---- Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>  RE:  Spare Tires
> In addition to the spare tire/wheel how many carry a tire repair in their
> Vanagon?  And is it new enough that the glue will even come out of the
> tube?  I ask that because while writing this it dawned on me that the
> repair kit in my rig is over ten years old!  Maybe time to check it/replace
> it?
> Someone mentioned the 'little' spare tires provided on some new cars, good
> to get you 50 miles or so.  Well, according to a news segment on a local TV
> station last week some new cars are coming with NO spare!  They showed one
> new car that had only a small battery powered air compressor and a tire
> repair (plug) kit.

Well, for in town, on pavement driving, which is what most do all of the time, the small spare is probably perfectly adequate.  Fact is, tires have gotten so good, that if maintained reasonably, failure is very rare.  The last time I had to change a tire because of a failure while driving was in 1997.  I remember, because it was a Bridgestone tire that was fairly new, and that experienced a tread separation.  Had a lengthy process getting Firestone to honor their warranty.  Had to send the tire to a location in Memphis, TN to have it evaluated.  Eventually did get the new tire paid for, damage to my car (the tread damaged the wheel well when it flew off) paid for, and the cost of a hotel and meals for my delay.  That was in Kingsville, Texas.  But it took several months of back and forth.  Why do corporations get bad names?

the repair kit and compressor?  Well, plenty of people would be completely incapable of managing that beside the road.  A few years back one new car was coming with a "spare" that required inflation at the time of use.  I don't remember what car it was, or how inflation was provided.

mcneely

--
David McNeely