javahut

Who's gonna order the spare tire kit & why/why not?

On the one hand, you've got the tire fix it kit, which should be good for all but the most serious tire failure. How does using that fix-a-flat gunk effect the tire as far as getting the flat fixed, and long term use of the tire after the gunk has been sprayed in the tire the first (and subsequent) time/s? Can it be cleaned out effectively?

On the other hand, I'm not really concerned about the weight of the tire. But I'm concerned about how much room the tire rack takes up in the trunk. But it would be a lifesaver to have that spare tire for road trips, just in case of a flat in the middle of nowhere that can't be fixed with fix-a-flat, and you don't wanna wait for a fix-it truck.

Superfan

I can't justify spending $400.00 on a spare tire. I'm sure in a few months someone will be selling them on eBay for half the price. The other alternative is to buy one from a wrecked FD if they are compatible.

mazdabob

I did not order the spare tire kit because I plan to get run-flat tires.

ggreen29

I'm going with the spare tire option. If it's too big I'll take it out for local trips when necessary, but the security of having it on long trips will probably be worth it for me. The idea of sitting around a few times on a rainy or dark night waiting for the Mazda Service truck to show up is worth the $400 (I think). Plus, once I had a tire split on its radius, which I don't think fix-a-flat can fix.

Once you use the fix-a-flat stuff I think you've ruined the tire. They are a temp fix only and you're supposed to go to a tire repair shop as soon as you can once you use it. I think all the times I used it, it resulted in a new tire.

I'm curious about this road service that Mazda's going to have. Is Mazda running the program or are they going to contract it out nationally or regionally? If this is the first year (or early years) of the program, how many bugs have to be worked out. And you have to be able to call them from whereever you are. All in all I'm more comfortable with the spare tire.

tribal azn2

a spare tire is really unneccessary imo. i have never gotten a flat and prolly never will. a tire repair kit is enough. and on top of that theres mazda's roadside assistance. AND on top of that i have AAA.

KKMmaniac

I don't plan on ordering the spare tire kit, but intend to buy snow tires and wheels soon after I get the car. If I'm on a trip where civilization is likely to be hours away, I'll bring one of them. I haven't decided if I'll build a mount, or just strap it in the trunk somehow. (there goes the room for the two golf bags! Uhh, I forgot, I don't golf)

Of the few flats I've had, in one case, an invisible chunk of metal jumped up off the road and slashed my sidewall so badly, fix-a-flat goo couldn't have saved it.

rooster

I decided to get the Kit. I agree with everyone, that the Spare Tire price is exorbitant (I hope I spelled that right). To say the least.

But I didn't want to be that poor soul standing next to his wife on a cold rainy night that the reason they are waiting for a tow truck is that he wanted to save $400 on a $32000 car.......

tomiata

Soon after getting my 2001 Miata we were on a trip to central California, naturally we were on "back roads." While descending a very twisty road coming down from Fort Hunter Liggit to Coast Highway, I came around a turn and just nicked a small rock in the road. That rock split the sidewall on my right front tire. The split was about 1 1/2" long (pretty much the entire sidewall).

I knew I had a flat, but didn't realize that the sidewall was split until I tired a can of that 'flat fix' stuff and it shot out all over the road.

Had I not had a spare (as was the case with my previous Miata [a 1994]) I would have been SOL! Needless to say my Auto Club membership would not have helped out there, and even if they came I still wouldn't have had a spare to mount.

I can't even remember the last (previous) time I had a flat, but it only takes once. And Murphy's law says that when it happens you will be out in the boonies on a weekend.

My advise - get the spare. You can always take it out on those occasions when you feel adventurous.

tribal azn2

i have a question. is the spare wheel just a donut spare or is it the same as the wheels?

rooster

Donut spare.

An 18 inch wheel doesn't have a chance in Hell in fitting in that trunk.

blkrx8

Mazda is using the same Road Side Service Program that has been in place since 1998. Its 24hr and Nation Wide. All you do is call the 800# and someone who is contracted out will show up. how long it takes depends on when you are at in relation to civilization. Hopefully this helps.

Tron

Which tire repair kit is this, i know of two. The one you spray gunk into the tire, and the other actually fix's a hole, which would require a tire pump.

zoom44

not.

grogiefrog

Yes. I have never had a flat. Could that be from not buying cheap tires nor driving on bad tires? Don't know. But yes, problems with my RX-7's tended to be out in the boonies of Colorado/Wyoming, where a cell phone does not work.

Efini 8

like someone else said... get Run Flat Technology tires like Pirelli tires. I have 215/35/19 P7000s and I got a screw in mine, and it held up for 48 hours across about 50 miles going about 75 mph average... on like small amounts of psi... my tire is like 2 cm tall from the tip of the rim lip to the end of the tire... absolutely amazing tires... definately sold on pirellis! they are expensive but absolutely worth it. no wonder they uses these in the WRC!

Farsyde

boy for those of you who have never had a flat, dont go walkin in any thunderstorms. Beleive me murphy's law will bite you in the *** sometime or another.

The only problem with run-flats is they are generally a rougher ride then regular tires. But if ya got the $$$ for em, they are worth it.

G-man

I can't believe that you guys are really considering the spare tire. I assume you guys have seen the trunk. Anyway, the mounting for it looks awful and limits access to the trunk to even less than it was already. I have used BMW roadside service as well as Porsche Roadside service. Both are subcontracted to the same local nationwide network of contractors. I blew a tire in the middle of nowhere WV, and they were there in 15 minutes. No spare meant that they were not able to help me and the car was towed back to my dealer, but I hope you don't think that the local gas station is going to be socking the 18" Potenzas that go on this car! You will be lucky to get replacement tires from Tire Rack in 48 hours. So, save the headache, the time and the money and buy more minutes on your cell phone and get used to the idea that if you blow a tire, you are toast. $400 will buy you 2 new 18" tires at tire rack on special.

JSG

I took one look at the puncture repair kit and signed up for roadside assitance - here it's called JAF (like AA & RAC for UK guys)! If you do get the spare and put it in I doubt you'll get much else in the back. As with all things like this it just depends on your priorities.

javahut

I don't know... I don't think I want my car being towed just for a flat tire.

I've pretty much decided to go with the spare. There are some huge expanses down here in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, etc. that would take hours for someone to get to you. At least, if you're on a road trip, if the local tire store doesn't have the tire, with a spare, you can make it to a hotel, and get around for a few days while you wait for a new one to come in. I can take the spare out if I want more trunk space.

BillK

Having roadside assistance is wonderful if you only travel in urban areas.

On the other hand, if you live somewhere like Colorado, cell phone service is spotty at best and in places is still unavailable even today.

Being 50 miles from the nearest shelter with a flat is not my idea of a good time, and if the can of fix-a-flat doesn't work because there's a piece of metal through your sidewall, it's a long walk and an even longer wait for help.

For that matter, even if your cell phone does work, in many of those areas I can imagine a wait of hours for roadside assistance.

I'm sure the same is true for lots of areas on the plains as well as central Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, etc.

If all you do is drive around the L.A. area, I'm sure things are quite different. :D

BillK

Which, as with many cars, raises an interesting question as to what to do with the wheel with the flat.

In say a Porsche Boxster, if you have luggage you're out of luck as the wheel may just fit in the front trunk.

In the 8, the wheel's going to have to go in the back seat...

rooster

Good Point. Didn't think of that.

I'm sure if I stopped by my local tire shop, they wouldn't mind letting go of a couple of tire bags. That way, my interior wouldn't get destroyed.

BillK

I wonder if the spare tire kit comes with one; there's one included with the spare tires on most German cars (Porsches, Audis, BMWs...)

rooster

I doubt it. I didn't get one of those in my German car..

But, then again, it was a Volkswagon.....

bwayout

I agree! I also think having a spare is a very good idea ... maybe the word is "necessity" because of past experience ... (I've also have had an AAA membership since I first got my licence to drive there have been times when I didn't want to wait around or no cell or normal phone access, so having mobility by having a spare tire, has a been a good thing!)

... I remember a time (way back when it was some holiday weekend) I left San Francisco around 11:30 pm on a Sunday night to drive back down to L.A. on the 5 and had a flat just as I passed San Jose and there was no service station open and I had to be back to work that very morning ... so I really didn't want to leave the car or have it towed somewhere until the morning for some place to open (or worry about some chance for rip-off charges that usually occurs when you are stuck with an 'away' breakdown) ... so I drove the rest of the way with my space saving tire (doing about 55 miles an hour) looking for an open service station (never finding one) driving all the way back home to L.A. with no damage to the car ...

As other's have said before I like the idea of having a spare, but I also like and need the use of having rear trunk space!

No spare is fine for a toy that only gets driven on weekends around town...



But I love to take "road trips"

:D

Still, I love almost everything else about the RX-8 but at moments like this I remember that the G35 coupe has a spare tire and still has the same size trunk as the RX-8 - plus the G35C also has rear seats that can fold down for more space if you need it ...