Will Narrower Tires With Taller Sidewalls Return, To Improve Fuel Economy?

berri

I'll gladly bid them a fond adieu also!

stever

If you are disappointed in your run-flat tires and/or wish that your car had a spare tire, please email pr@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, June 15, 2011 and be sure to include your city/state of residence and a few comments on the subject.

stever

An Edmunds staffer just told me that 26% of new cars don't come with spare tires. I guess roadside service and "tire mobility kits" are all the rage now.

How much does a tire and rim weigh?

Now multiply that by thousands, and that's a lot of gas saved by lightening the load in the trunk.

explorerx4

From what I have read, which could be completely off base, the spare in the well in the trunk was part of controlling the crush, if rear ended.
If the back of the vehicle is designed to control the impact without adding a lot of weight, it probably is easier to justify the 'tire mobility kit'.

stever

I suppose most people use their cell for their mobility kit and even skip the Slime, but around here (and around places I like to visit), cell service is pretty spotty so a spare is nice to have.

explorerx4

Hope I don't jinx myself, but it's been a long time since I had an immediate tire problem.

stever

Me too (probably two years or more, and that's a long time for me). Better go check the spares and make sure they have air.

nippononly

I wouldn't buy a car with run-flats, and having no spare would be a significant strike against any model I was considering buying.

hpmctorque

I agree. No BMWs for us, then.

andre1969

How much does a tire and rim weigh?

A couple years ago, I stepped on the scale with one of the wheels I had taken off my '79 New Yorker. I think it was around 53 pounds. That was for a 15x7 copcar wheel with a 235/70/R15 tire on it.

I'd guess most compact spares are around 25-30 lb? I actually put a compact spare in my '79 New Yorker, not for the weight savings, but for increased trunk space. The full-sized spare was mounted far forward and to the left, and took a lot of space, while the compact spare could actually stand up on its side, tucked in by the rear quarter panel on the passenger side.

nippononly

And no AWD Sienna minivans... ;-)