Spare tire?

[jmndcha]

I've had my 2015 eGolf three months, and came out one day last week to find one tire completely flat. I was surprised to find no spare tire of any sort. Not something I had thought to look for since its been awhile since I bought a car, and I was totally focused on the performance.

Obviously I've figured out the kit that comes with it, which doesn't help when you have a hole in your tire rather than a slow leak. The dealership tells me that a regular size tire won't fit in the trunk and that they don't make a donut for it. Why have a depression in the trunk for a tire if they don't make one to sit there?

What have you done to have a spare? What's a good solution so that if I have a flat late at night I'm not sitting on the side of the road somewhere?

 

[RonDawg]

I know that the ICE versions of the Mk VII Golf come with a donut spare as my neighbor has a new GTI and one day I saw him come home with a donut spare installed. I've seen images of the eGolf in cutaway and there is nothing under the trunk floor to indicate it is less shallow than the ICE versions, so I see no reason why a donut wouldn't fit in there.

 

[kirby]

Just guessing here, but I bet they did it to save dead weight all the time.

 

[JoulesThief]

Just guessing here, but I bet they did it to save dead weight all the time.

/\ This, and to save costs, and that with an 83 mile range, it's really an urban designed vehicle. AAA membership is your spare tire, for a tow to a tire shop for a patch or a new tire.

 

[jmndcha]

If I get a donut or spare, will it likely impact the range due to the weight?

 

[RonDawg]

As compared to, say, a passenger? No

Manufacturers talk about "weight savings" when they justify leaving spare tires out, but in reality it's to cut costs. Batteries with a useful range do cost money so manufacturers will cut costs elsewhere to keep the price down. There are a few cars whose batteries do impact trunk space (looking at you, Ford Focus Electric) and would benefit by having no spare. But AFAICT the trunk of the eGolf is identical in size to the gas/diesel versions.

The Australian-market Nissan Leaf even comes with a spare tire (or it is tyre?) mounted behind the rear bumper and under the trunk floor, accessed from below the car like the spare would be on a pickup truck. At first I thought it might be an Australian law requiring it, but I found out from some Aussie Leaf owners that it's simply because most Australians won't buy a car without a spare.

 

[RonDawg]

AAA membership is your spare tire, for a tow to a tire shop for a patch or a new tire.

I hear that justification all the time. Problem is, AAA or other auto club tow services can have extended ETA's in bad weather, due to accidents and increased breakdown incidents (particularly electrical). It's not unusual for AAA to quote a one hour or more ETA during rush hour when it's raining.

If you have the knowledge and ability to change your own tire, you could be back on the road long before then. It's not fun changing a tire in the rain, but I'd rather do that than wait an hour or two for a tow truck.

 

[jmndcha]

Agreed, and frankly, as a woman who can change her own tire, I have no interest in being stuck on the side of the road somewhere. This first time I was parked in a garage, so I was lucky. If it happens again, may not be so lucky.

Thanks for the input!

 

[JoulesThief]

Agreed, and frankly, as a woman who can change her own tire, I have no interest in being stuck on the side of the road somewhere. This first time I was parked in a garage, so I was lucky. If it happens again, may not be so lucky.

Thanks for the input!

There are other options.... You could go to Pep Boys and buy a tire plugging kit and a bicycle pump if you have a puncture in the tread area of the tire, that's not within 1/2 to 3/4" of the side of the tread on a radial. Or a couple of cans of "Fix a Flat" might get the job done too. Or a bottle of Slime tire sealant. All kinds of options we use on Mountain bikes where getting a flat 15 miles in in the back country means being prepared.

 

[RonDawg]

I don't have the owners manual nor the car handy at the moment, but the eGolf should have its own fix a flat bottle in the car along with a small air compressor. However if it's anything like the kind included with the Leaf, it will destroy the TPMS sensor.

When I get a chance, I'll see if the donut spare from my 2006 Audi A3 (which is basically a MkV Golf GTI under the Audi clothes) will fit.

 

[jmndcha]

Thanks everyone. Both good options. I didn't know about the Audi A3, that's interesting...

 

[RonDawg]

I forgot to get back to this thread, but yes the donut spare from the A3 will fit in the well of the eGolf. The movable floor panel goes back on flush. Here's a pic of it in the eGolf:

However, for safety's sake you should secure the spare, and this hardware is missing from the eGolf. This nut:

goes over this post which goes into a keyhole in the floor stamping. This pic is of the spare tire well of the A3, but I can feel a similar shape keyhole through the eGolf's carpet.

Now I didn't check to see if the wheel actually will bolt to an eGolf, but AFAIK the A3 bolt pattern is the same. I'm sure the donut spare from a MkV or later Golf will fit.