I saw a lot of speculation on the spare tire in 3 or 4 different threads. As I happen to know, let me tell you that you are all right.

The RX-8 comes both with AND without space saver spare tire.

It depends on the region of vehilce homologation.

For example:
In Germany, the car will not have a spare tire but will feature a tire repair kit. (Much like the Mercedes SLK) his consists of a spray and an electrical pump which you can hook up to your cigarette lighter.

However, in a country like for example Greece, the car comes with a space saver spare tire. Basically because you can´t register a car without spare tire in Greece.

So depending on local needs (Australian Outback?!) or legal requirements, the car has or hasn't got a spare tire.

Just wondering, how did you get this info?

*cough cough* heismoreinsidethanboodawg *cough cough cough!!*

oh my!! i think it's getting better though... my cough, i mean...

What does this mean for the USA and Canada regions?

In places like the states that aren't keen on repairing potholes, I think it's essential to have that extra spare because with an 18 inch rim you might not only pop the tire, but also bend the rim.. then you're totally screwed.

Originally posted by wakeech
*cough cough* heismoreinsidethanboodawg *cough cough cough!!* ...

Guess we'll just have to wait till Tuesday when "Mazda" tells us (in Detroit)

:D

Welcome to the forum! :D


Originally posted by rx-8@mazda
...depends on the region of vehilce homologation.

Word for the day: homologation. I had to look it up on dictionary.com


ho·mol·o·gate Pronunciation Key (h-ml-gt, h-)
tr.v. ho·mol·o·gat·ed, ho·mol·o·gat·ing, ho·mol·o·gates

To approve, especially to confirm officially.

[Medieval Latin homologre, homologt-, from Greek homologein, to agree, from homologos, agreeing. See homologous.]

ho·molo·gation n.

Homologation \Ho*mol`o*ga"tion\, n. [Cf. F. homologation.] (Civ. & Scots Law) Confirmation or ratification (as of something otherwise null and void), by a court or a grantor.

All of this wondering is driving me crazy
;)

I received an email from Mazda telling me that an accessory price list would be out in mid-march. Then I could find out the cost of the "accessory" spare tire.

I think in the UK we get a "get-you-home" kit. I don't know how easy it is to get hold of a replacement 18" tyre, especially on a holiday weekend or something.
I was planning to buy a spare and keep it under the bed or something. That way when my get me home kit gets me home I've got something to get home to!

To be honest the 'spray' repair kit might be the easiest as it will not entail taking the wheel off, just squeezing some filler in.

rael

FYI: Talked to a Mazda dealer about this, in Canada all the 8s WILL have a spare tire (donut, NOT full size) in the trunk. By Law, they need to give us one from what he told me.

Yeah, I'm almost 100 percent certain that Canada requires a spare tire by law. Donut tires make me laugh though. My '79 RX-7 has a full-sized ALLOY spare tire in the back. Gotta love the 1st gen, it was the value car of it's time.

The donut spare tires aren't as bad as most people think.

They use a super soft compound that actually performs fairly well. Car and Driver (or was it Road and Track) put one on a Corvette in the mid-90's and did some performance testing. They were shocked how well it performed.

For the most part it just looks ugly and won't last more than 1000 miles tops. Which forces you to actually get your normal tire fixed, keeping you from forgeting about it.

But I still prefer the repair kit. The repair kit saves a good 3 cubic feet of trunk space over what a full-sized spare would take. I'll take the extra trunk space any day.

-Mr. Wigggles

I thought I read somewhere that the tires would be "run-flat" so a spare wouldn't be necessary. Maybe I read it about a different brand of car, I can't remember.

FYI: Talked to a Mazda dealer about this, in Canada all the 8s WILL have a spare tire (donut, NOT full size) in the trunk. By Law, they need to give us one from what he told me.

Really? The guys at the Toronto Autoshow (from Mazda) said that the 8 will come standard with only the repair kit (but then again, they didnt seem super knowledgable about other stuff)....

I heard the trunk spare tire mount and bracketry is an accessory for the US market.

Originally posted by RX8ER
I thought I read somewhere that the tires would be "run-flat" so a spare wouldn't be necessary. Maybe I read it about a different brand of car, I can't remember.

I recall this also. hmmmm

When I ordered I did read that the 1GT package comes with Tire presure monitoring system. No mention of spare tire