Basil Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 rupert123 - 2008-09-16 10:23 PM Tracker, you make some good points but I guess we will never agree on this and I fully accept everyone has to make their own choice. I also said on balance would probably rather have one but try to be realistic about it. However I stand by the nonsense bit, although feel I have used the wrong word. I did say NEW motorhome and this is the point. What I perhaps should have said was anyone who states they will not buy a new motorhome because it does not have a spare wheel is being unrealistic. Most do not have one now and I would guess in another, say two years, hardly any will, For various reasons they will follow the car market. I cannot remember the last time I had a car with a proper spare and perhaps the M/H compromise is here with some type of space saver spare, maybe the solid rubber type. On a change of subject I read with interest your North Cape posts, my wife and I have decided to make this one of our trips next year and will be asking for advice, hope you will supply some. I believe that this will only happen if we all lay back and accept it, when buying particullarly a new van if we all refused to accept the inferior set up, which is only being used in most cases by the convertors because they have such a poor payload (white van man normally has a spare). Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Basil - 2008-09-17 9:12 AM rupert123 - 2008-09-16 10:23 PM Tracker, you make some good points but I guess we will never agree on this and I fully accept everyone has to make their own choice. I also said on balance would probably rather have one but try to be realistic about it. However I stand by the nonsense bit, although feel I have used the wrong word. I did say NEW motorhome and this is the point. What I perhaps should have said was anyone who states they will not buy a new motorhome because it does not have a spare wheel is being unrealistic. Most do not have one now and I would guess in another, say two years, hardly any will, For various reasons they will follow the car market. I cannot remember the last time I had a car with a proper spare and perhaps the M/H compromise is here with some type of space saver spare, maybe the solid rubber type. On a change of subject I read with interest your North Cape posts, my wife and I have decided to make this one of our trips next year and will be asking for advice, hope you will supply some. I believe that this will only happen if we all lay back and accept it, when buying particullarly a new van if we all refused to accept the inferior set up, which is only being used in most cases by the convertors because they have such a poor payload (white van man normally has a spare). Bas As I said Basil, Unrealistic. As you say it will happen if everyone accepts it, and while not everyone will accept it most, including me, will. Why! the answer is simple most do not even ask about the spare, OK OK I know you would. When my wife and I attended the NEC last year to look for a new van we, like most had a budget. Because we are retired, more or less, we cannot afford to have finance any more so have to pay cash for everything including our vans. We settled on a shortlist of three and I was aware at the time about the Fiat and the spare wheel thing, like you I had never been without a spare on a van before. Guess what all three were Fiat based and none had a spare. I enquired about spares and all could supply one but it was a large cost so we did without having gone through the think it out process I have outlined on this thread. The reason spares are ditched are not just a cost or weight one, although it may feature. Look under a modern van, especially a small one like ours, which is around 19' long, their is so much gear under their it would need a major refit to fix a spare as well. Our van a Swift Sundance has plenty of payload, even with our scooter on board we have 340kgs spare. Now I admit if we get a puncture it may cause a problem but we would sort it out, in the meantime I look after my tyres and change them on a regular basis and do not worry about it. After all my main reason for buying a certain van, or rather my wifes is, remains the habitation part and the general ride it gives. If the thing blows up she will just look at me with the i do the cooking you sort it out look. So Fiat and no spare is the way forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Interesting developement on this spare wheel thing. My new rescue policy has just dropped through the letter box and thanks to this thread I decided to read it straight away. In the list of exclusions to the whole policy it states 'All charges incurred because your vehicle is not carrying a legal and servicable spare wheel'. I have just telephone them, Britannia Rescue, and asked about this. They say that if your vehicle comes supplied with no spare but has a manufacturer supplied emergency inflation kit they will accept this as the spare, but the emergency kit must be carried. I have asked for this in writing which they immediately agreed to do. This was not in my last policy so it is obviously costing them money, so be warned read your rescue policy because if you have simply dumped your spare it could be expensive. Guess this answers the originator of this posts question if his rescue policy is the same as mine. I know this was mentioned earlier in the thread but I have just received the same confirmation so feel it needs another mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 rupert123 - 2008-09-17 12:11 PM ...........in the meantime I look after my tyres and change them on a regular basis and do not worry about it........ You may, or not, be interested to know I also look after my tyres, the ones in question were brand new well known brand with around 1000 miles or less on them and had had the tyre pressures checked one hour earlier on leaving home. With regard to equipment under the van that is the fault of the manufacturer who obviously appears to have scant regard for common sense. As I posted earlier the clause in my rescue/recovery package was new on my policy this year also. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4petedaniel Posted September 18, 2008 Author Share Posted September 18, 2008 Thank you all for your different points of view, after giving it a lot of consideration I phoned my local Ford brakers who have informed me that they can supply me with a spare for £20 I am now going to get it. But whether I will fit it or not I am still thinking it over. I probaly will as I can immagine the Boss's comments if i was to get a blowout in France and I had left the spare at home. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 A very wise man, on two counts! :-D :-D :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Hi Pete, you say there is a large locker in the rear bumper that may take a spare wheel. I have a similar large locker in the rear bumper of my Autosleeper Legend, it will not take a spare wheel, although at a glance it looks like it should. On the other hand are you sure you have no spare? On my Legend the jack handle goes into a small hole in the foreward end of said locker and winds down a small winch which has the spare wheel hanging on its wire cable. This is common on Ford Transits of that vintage. Just a thought as I had this 'van for quite a while until I knew it was there.............."but then I am not very bright"!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4petedaniel Posted September 18, 2008 Author Share Posted September 18, 2008 You think you are not very bright. Well I think I can now join the Club. Went and brought the spare tried to installit in the rear locker, as you said it looks like it should fit but it is about half an inch to wide, took the rest of your advice,it was not where you mentioned. But it was under the front by the passangers door tucked up out of sight, with a brand new tyre fitted or at least never been on the road, it is possible in the 10 years life of the vehicle it has never been on the road . which brings me back the my original question if it has not been used in it's 10 year life was it worth carrying the extra weight? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 "if it has not been used in it's 10 year life was it worth carrying the extra weight? " Stop worrying about it, get the tyre checked/changed as it is now 10 years old, and put it back in Vehicle as an emergency spare. Start worrying about state of the 4 tyres on the wheels instead. Is the water tank clean, does the fridge work etc, and get out there on the road and have fun using the Motorhome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 "SODS LAW" Pete. if youu don't have one with you, you get a blow-out...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 4petedaniel - 2008-09-18 11:30 AM You think you are not very bright. Well I think I can now join the Club. Went and brought the spare tried to installit in the rear locker, as you said it looks like it should fit but it is about half an inch to wide, took the rest of your advice,it was not where you mentioned. But it was under the front by the passangers door tucked up out of sight, with a brand new tyre fitted or at least never been on the road, it is possible in the 10 years life of the vehicle it has never been on the road . which brings me back the my original question if it has not been used in it's 10 year life was it worth carrying the extra weight? Pete No Pete it is not worth the extra weight, however in your case you probably have no choice because of the breakdown recovery thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4petedaniel Posted September 18, 2008 Author Share Posted September 18, 2008 We are off to sunny Spain Soon If my wife doesn' overload the camper. INCLUDING a spare wheel so it would seem, Any one want to buy a spare transit wheel? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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