Spare tires are ugly and skinny. Don't get me wrong, it is there just in case of a flat. I'd rather have an 18' oem spare than those skinny spare tire.

OEM spare IS those skinny spare.

I meant was these...


http://www.dragtimes.com/images-clas...0704923400.jpg

wow, talk about not being logical. the spare is there for an emergency, no for looks. i would rather have a spare on than being stuck on the side of the road for hours. plus carrying an 18in oem is just plain stupid. why would you want to carry a rim and tire that takes up more space than the space saver spare tire not to mention the weight is beyond me.

So, you don't have to bother going into a shop to fix a flat, if your driving long distances.

thats why you carry a tire plug kit too. its not that hard to plug a tire, if all it is, is a puncture of some sort, not to mention all the trunk space/ weight and gas you will save. although you could just get AAA but even they need time to get to you. not to mention if your running on stock suspension you will notice the weight back there, compared to someone running coilovers or aftermarket stiffer springs/shocks. but regardless you would notice something.

How much extra weight can it honestly be? 50 pounds maybe? I am not competing in some sort of race around town when I am driving so I don't even get your point of weight savings. If your going to the track and want it out, you remove it.

im not talking about going to the track, but for every day driving. such as driving on shitty roads with uneven pavement, dips, grooves, potholes... ect. when i did that a long time ago, it would feel as if i was lugging a fully loaded trunk around, not to mention the rear sunk a bit. [like if you have rear passengers, but more towards the rear] and as for the weight, im sure 50 lbs is enough to make a difference in your mileage at some point, depending on your driving style, type of traffic congestion in your area and if its mostly highway or side streets.

I know what you mean, but the inconvenience of waiting for someone to fix a flat or going to a shop near by (if it's Sunday, your in trouble). It's like driving from Vegas to L.A., without interruptions, just take out the flat tire and install the oem 18' wheel, done. No need to worry about anything else.

usually when i go to vegas, i have the trunk filled with other stuff, such as luggage, so an 18in oem wouldn't fit for me.

I ride a 157 Wide. It barely fits in there with some fancy moves and it's definitely not 18" wide not to mention diagonal in the hole. Also the rim is actually 19.5" wide.

My car came with the kit when I bought it used ha.

I carry the 100 mile towing with AAA, so, I didn't have to worry about a flat tire; but damn, all these talk about a spare tire got me a little paranoid and had me thinking "what if?"

My point was the snowboard is much taller than the wheel, no arguing that. The trunk is about 35/36 inches wide at its narrowest point and about the same deep. Did not measure the height but from looking I know the wheel would fit just fine.


Twiztog43 I understand what you're saying but I cannot see 50lbs making a huge difference on gas. Even if it added up to a little less miles per gallon thats not a big deal. If I was worried about mpg I would have bought a geo metro or a prius.

I would not have any AAA service even if it was free, but thats for my own personal reasons.

That's kinda what I was questioning. I was just saying if my board barely fits how would an 18" through that dumb hole. I wish the seats laid flat can't fit anything in there.

I have never messed with the backseats so I am not sure how they work lol. In another thread someone said they put a refrigerator in their car to move it, they must have temporarily removed them though. y last car had folding rear seats and it was amazing what could be fit back there.

Just from looking at the trunk hole it seems like it would be a very tight squeeze to get a 18" wheel into the trunk but I think its possible.Hard to say without giving it a try though.

Noted, but given the volume and speed of traffic these days I no longer plan to change a tire roadside. I'd rather have AAA trailer the vehicle to wherever I could have the tire properly repaired. The donut spare is a marginal compromise at best.

I know this is an old thread, but this is false. The tire does NOT have to be replaced, unless the hole is on the sidewall. The "goo" can be easily cleaned, and tire patched.

I've used the goo once already, and it was fast and easy. Definitely prefer it over carrying a big-ass spare tire.

Yes it is an old thread lol. However thread resurrections are cool. I get to read things I may have otherwise missed. I don't have the goo kit, I have a spare. Bought it new that way. I can not fathom not having a spare. Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere and the only thing standing between me leaving is the fact that I don't have a spare. I was actually looking at purchasing a new 2012 Buick Lacross, and the damn car does not have a spare either, and no option for one. Well the one I want with the E-assist anyway. Currently mulling this over. I don't like this trend of no spares. For the Buick I know I can find a doughnut that will fit, but no well in the trunk means that it will just sit there in the trunk and be an eye sore. Very disappointing.

Got it three weeks ago, struck oil and purchased it at a yard sale from a fellow RX-8 owner who had sold his two years ago. Missing the bracket for the mounting kit but isn't it a bargain or what? And yes, that is not a type-o :wiggle:

https://fbcdn-photos-g-a.akamaihd.ne...10270762_n.jpg
https://photos-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hp...37257332_n.jpg

^ Good for you,I paid 600.00 for dealer installed spare when I purchased the car new

I just keep a plug kit in the car. That and the compressor that comes with the fix-it-flat will take care of most problems, at least temporarily anyway. I just can't afford the trunk space and in nearly 7 years of ownership I've only ever had 1 flat...

I carry a full size toyo prox 4 on a basic black steelie coasted me $100, screw doughnuts, unsafe.

The oem tire fix kit and the spare tire kit, bracket and tire came with my trim level of 40th anniversary edition RX8. BTW newer formula spare tire fix goops are made NOT to hurt tire pressure sensors and can be cleaned out of tire without causing any permanent damage to the modern ultra-high performance tire's compounds, thus saving you having to buy a new tire. These changes were made in response to so many high performance cars coming with just the tire-fix kits to save room and weight, and no spare for their very expensive original tires. I have seen this firsthand.

Here is my spare tire. It was in the trunk when I bought the car. It small and light but I still have difficulty carrying it as it sits freely in the trunk. Mazda made no compartment for a spare tire. That 's inconvenient.
http://l1307.hizliresim.com/1c/p/qllql.jpg