 18x8 spare steelie in my car when I bought my R 2nd hand, I could not for the life of me figure out why the boot floor was sunken in on the left and right sides towards the tail lights. Pain in the ass cause I carried a lot of stuff in the boot, went for service last week and asked my mechanic about it and he swapped it for a proper space saver and now the boot is flushed. The space saver is to tide you through for a few days till u change your blown tyre anyways

[ajay1940]

I've driven on space savers, in the past, and can confirm that they are perfectly fine if you drive sensibly and remember that they are a compromise.

[Diesel_vert]

I recently had need to lift the floor panel from the rear of my Golf (something I don't do often) and I noticed how snug the space saver wheel fitted into the car's boot well. I've had little experience with space saver wheels and I've read with some scepticism VW's claim (in the car manual) that they work as requied, when needed. That said, I'm not sure how the Golf will handle, or how safely the car would brake with the space saver fitted when travelling at 80kms/hr (I guess, fitted on the front of the car would be the most problematic). I assume that some aspects of the car's behaviour (like stopping distance) would be affected but I have no idea how impacting the compromise would be for the car's occupants.

Space savers are for temporary use only and stated as such on the tyre sidewall, hence the T in the tyre size designation T 125/70 R18 99M. You'd be surprised how many motorists are not aware of this.

Physics will obviously dictate that any vehicle without identical wheels and tyres on all axles will behave differently or less predictably, hence the speed restriction of 80 km/h (which applies for any spare tyre of a different size, space saver or otherwise), so vehicle and tyre manufacturers advise driving in a cautious manner until the standard tyre is refitted, which of course should be done as soon as is practicable.

If a driver takes all the above information into account while driving, then I don't really foresee any significant problems (aside from the inconvenience of being restricted to 80 km/h and driving more cautiously).

Anyhow, solutions such as buying a full size tyre and wheel (from a wreckers rather than from our rapacious friends at VW) are academic if there is not enough space in the Golf's wheel well. Has anyone actually used a full size tyre as a spare in a mk7 Golf? If so, are there any consequences (like not being able to use the lower setting for the floor cover, or not being able to stow away the car-jack tools)?

At home, you could measure the tyre width and estimate how far the floor cover would be raised to give you an idea how much boot space you'd lose (given that a Highline is fitted with 225/45 R17 tyres as standard, I'm guessing quite a lot).

[ian]

This is what I did to my makk V

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr310/commodore04/Pictures701.jpg

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr310/commodore04/Pictures703.jpg

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr310/commodore04/Pictures697.jpg

If now tucked the mat down behind the rear seat looks original ,

[readerr0r]

They're fine to drive on if they're on the non-drive wheel, plus you get roadside assist with VW so they can do it for you. My front wheel get a nasty egg on it and it was a rainy day, called up VW assit and RACQ guy came and put the good rear on the front and the space saver on the back. Drove pretty fine tbh, and the traction control would be able to balance out any nasty grip issues at those lower speeds with sensible driving.

[DV52]

This is what I did to my makk V

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr310/commodore04/Pictures701.jpg

If now tucked the mat down behind the rear seat looks original ,

Ian, I'm finding it difficult to interpret your 1st pic. Looks like you made a false floor to fit-in the full sized wheel. Not sure if you are aware that the mkVII has two positions for the wheel well cover. I had assumed (perhaps even hoped) that the lower floor position on the mk7 would accomodate a full size spare. However, I've taken Diesel_vert's advice and measured the front wheel. I reckon that it would be a tight fit if it fits at all! Don't want to take off the wheel to confirm my suspicion. Would rather wait for someone who has actually put a full size wheel in the mk7 wheel well.

[ian]

Ian, I'm finding it difficult to interpret your 1st pic. Looks like you made a false floor to fit-in the full sized wheel. Not sure if you are aware that the mkVII has two positions for the wheel well cover. I had assumed (perhaps even hoped) that the lower floor position on the mk7 would accomodate a full size spare. However, I've taken Diesel_vert's advice and measured the front wheel. I reckon that it would be a tight fit if it fits at all! Don't want to take off the wheel to confirm my suspicion. Would rather wait for someone who has actually put a full size wheel in the mk7 wheel well.

The full size wheel in my case a 225/45/17 is the same diameter as the space saver ,I just dropped it into the spare wheel well ,now because it was 80 mil higher I placed some foam around the out side and cut some MDF over the top to take any weight then I replaced the mat . You will more than likely find your space saver and your driving wheels are the same diameter .


you can buy a full size spare in the UK so it will fit

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/16-VW-Golf-Mark-7-2012-2014-Full-Size-Spare-Wheel-and-Kumho-Tyre-/360832893790

[flight]

If using a full size wheels is an viable option, I would welcome others views about my (small) paranoia for space saver spares. Are my suspicions justified, or do you simply recommend that I seek psychiatric help from a trained therapist?

DV52 I drove a Golf V for 8 years with a skinny spare in the boot and never needed it. Maybe I'm just lucky, but the spare also stayed inflated. If I were you, I would be happy to have a skinny spare and not have to cope with 4 run-flat tyres that you will find on other German cars. With the run-flats, Sod's law will dictate that punctures occur a long way from any place that sells such tyres and has one in stock in your hour of need.

[midlifecrisis]

A dealer told me the 225 alloy will fit with a bit if plastic cutting away. I like the idea but no one seems to be selling stock highline wheels at a decent price. Only sets of four.

[wai]

Ok, how many flat tyres have you had?

I drove some 30,00 km in my Mini (genuine one), and had just one flat tyre.

I drove some 350,000 km in my Torana, and had 2 flat tyres. As for tyre failures, my spare ruptured while in the boot! I've posted pictures somewhere here.

I drove some 130,000 km in my Toyota Hiace and had NO flat tyres. In fact, when I traded it in on my Caddy, the dealer was absolutely amazed I never had to ever remove the jack and toolkit from under the passenger's seat! He asked me about the toolkit and jack, and I told him it is still under the passenger's seat and It has to be everything as I have never had to remove it.

The reality is that in the main, you are rarely going to have a flat tyre, and this is why a spacesaver one is provided. Yes, it is speed limited. So what, they are perfectly OK as long as you keep within their limits. It will get you to a tyre repairer where the puncture will be fixed or you get a new tyre. Let's face it, you are not going to want to carry that normal wheel around as you won't be able to carry anything else.

Look at it this way. You are carrying around a lot less weight for that off chance you might need it.

[midlifecrisis]

I've lost (close sidewall puncture) once a year for the last three years of my SUVs life. Builders/tradies dropping screws.

Its peace of mind, convienance and safety to have a full sized spare so I'm keen to see if an equitable solution can be found.

[Diesel_vert]

The full size wheel in my case a 225/45/17 is the same diameter as the space saver ,I just dropped it into the spare wheel well ,now because it was 80 mil higher I placed some foam around the out side and cut some MDF over the top to take any weight then I replaced the mat . You will more than likely find your space saver and your driving wheels are the same diameter.

The diameter of any spare wheel and tyre assembly (space saver or otherwise) supplied by the factory should be very close, if not identical, to those fitted on vehicle's axles.

The issue lies with the width of the standard tyre.

If we assume a T 125/70 R18 99M tyre has a width of approximately 125 mm, and a 225/45 R17 91W tyre has a width of approximately 225 mm, then that is a protrusion of approximately 100 mm (give or take) into the boot area.

I don't know if a Mk7 Golf can accommodate that protrusion without raising the floor cover to its highest position (if at all):

A dealer told me the 225 alloy will fit with a bit if plastic cutting away. I like the idea but no one seems to be selling stock highline wheels at a decent price. Only sets of four.

...

you can buy a full size spare in the UK so it will fit
16" VW Golf Mark 7 2012 2014 Full Size Spare Wheel AND Kumho Tyre | eBay

If full vehicle capability is desired when the spare wheel and tyre is fitted, they must be identical in size to those fitted on the vehicle's axles. If the vehicle is fitted with 225/45 R17 91W tyres, there is little point in purchasing a standard 195/65 R15 91H or 205/55 R16 91V tyre as a spare, as you'd still be inconvenienced by the 80 km/h limit due to the size difference.

This is all to do with maintaining the vehicle's dynamic integrity, rather than any limitation of the tyre itself (the space saver tyre has a speed symbol of M, which indicates a maximum speed of 130 km/h), as fitting a differently sized wheel and tyre assembly is akin to fitting a different spring and damper in only one corner.