Spare Wheel........or NOT!

nilagin said:
It's all paid for in your lease fees. If you need tyres etc., you're getting your moneys worth. If not the Lease company makes a bigger profit and you've paid for tyres and/or maintenance that never happened.
Click to expand...

Its only money ............. :)
 
nilagin said:
How can people not know how to change a wheel? It's not hard. They even make it easy for you now and put arrows on the sills or side skirts indicating the jacking points.
Click to expand...
Whether it's hard or not, many people have never done any mechanical work, and will look at each end of the wrench. And are looking at a car jack for the very first time, or are looking at one of those cheap 2 piece ones where it's not obvious which way up they go.

It's clear to me that not everyone will know how to change a wheel. It's more surprising that some people can't imagine outside of their own experience.

One car of our group had a puncture recently in the Czech countryside. The wheel wrench wouldn't budge any of the wheel nuts. We had no mallet. Even standing and jumping on it didn't budge it. Luckily a friendly local, saw us and brought out a long bar wrench and did all the nuts in seconds. So sometimes it is hard.

Maybe manufacturers should include better tools. But I bet statistically the downside, to the makers, of including a spare wheel outweighs the downside of annoying their customers.
 
Last edited:
nilagin said:
you need to have the breaker bar or wrench pointing.
Click to expand...

I do have a breaker bar in the car, which was frequently used on the vans when I drove to work, but as the car is now left at home
they only have the wheel brace that comes with them, far to short and makes it more difficult.
Sadly most people have no idea what they have in the kit until they need it, and less idea how to use it
 
ianp5a said:
Whether it's hard or not, many people have never done any mechanical work, and will look at each end of the wrench. And are looking at a car jack for the very first time, or are looking at one of those cheap 2 piece ones where it's not obvious which way up they go.

It's clear to me that not everyone will know how to change a wheel. It's more surprising that some people can't imagine outside of their own experience.

One car of our group had a puncture recently in the Czech countryside. The wheel wrench wouldn't budge any of the wheel nuts. We had no mallet. Even standing and jumping on it didn't budge it. Luckily a friendly, nearby local saw us and brought out a long bar wrench and did all the nuts in seconds. So sometimes it is hard.

Maybe manufacturers should include better tools. But I bet statistically the downside, to the makers, of including a spare wheel outweighs the downside of annoying their customers.
Click to expand...


If someone can't tell one end of wrench from the other, I'd be questioning there ability to make rational safe decisions whilst driving.
Next you will be telling me people don't know how to unscrew a bottle cap.
 
I'm sure people are familiar with bottle caps. And are certainly will be familiar with diving on roads. But it's hardly surprising that not everyone is a mechanic, and have experience with a car jack.
 
Last edited:
ianp5a said:
I'm sure people are familiar with bottle caps. And are certainly will be familiar with diving on roads.
Click to expand...

And changing a wheel is the same principal as removing and refitting 4 or 5 bottle caps.
 
Oh dear. How can anyone get through life without understanding people? We don't all have the same skills you know!
 
Last edited:
john.margetts said:
Good maintenance prevents punctures by replacing tyres before they are weak.
Click to expand...

i'll add my story to the list of people saying twaddle. brand new pair of fronts, 5 days later a 2cm cut in the sidewall destroyed one of those.

Cobra said:
in fact one recovery guy said that the ordinary motorist isn't supposed to change a wheel at the roadside any more.
I doubt its law, but more like touting for business
Click to expand...

going by how many people (including recovery and breakdown workers) have been killed at the side of the road down here over the last couple of years i dont think i'd want to.

stryvya said:
Just the Kit to keep in the back of your Smart Car!!
Click to expand...

not sure it'd do much for the mpg either. and if the car doesnt have a specific place for storage, not sure i'd want a trolly jack and spare floating around in the boot :D
 
I think it is an unusual thing not having any spare at all, however being in a different era when it comes to tyre quality and condition of roads I am not surprised.
In a least the last 20 years I have only every had 2 tyre problems and in both cases it was road debris that destroyed the tyre, also in both instances I was on a motorway and quite frankly I will be damned if I will change a tyre at the side of a motorway so called the AA.

Also given that considerably more woman, older people, disabled who now drive who wouldn't even dream of changing the tyre.
 
I know how to change a wheel, it was one of the first things my dad taught me after passing my test. :)

I have done it many times and some of the best money I have spent was on an extending wheel brace. No problems undoing wheelnuts even if they have been air wrenched on! :D

It is quite entertaining if I see someone struggling and offer to help.....especially if they are male! :p
 
Mr Bump said:
in both instances I was on a motorway and quite frankly I will be damned if I will change a tyre at the side of a motorway
Click to expand...

It's actually illegal to do so in France. Which is one of the few sensible motoring laws they have :D

I had to get a garage to recover my car to the closest turnoff. He wanted to fit a new tyre (and apparently they have to replace both on the axle in France...) but I said the spare would be fine ;)
 
JonathanRyan said:
I have a Smart car. Not only does it have no room for a spare, it has no room for the two spares I'd actually need (front and back wheels are different sizes).
.
Click to expand...

One of the least aptly named cars on the market :D

I remember when they first hit these shores, there was about 50 parked behind the head office, where hardly anyone went, and out of sight of the general public.
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to ask, wtf is that?
They were quite put out and made me promise not to say anything.
I guess they were embarrassed ? :D
 
Cobra said:
One of the least aptly named cars on the market :D

I remember when they first hit these shores, there was about 50 parked behind the head office, where hardly anyone went, and out of sight of the general public.
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to ask, wtf is that?
They were quite put out and made me promise not to say anything.
I guess they were embarrassed ? :D
Click to expand...

Yeah. I get that kind of stuff a lot. Then I drive into London and street park in the tiniest of spaces ;) I can get full studio kit, cameras and laptop in the boot so I'm happy. I can even fit a dcent stepladder in if there's no passenger.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Yeah. I get that kind of stuff a lot. Then I drive into London and street park in the tiniest of spaces ;) I can get full studio kit, cameras and laptop in the boot so I'm happy. I can even fit a dcent stepladder in if there's no passenger.
Click to expand...
Just puling your leg, I'd never drive one, but I can see the attraction for those that work in or go to large cities regularly (y)
 
A cousin of mine had to deliver a for2 from Bedford to Plymouth. Never again was his verdict! Then again, he's 6'4.
 
ianp5a said:
Oh dear. How can anyone get through life without understanding people? We don't all have the same skills you know!
Click to expand...
Changing a wheel requires no skills.
 
Mmm.jpg
Mmmmm. Upholstered.
 
Last edited:
nilagin said:
Changing a wheel requires no skills.
Click to expand...


Knowing how to change a wheel and being able to change a wheel are completely different things. Pretty sure Marc would love to be able to do the job easily.
 
Nod said:
Knowing how to change a wheel and being able to change a wheel are completely different things. Pretty sure Marc would love to be able to do the job easily.
Click to expand...
Physical ability is not what was meant or what the argument was about though. The argument was about having the knowledge on how to do the job and as far as that goes, if you are old enough and able to drive, you will have all the reasoning on how to go about it. Sure there will be those who will jack up first prior to loosening the nuts, but knowledge wise it isn't hard to fathom out.

ianp5a even made a comment about people looking at both ends of a wheel wrench as if it was a mystical object with no clues which end to use.

Fairly obvious, I'm sure you will agree.
 
Not everyone is as mechanically minded as you. Yes, it's pretty obvious to me but would be a mystery to some, although I have a feeling that basic mechanical things (daily vehicle checks etc.) are now routinely taught to new drivers. Not sure if wheel changing is among the things taught.
 
Nod said:
Not everyone is as mechanically minded as you. Yes, it's pretty obvious to me but would be a mystery to some, although I have a feeling that basic mechanical things (daily vehicle checks etc.) are now routinely taught to new drivers. Not sure if wheel changing is among the things taught.
Click to expand...

The "Show Me Tell Me" questions that new drivers are required to know, or at least be prepared to answer during their practical test, are random (and some of them downright daft) at best.
 
I have a full sized wheel in the boot of my Tucson, and still have a huge boot that takes all my shopping and crap. if i'd taken the option of not having a wheel in there, i'd be able to get all my shopping in the space..its a big boot and a big wheel!
 
Matt said:
I have a full sized wheel in the boot of my Tucson, and still have a huge boot that takes all my shopping and crap. if i'd taken the option of not having a wheel in there, i'd be able to get all my shopping in the space..its a big boot and a big wheel!
Click to expand...

Do you crap in the boot often? :eek::wideyed:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
nilagin said:
Physical ability is not what was meant or what the argument was about though. The argument was about having the knowledge on how to do the job and as far as that goes, if you are old enough and able to drive, you will have all the reasoning on how to go about it. Sure there will be those who will jack up first prior to loosening the nuts, but knowledge wise it isn't hard to fathom out.

ianp5a even made a comment about people looking at both ends of a wheel wrench as if it was a mystical object with no clues which end to use.

Fairly obvious, I'm sure you will agree.
Click to expand...

Your faith in non practical persons abilities to do practical things is optimistic at best.............I think you would be surprised (by the tone of your posts) how little many people know about using tools

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-3412299/More-half-drivers-t-change-wheel-need-to.html
New study finds more than half of motorists can't change a wheel - but do they really need to know how to fit a spare anymore?
 
Last edited:
Nod said:
Not everyone is as mechanically minded as you. Yes, it's pretty obvious to me but would be a mystery to some, although I have a feeling that basic mechanical things (daily vehicle checks etc.) are now routinely taught to new drivers. Not sure if wheel changing is among the things taught.
Click to expand...

You don't need to be mechanically minded and if someone can't tell which end of the wrench fits on the nuts or bolts then they can always ask the person with them that has to keep reminding them to breath.
 
nilagin said:
Come on then what are these magical skills required to change a wheel?
Click to expand...

Knowing one end of a wrench from the other
Knowing that the hub cap needs removing to find the nuts OR on alloys that the black plasticky things are to be removed thats why the handle thing is to small
Knowing what direction to loosen and tighten
Figuring out what the heck a locking nut is and why the handle thingie doesnt fit
wondering how the heck and where to put the jack and why it doesnt lift the car but sinks into the grass

There are many more............... the bleeding obvious may be obvious because you know but to others its a complete mystery
 
Mr Bump said:
its not about that is your amazing superiority complex you have running.
Iike most threads of this ilk you assume because you can everybody should and its really tiresome.
Click to expand...


What a load of b*****ks.
 
Paulmag said:
Knowing one end of a wrench from the other
Knowing that the hub cap needs removing to find the nuts OR on alloys that the black plasticky things are to be removed thats why the handle thing is to small.
Knowing what direction to loosen and tighten
Figuring out what the heck a locking nut is and why the handle thingie doesnt fit
wondering how the heck and where to put the jack and why it doesnt lift the car but sinks into the grass


There are many more............... the bleeding obvious may be obvious because you know but to others its a complete mystery
Click to expand...


Very few cars have hub caps but the pointy end of the wrench will remove them. They can then guess what the other end of the wrench must do.

Sitting in the car park at work I am surrounded by cars with alloys, none with caps on the nuts but the tool required to remove them will have come with the car as would the socket forthe locking wheel nut.
If someone doesn't know which direction to undo or tighten the nuts then they won't know how to open a bottle with a screw lid.

All it takes is a little thought and reasoning.
 
nilagin said:
Very few cars have hub caps but the pointy end of the wrench will remove them. They can then guess what the other end of the wrench must do.

Sitting in the car park at work I am surrounded by cars with alloys, none with caps on the nuts but the tool required to remove them will have come with the car as would the socket forthe locking wheel nut.
If someone doesn't know which direction to undo or tighten the nuts then they won't know how to open a bottle with a screw lid.

All it takes is a little thought and reasoning.
Click to expand...

As I said I love your optimism you obviously have never been involved in training and a little thought and reasoning are not always achievable by many ..............its a bit like common sense and Health and Safety.

Computer helplines are a good place to look how the obvious is never discovered
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top