Get rid of that useless, dangerous standard emergency mini spare tire. Now!

[Tennexplorer]

I had been following this thread, but not that closely. Last Monday, however, my interest was raised a LOT because I had a blow out on the left rear. I had to deal with the donut and finding a new tire 350 miles from home. The Genesis roadside service was really good.

I want to replace the donut with a real rim and tire.

I have a 2017 G80 5.0 Ultimate, which as we all know has staggered tires. Just to clarify, the front wheel and tire for the G80 5.0 will fit the rear with no modification. Am I correct in my conclusion? I know it is not a long term solution, but I want something that will get me home.

Thanks for the help and information.

By the way, I want to thank Ken Towery Tire, 11300 Westport Road, Louisville, KY, who found me not only a tire, but the right tire and got me back on the road in four hours from the time of the blowout. They ordered the tire while I was on my way driving to them. The Genesis dealer could not get one until the next day.

 

[Starflyer]

IF the front wheel will work on the back with a staggered setup, that's semi OK with me as long there's no damage to the transmission or rear end. For the moment, I'm going with "Slime" and a portable air pump. My air pump, Cordless Auto Stop Tire Inflator @ SharperImage.com

Should note, there are several MILLIONS of cars out there with donut spares and there may be a liability to Genesis mixing up tires on a staggered setup.

 

[Tennexplorer]

I got the portable air pump. Bought one for all the cars several years ago. I don't think slime would have helped this.

 

[Starflyer]

I got the portable air pump. Bought one for all the cars several years ago. I don't think slime would have helped this.

Slime is a preventive coating that is supposed to prevent leaks from small nails, etc. It's going to help with blowouts for sure.

 

[Tennexplorer]

If it would prevent this, it would be great.

 

[Starflyer]

If it would prevent this, it would be great.

If you're referring to Slime, FORGET about it.

 

[mlb007]

Last week I had a flat that could not be repaired on my 2017 G80.

I had to drive around for 3 days on that emergency mini spare that came with my car. DANGEROUS AS ALL GET OUT.

Warnings on the tire and mfrs web site basically say, UNSAFE FOR MORE THAN A TOTAL OF 50 MILES...UNSAFE AT MORE THAN 50 MPH...UNSAFE WITH A FULLY LOADED CAR, UNSAFE, UNSAFE, UNSAFE!

After replacing all 4 tires, I spent a.total of $100 to buy a full size wheel from tire rack.com and had one of my old tires mounted and balanced on it. (Wheel was $75 and mounting it cost $25).

I sold the old mini spare for a few bucks, and now have a good spare tire I can drive at speed, under a full load, for thousands of miles, and not loose sleep over the safety of driving on a spare.

PS. I felt it was best to replace all four tires rather than drive around on one brand new tire and three old ones with about 1/3rd their tread life remaining.

My advice is to either buy your car with a full size spare, or get one ASAP from another source.

It's not expensive for your $50k car, and it could save your life and the lives of your passengers, too.

What makes you think they are dangerous? Warnings are too keep people mindful that it's not a full sized tire. Reasonable. Yes a full sized tire is better, but nothing wrong with a temp spare. Millions and millions of miles on them.

 

[Starflyer]

What makes you think they are dangerous? Warnings are too keep people mindful that it's not a full sized tire. Reasonable. Yes a full sized tire is better, but nothing wrong with a temp spare. Millions and millions of miles on them.

Make sure the pressure is right for a spare donut. If not, any decent bump could break the seal around the tire bead. Happened to me several years ago. Who regularly checks the air pressure on a donut?

 

[mlb007]

That doens't make them dangerous. They work fine for almost everyone that needs them. That's why they've been used for 30 years.

 

[bubbaG80Sport]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm donuts (in the words of Homer Simpson).

I check the donut tire pressure as part of my regular maintenance every 5K miles. Cold donut pressure is 60 PSI for 2018 G80 3.3T. My Donut typically looses about 5 PSI every 5K miles. I usually fill to ~62 PSI when I check it to compensate. It's much easier to remove a few PSI then add when broken down on the side of the road.

Donuts are not dangerous as long as they are only used temporarily and <=50mph per manual/safety warnings.
But, donuts are hazardous to your waistline, blood sugar level and overall health though.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[mjourney]

Actually, the full size spare fits right in the spot where the old small spare goes on both my 8 year old Genesis 3.8, and my 2017 G80. I yust had to reposition a few loose parts around it (tire jack, etc.)

I simply wrapped the Jack, tools, rain poncho tow rope and other loose parts in a thick towel and taped the towel to keep it tight. This kept them from making noise and stopped them from rattling around.

And yes, those temporary use spare tires are dangerous if you use them in normal highway driving. They are truly labled not for going over 50 MPH, not for more than a cumulative total of 50 miles, etc.

The temp tire is under 80 pounds of pressure, has literally half the surface area of a full size tire, it's use disables you rautomatic tire pressure gagues on all 4 wheels and does some other nasty stuff that come from riding on a rock hard tire.

But it's your choice. At least now you have been informed.

Drive safely, my friend. The

Dave




So... If are on a 500 mile trip, with a lightly loaded car, you can safely limp into a gas station (within 50 ,miles), and they have a replacement tire that actually is the sames size, brand and tread style... And you don't mind paying thru the nose...and you don't mind several hours lost in the process of getting it all done...yes, I guess you don't need a full size spare.

I agree, those donut tires ARE dangerous. I bought an OEM wheel ($225) and put a Michelin CrossClimate tire ($235, like the other 4 on the ground) on it and it fit perfectly in the space. I did the same with the tools as you did.

 

[Starflyer]

Actually, the full size spare fits right in the spot where the old small spare goes on both my 8 year old Genesis 3.8, and my 2017 G80. I yust had to reposition a few loose parts around it (tire jack, etc.)

I simply wrapped the Jack, tools, rain poncho tow rope and other loose parts in a thick towel and taped the towel to keep it tight. This kept them from making noise and stopped them from rattling around.

And yes, those temporary use spare tires are dangerous if you use them in normal highway driving. They are truly labled not for


So... If are on a 500 mile trip, with a lightly loaded car, you can safely limp into a gas station (within 50 ,miles), and they have a replacement tire that actually is the sames size, brand and tread style... And you don't mind paying thru the nose...and you don't mind several hours lost in the process of getting it all done...yes, I guess you don't need a full size spare.

With different sizes between the front and rear, what size would you go for on this staggered setup...

 

[TinsleyC]

With different sizes between the front and rear, what size would you go for on this staggered setup...

Yeah that's a problem... maybe the same size as the small spare? Still loving my squared setup.

 

[EdP]

With different sizes between the front and rear, what size would you go for on this staggered setup...

I recall someone saying there was an issue (rubbing?) when tires were incorrectly rotated and the wide put on front. I'd go with the smaller size.

 

[Tennexplorer]

On the staggered setup, which is what I have, I am planning on using a front wheel and tire. I am trying to find out for sure there is no clearance problem putting a front tire and wheel on the rear. It looks like it will work, but I want to make sure.

Has anybody done this on the staggered setup?

 

[tCizzler]

I thought everybody knew that the SOLE purpose of a spare tire (donut) is so that you can drive to a tire shop. It's not intended to be daily driven, or flying around on the highway. It's JUST meant to get you to a shop to have it replaced. Cheaper than a tow

 

[Tennexplorer]

I thought everybody knew that the SOLE purpose of a spare tire (donut) is so that you can drive to a tire shop. It's not intended to be daily driven, or flying around on the highway. It's JUST meant to get you to a shop to have it replaced. Cheaper than a tow

It is. But when I had my blowout in Louisville, KY, the Genesis dealer did not have a tire and could not get one until the next day. No help from them. I started calling around and was fortunate enough to find a tire shop that would try to find one and did find one that day, otherwise I would have had to spend the night. With the thin support that Genesis has, I am looking for something that will get me home and that could be several hundred miles.

 

[joegr]

I thought everybody knew that the SOLE purpose of a spare tire (donut) is so that you can drive to a tire shop. It's not intended to be daily driven, or flying around on the highway. It's JUST meant to get you to a shop to have it replaced. Cheaper than a tow

The last time I needed a spare, I was 300 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere, and it was a Sunday. I had no reasonable option but to drive home on the spare. Fortunately, I had swapped the little spare for a full size rim and tire already.

 

[tCizzler]

The last time I needed a spare, I was 300 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere, and it was a Sunday. I had no reasonable option but to drive home on the spare. Fortunately, I had swapped the little spare for a full size rim and tire already.

I totally get it (the last 2 posts). But still missing the point a little. It's a donut. Nobody should be shocked by that. And EVERYONE here knows what a donut is for. It's meant to get you "slowly" to a shop. It's not the donut's fault that tire shops aren't close enough, or that they're out of stock. And It doesn't matter if you're 300 miles from home. The donut isn't necessarily meant to get you back home. Unless you have spare tires at home and the machinery to mount them.

The point I'm trying to make is that a donut is surely NOT "useless" ever, or "dangerous" when used as intended.

Imagine having a spare gas can in your trunk in case you run out of gas, and then complaining that it ONLY holds 1 gallon!!! That's so useless! I can't even drive 300 miles at 75mph on that 1 gallon of gasoline!

 

[joegr]

I totally get it (the last 2 posts). But still missing the point a little. It's a donut. Nobody should be shocked by that. And EVERYONE here knows what a donut is for. It's meant to get you "slowly" to a shop. It's not the donut's fault that tire shops aren't close enough, or that they're out of stock. And It doesn't matter if you're 300 miles from home. The donut isn't necessarily meant to get you back home. Unless you have spare tires at home and the machinery to mount them.

The point I'm trying to make is that a donut is surely NOT "useless" ever, or "dangerous" when used as intended.

Imagine having a spare gas can in your trunk in case you run out of gas, and then complaining that it ONLY holds 1 gallon!!! That's so useless! I can't even drive 300 miles at 75mph on that 1 gallon of gasoline!

Yes, I do agree on that. The small spare is still way better than none at all.
Living in a smallish town, I learned many years ago that the odds were that even if I was home when I suddenly needed a tire, it would usually take a week to get one that would fit. Not wanting to ride around a week on a small spare, I decided that it was worth it with each car to buy a regular factory rim and put a matching tire on it.
On this car, I did goof up on the TPMS for the spare. Apparently I got the wrong part number, because when I put the spare on, it upsets the system and all of the readings stop. I get C1313, C1314, ... (depends on which location it is put.)