Gm Is One Cheap Company

[pm26]

I noticed lately that now even a compact (donut) spare tire is an extra cost option on Camaros and Malibus. GM started this BS with the 2009 model Chevy Cobalts, now they seem to be expanding this rip off to other vehicles as well. Way to go GM! Yes, we do notice these things!

[r1byker]

Go the other way; my 2008 Cadillac CTS didn't come with a spare at all. I got a tire inflator and a can of Slime (or something like it) sitting in the spare tire wheel well. So I bought a rim, tire, and jack.

[elcompalaline]

I don't even know if my 08 Malibu has a spare (haven't had a need for it yet), going to check today!

[P71_CrownVic]

I noticed lately that now even a compact (donut) spare tire is an extra cost option on Camaros and Malibus. GM started this BS with the 2009 model Chevy Cobalts, now they seem to be expanding this rip off to other vehicles as well. Way to go GM! Yes, we do notice these things!

 

Ford has been doing that for years...

[RyanbabZ71]

This is being moved, this has nothing to do with fullsize pickup trucks.

[amtz.zero]

Well that sucks. Cars should come with a spare tire, but I doubt GM is the only one doing this.

[alaska511]

This is being moved, this has nothing to do with fullsize pickup trucks.

 

 

Not much of what he says ever does. Bad GM, bad!

[takevin]

This is being moved, this has nothing to do with fullsize pickup trucks.

 

 

Theres quite a few posts that get posted in there and get ignored, why should one more make any difference? Selective picking??

[Matt_]

id rather have a "donut" as a spare tire and retain the added trunk space. imo screw adding all of the weight of a full-sized spare and the loss of volume in the trunk for something that'll probably never get used, especially when a "donut" will get you where you need to go.

 

im sure not everyone will agree... but $$ probably wasn't their main reason for not giving a "full sized spare" in all of their cars.

[Nytemare]

You get free roadside assistance when you buy the damn vehicles...why does it even matter if you have a spare.

deleting the spare tire all together is probably a very good idea...do you know how many people die every year from trying to change a tire on the side of a road...I'm not saying that they adhere to all safety regulations...and some are just downright stupid....but if there was no spare to change over too, than those people wouldn't have died...at least not that way.

 

With technology like run-flat tires OnStar, Cell phones, the spare has become obsolete...and is just a waste of space and 50lbs of junk in the back you don't need anymore.

 

A can of slime, and a couple emergency plugs for those occasions where you dont have cell coverage, and your golden....But if your in a situation where you find yourself in these places a lot...and you need a spare due to the odd chance the sidewall pops out of the tire, than you can purchase the spare option.

[brims]

Do not put slime in a tire with TPMS sensors, you will destroy the sensor.

 

I don't trust run flats, and I would rather not sit there waiting for 2 hours in a crappy neighborhood or something when I can get out and swap my spare in less than 10 minutes and be on my way. Getting a flat in the wrong neighborhood and waiting for the tow truck can get you killed just as easily as changing a tire. Screw waiting for AAA or OnStar to send someone out. Flat tire is low priority for tow truck drivers, they can get rerouted to higher priority calls several times before they get to your flat tire. Then they may need a flat bed if the flat is on the front of a front wheel drive vehicle, or screw around with swapping the wheels.

 

Going to have the tow truck drive you to the dealer to get your flat tire replaced for free?

[truckofwinandawesome]

now where have i seen this topic before...OH YES, someone on Allpar brought this topic up, and I am one of those who think a Spare tire is a good thing to have, for the very reason Nytemare suggested; if you find the sidewall trashed. I have had 2 flats in my car, and BOTH TIMES, it blew out the sidewall! and BOTH TIMES, I had to get the Dunut out of the trunk, slap it on, and be on my way. (I'm tempted to go to Pull-A-Part, and get a Full Size Rim for Cheap.)

[Norseman]

I noticed lately that now even a compact (donut) spare tire is an extra cost option on Camaros and Malibus. GM started this BS with the 2009 model Chevy Cobalts, now they seem to be expanding this rip off to other vehicles as well. Way to go GM! Yes, we do notice these things!

 

Hey.... you think that's cheep you should look at what is an option on Toyotas --- properly working throttles!

[Nytemare]

Do not put slime in a tire with TPMS sensors, you will destroy the sensor.

I don't trust run flats, and I would rather not sit there waiting for 2 hours in a crappy neighborhood or something when I can get out and swap my spare in less than 10 minutes and be on my way. Getting a flat in the wrong neighborhood and waiting for the tow truck can get you killed just as easily as changing a tire. Screw waiting for AAA or OnStar to send someone out. Flat tire is low priority for tow truck drivers, they can get rerouted to higher priority calls several times before they get to your flat tire. Then they may need a flat bed if the flat is on the front of a front wheel drive vehicle, or screw around with swapping the wheels.

 

Going to have the tow truck drive you to the dealer to get your flat tire replaced for free?

LOL...like they work wonderfully anyway...

 

If I were in that crappy of a neighborhood when I got a flat...I would just drive out of that neighborhood...rather buy a new rim and tire than be dead...but if you wanna risk changing your tire in say south central LA...you go right ahead...

 

I dont know about the Tow trucks in the US...but a flat tire pays the same as a blown engine or accident here...the tow truck gets paid to hook up and tow to a service center...55bucks to hook up and $XX to Tow you to where ever the service center is. You cannot properly repair a tire on the side of the road...it has to be taken off the rim and patched from the inside for a proper repair...so it must go to a service station. No one here uses plugs anymore...you can have them yourself if you know how to use them...and a can of that black tire inflation goo. You use the can upside down from the way its supposed to be used and no goo comes out....just air. Its enough to inflate a 40" tire to 30psi.

[brims]

Do not put slime in a tire with TPMS sensors, you will destroy the sensor.

I don't trust run flats, and I would rather not sit there waiting for 2 hours in a crappy neighborhood or something when I can get out and swap my spare in less than 10 minutes and be on my way. Getting a flat in the wrong neighborhood and waiting for the tow truck can get you killed just as easily as changing a tire. Screw waiting for AAA or OnStar to send someone out. Flat tire is low priority for tow truck drivers, they can get rerouted to higher priority calls several times before they get to your flat tire. Then they may need a flat bed if the flat is on the front of a front wheel drive vehicle, or screw around with swapping the wheels.

 

Going to have the tow truck drive you to the dealer to get your flat tire replaced for free?

LOL...like they work wonderfully anyway...

 

If I were in that crappy of a neighborhood when I got a flat...I would just drive out of that neighborhood...rather buy a new rim and tire than be dead...but if you wanna risk changing your tire in say south central LA...you go right ahead...

 

I dont know about the Tow trucks in the US...but a flat tire pays the same as a blown engine or accident here...the tow truck gets paid to hook up and tow to a service center...55bucks to hook up and $XX to Tow you to where ever the service center is. You cannot properly repair a tire on the side of the road...it has to be taken off the rim and patched from the inside for a proper repair...so it must go to a service station. No one here uses plugs anymore...you can have them yourself if you know how to use them...and a can of that black tire inflation goo. You use the can upside down from the way its supposed to be used and no goo comes out....just air. Its enough to inflate a 40" tire to 30psi.

 

 

Then just take the TPMS sensors out of your wheels, but don't tell everyone else to F up their sensors with lousy advice.

 

If I get a flat, I put on a spare and drive it to a place to repair the tire, I'm not spending $60+ to get towed because of a flat. That's an absolute joke. What are you going to do when you get to the dealer? Tell them you want a new tire free, not a patch? Won't happen. So now you're spending at least $100 for a flat tire when you could spend $10 to put a spare on and drive the flat tire to a tire shop. Or go to the tire shop you got your tires from and some won't charge for a repair.

 

Even if where you got your flat wasn't a bad neighborhood, lets say it was out on a road where there are few cars and it's snowing. You're going to wait for the tow truck? Be my guest.