Buying a car is something that many retirees are used to doing. We spend time figuring out if we should buy or lease, which model best fits our needs and pocketbooks. Now there's something else to consider when buying a car.
Does the car come with a spare tire?
That's right, manufacturers are beginning to leave off this once standard piece of equipment to save money, save weight and thus increase gas mileage.
The Chicago Tribune carried a story about this this morning.
"More expensive cars — including nearly the entire BMW lineup — are forsaking spare tires for run-flat tires, which are made with special reinforcement and can be driven at moderate speeds for 50 miles or so with a puncture."
What about less expensive cars?
" Like Chevy and Buick, Hyundai sells cars with tirerepair kits. These consist of a can of sealant, which is injected through the valve stem to plug the puncture, and an electric pump to reinflate the tire."
"It's not as good as having an extra tire. The sealant kits "work only if you have a simple puncture in the tread of the tire. And if you use it, it is only a temporary fix," said Eugene Petersen, the tire expert for Consumer Reports magazine. Petersen said the sealant kits don't work for a tire that is shredded or suffers a complete blowout."
According to the article: "The no-spare club includes the Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet's Cruze and Malibu, three of America's top-selling sedans. Buick's 2012 Regal GS and upcoming hybrid versions of both its Regal and LaCrosse sedans will be sans spare, as will some versions of the next year's Kia Optima."
All manufacturers, however, are "looking at the idea."
So, on your next car shopping trip, don't assume that what's always been found in the trunk is still there!
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