Spare Tire Questions

[Truett Collins]

Lucky you! I've had two motorcycles and two punctures and currently have an extremely small puncture. A puncture on a bike tire requires the tire to be replaced, as any repairs are considered emergency only.

Tire busters for cars have told me not to use tire goops as they ruin the tire for permanent patch repairs. With the special tires to be installed on the Elio, I'm left to wonder whether a plugged tire can be used for the remainder of its tread life, or if if the spare replacement is a bottle of tire goop.

Yes your "Tire busters" simply want to sell you a tire. More money in their pocket from your pocket. Have plugged many tiers over the years and drove them till the rest of the tread was gone and never had a problem.

 

[tonyspumoni]

Might be moot discussion if Elio decides to use runflats instand of conventional tires. I did a search and only found one post using the term "runflat". Cars that do not come with spares must by law use runflat tires, at least in California. I sold a BMW with $1000 worth of non-RFTs to a dealer and was told they would have to swap the tires out for RFTs, since this particular model has no place for a spare and that that is the law. Motorcycles are for very obvious reasons not subject to this type of legislation. Still, if doing so wouldn't degrade the ride too much equipping the Elio with RFTs might make a lot of sense. Might be too expensive though.

 

[srt6]

I live in Ca. and bought a Chrysler Crossfire here. No spare and no run flats. And no room for a spare.
Neither came on any Crossfire in the U.S. or abroad as stock items.
This RF law is new to me, haven't heard of it before.

 

[zelio]

Might be moot discussion if Elio decides to use runflats instand of conventional tires. I did a search and only found one post using the term "runflat". Cars that do not come with spares must by law use runflat tires, at least in California. I sold a BMW with $1000 worth of non-RFTs to a dealer and was told they would have to swap the tires out for RFTs, since this particular model has no place for a spare and that that is the law. Motorcycles are for very obvious reasons not subject to this type of legislation. Still, if doing so wouldn't degrade the ride too much equipping the Elio with RFTs might make a lot of sense. Might be too expensive though.

Did you get a second opinion? That sounds very suspicious to me. But then I'm a woman and I do not trust car dealerships at all! :-) Z

 

[goofyone]

Might be moot discussion if Elio decides to use runflats instand of conventional tires. I did a search and only found one post using the term "runflat". Cars that do not come with spares must by law use runflat tires, at least in California. I sold a BMW with $1000 worth of non-RFTs to a dealer and was told they would have to swap the tires out for RFTs, since this particular model has no place for a spare and that that is the law. Motorcycles are for very obvious reasons not subject to this type of legislation. Still, if doing so wouldn't degrade the ride too much equipping the Elio with RFTs might make a lot of sense. Might be too expensive though.

The Elio is legally a motorcycle so this would not apply.

 

[wheaters]

I don't believe that a run flat tyre is yet made in the size the Elio needs. From experience of run flats on my present car, I'm not keen on them. They give a harsh ride. However, it would make sense to fit one on the rear wheel of an Elio.

 

[carzes]

Might be moot discussion if Elio decides to use runflats instand of conventional tires. I did a search and only found one post using the term "runflat". Cars that do not come with spares must by law use runflat tires, at least in California. I sold a BMW with $1000 worth of non-RFTs to a dealer and was told they would have to swap the tires out for RFTs, since this particular model has no place for a spare a
nd that that is the law. Motorcycles are for very obvious reasons not subject to this type of legislation. Still, if doing so wouldn't degrade the ride too much equipping the Elio with RFTs might make a lot of sense. Might be too expensive though.

Don't know if that's a real law in Cali' or if the dealer was just makin' up crap to low-ball your trade in, not that I can POSSIBLY envision a car dealer doing something like that. But run-flat tires are EXPENSIVE. I know for a BMW $300 per tire might seem like spare change, but in the $7k car world that is a LOT. They might also adversely effect mpg due to increased rolling resistance and such.

 

[trock59]

Neither of my two Miata's had spare tires. Just a DC compressor and a can of fix-a-flat. Never bothered me. I think spare tires are an anachronism from the 1920's when driving on the unimproved roads at the time was an adventure. Spare tires are gone from cars just like ash trays and cigarette lighters.

We still need ashtrays so smokers won't toss their butts out the window and the cig lighter is now a "power port" I've used fix a flat for years- just tell the tire guy it's in there BEFORE he takes it off the rim! It can make a mess.

 

[trock59]

With people being so spoiled now days do you think they would change a tire.
When is the last time you saw someone changing a tire? Me neither.
Cell phone and AAA or another roadside assistance company phone number is all that most want.

I do all vehicle maintenance myself and used to mount my own tires when I had access to the machine. I don't call AAA (or 911) Know your vehicle and how it works.

 

[trock59]

Did you get a second opinion? That sounds very suspicious to me. But then I'm a woman and I do not trust car dealerships at all! Z

Me neither Z, used to work at one- now I avoid them like the plague!