Imagine loading the car with presents on the way to grandma's house only to get a flat tire on the way. And after pulling off the highway, you get another surprise: the spare tire you thought was in the trunk was never really there.
It's happening to more and more drivers these days, and in some circumstances can be dangerous.
College student stranded on the highway
When college student Courtney McKeown recently had a flat, she says she called AAA assuming the driver would simply swap out the spare tire.
"We thought it would be in there," she said. "So we opened that up and realized there wasn't a spare tire."
Her Jeep did not even include a temporary "donut" tire, just a little air pump.
"This is what you get as an alternative to a spare tire," her father Chris McKeown said. "You get this pump for inflating the tire and this can of Fix-a-Flat."
RELATED STORY | Advance Auto Parts plans to close over 700 stores as sales sag
But her father says the pump would have been useless.
"In our case, it wouldn't have worked because the hole was in the sidewall," he said.
So she had to call and wait for a tow truck in the dark.
More and more common
It turns out the issue of cars "missing" spare tires isn't really new. Consumer Reports found that since 2020:
- Just 10% of cars are equipped with a full-sized spare
- Just under 50% come with a space-saver or donut tire
Consumer Reports automotive technician Michael Crossen says automakers are ditching spares to cut production costs and reduce the weight of the vehicle. But donuts are simply a temporary solution, he cautions.
"You shouldn't drive on them for more than 50 miles. So, it's truly temporary," he said. "And a lot of cars do come with those."
Spare tire or not, Consumer Reports says you should be ready for a flat in case it happens to you.
"You definitely should know what you have in your vehicle. You want to be familiar with it now rather than when you need it on the side of the road in the dark," he said.
RELATED STORY | 5 steps to save money on auto repair
Crossen suggests you stock the basics:
- Hazard triangles or road flares
- A working flashlight (that means check the flashlight batteries on occasion)
- Rags or gloves to help with a tire change
- And a phone number for roadside assistance
"I think there's a lot of people out there that don't realize this," McKeown said, talking about her Jeep's empty wheel well in the back.
McKeown now plans to buy his daughter a donut tire, typically around $100, saying it's money well spent.
That way you are safe in the event of a flat, and you don't waste your money.
_____________________________________
"Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").
Follow John:
- Facebook:John Matarese Money
- Instagram: @johnmataresemoney
- X/Twitter: @JohnMatarese
For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com
