Jun 21, 2011 — Thinking about buying a new, reasonably-priced automobile? Check the trunk, first. There might not be a spare tire in there. Some carmakers are forgoing them to cut costs and increase miles per gallon.
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Pop your tire in a new car and you might have to hitch home. (Flickr)
Got A Flat Tire? Tough Luck.
by Sarah Handel
Jun 21, 2011 — Thinking about buying a new, reasonably-priced automobile? Check the trunk, first. There might not be a spare tire in there. Some carmakers are forgoing them to cut costs and increase miles per gallon.Thinking about buying a new reasonably-priced car? Maybe check the trunk before you fork over your cash (or credit) — there might not be a spare tire in there. The move trims a little weight, potentially boosting mileage, and cuts costs for the automaker. Some are, however, including fat-fixing kits or equipping the cars with run-flat tires.
I have to admit, I find this a little unsettling, but maybe that's just my inherent resistance to change. I can't help but flash back to how terrified I was when I got a flat in high school (terrified, because I was driving in the fast lane on a major highway at the time), and how grateful I was that I had a donut to hobble home on.
So what do you think? Are spare tires just remnants of a Fix-A-Flat-free era? Or will you double check with the dealer and make sure you're also buying a spare tire?
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