Is having a spare tire for your vehicle still necessary?

Firstly, it must be explained why our cars don’t come with a full-size tire for a spare. The reason is because so-called donut spares are less costly, lighter, and save space. We shouldn’t look at these smaller spare tires as tires for extended use, as they have little tread and no belting to protect them from road punctures. In short, spare tires are simply meant to get your car to a mechanic or a repair facility, explains MN-based automotive professional Jeffrey Lupient.

Today, spare tires are not necessarily standard equipment for many newer car models. This, of course, doesn’t mean that it’s now fine not to be absent a spare. As emphasized above, a spare is simply used to get you a head start for repairing or replacing your tire. In any case, mostly only larger SUVs and light trucks nowadays come with a factory spare, with about 35 percent of vehicles having none.

What’s sure is that getting a flat tire can be costly and a major hassle. It’s still best to have a spare if you take your vehicle on road trips with long intervals between service stations a lot, or if your everyday travel entails passing over rough roads.

It’s also recommended to have one if you take road trips with small kids and/or if you have medical needs that require constant attention. Again, getting stranded with a flat and without a spare tire can lead to long hours of waiting for a tow truck. In a nutshell, yes, despite the many modern conveniences brought by automobile technology, it’s still best to have a spare, Jeffrey Lupient adds.

Jeffrey Lupient, the president and CEO of the MN-based Lupient Automotive Group, is dedicated both to the growth of the family business and to the needs of the dealership’s customers. Visit this blog for more automobile-related updates and tips.