WASHINGTON — When your car is sitting on the side of the road is not the time to discover there’s no spare tire.
“So we absolutely are encouraging people to ask the question when they’re purchasing a new car,” says the Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center.
Dozens of car models now offer spares only as options you pay extra to get, or they come with run flat tires or inflater/sealant kits intended to help drivers reinflate flat tires.
“But, there are many scenarios where those tire compressor and sealant kits don’t work, such as a puncture in the sidewall,” Stockburger says.
Manufacturers have been dumping spares to lighten loads to help meet federally mandated fuel efficiency standards.
“One area of focus is to reduce the weight of vehicles without compromising occupant safety. A spare tire, related tools and a jack can weigh more than 40 pounds. That may seem like a small amount but every little bit helps and unlike other weight saving changes, it doesn’t add cost to the vehicle,” AAA says in a news release.
AAA has a list of vehicles without spare tires: