When Henry Ford, Ransom Olds, and the Durvea Brothers first puttered about in their horseless carriages, they rode on spindly heels shod with solid rubber tires. These tires did nothing to cushion the rough ride over dirt roads and cobblestone streets. Then pneumatic tire, originally manufactured by John Dunlop for bicycles, ultimately found its way onto motorcars. They brought the comfort level up somewhat, but the frustration factor went up also. Tire failures and punctures were a common hazard of early motoring, so much so that it was not uncommon to see autos carrying two extra tires as spares.
Thankfully, tire technology has improved tremendously since those early days. Tire failures are extremely rare, unless encouraged by neglect or abuse. So rare in fact, that most manufacturers have relegated the previously indispensable full-sized spare to that of an extra cost option or an SUV trim upgrade. Most cars today carry what's referred to as a Temporary Spare. These "donuts" are intended to get you to the next tire store or service station (OK class, what's a service station?), and they are typically limited to 50 MPH max. But at least they could get you home in an emergency.
Despite the tremendous advances made in recent years to make auto tires more reliable and puncture resistant, the fact is that it's a cruel world out there. There is all sorts of nasty stuff on the roads which will can inflict a lot of damage to your car's tires, and wallet. Take for example, the pair of side-cutters which managed to perforate a brand-new Michelin on my Focus on the way to work one very cold morning. Thankfully, there was a spacesaver spare in the trunk (thank you Ford Motor Company) so I was on my way within 15 minutes. Bringing the flat back to the tire dealer, side-cutters and all, I was told the tire could not be saved. So, with less than 1,000 miles on it, the Michelin was added to the junk tire pile.
A month later, nearly to the day, I picked up another puncture on my way to work. The offender this time was a razor sharp wheel weight clip, minus the lead weight. It was undoubtedly left over debris from a previous shunt along Route 47. Pulling into a nearby gas station, the spare "donut" was once again pressed into service. However, while riding that short distance on the deflated tire, the rim ground the inside of the carcass into rubber dust, ruining it. Michelin #2 bites the dust.
Later that year, a slow but persistent leak developed on one of the tires of the family van. This was finally traced to, of all things, a horseshoe nail! A full-sized spare, previously obtained from a local boneyard for trailer towing duties, was fitted to keep the van operational while the local Goodyear dealer repaired the flat. Another slow leak on the Focus was the result of a drywall screw picked up while visiting Neiland powder coating in DeKalb. Once again, the spare tire was used while the flat was repaired.
In an age where tires tend to be nearly as wide as they are in diameter, some cars are not equipped with a spare tire. The Lotus Elise is a good case in point. Whether Lotus decided it couldn't afford the space, the weight, or the cost... there is no attempt to provide any kind of a spare. The factory's answer to a possible flat tire is to equip the Elise with a can of "Fix Flat". Having seen the effectiveness of "Fix Flat" in the past. I would not find this a comforting solution.
As personal experience has shown, a major puncture is always a possibility, in which case a can of "Fix Flat" would probably be useless. At that point, the trip will be completed on a flatbed. I believe there is still a need for a serviceable, and preferably full-sized, spare tire in today's cars. This need would make itself evident when driving home... late on a Sunday night... in the middle of no-where... with a pair of side-cutters embedded in the tire.
