Automakers nixing spare tires, drivers unaware

The next time you get a flat, you might be surprised to find that there is no spare in the back. An Associated Press report says that more automakers today are trying to cut costs, reduce car weight and meet efficiency standards by omitting the spare in the car.

This comes as consumers are looking for cheaper cars and the U.S. government is pushing more aggressive fuel economy standards.

A spare, its jack and tools add about 20 pounds to a car's weight.

Spareless cars have been rolling out of the GM assembly line for a couple of years; most of its nearly two dozen car and crossover models in the United States do not offer spare tires as standard equipment.

As a substitute, automakers like GM have been putting inflator kits into the cars instead; such kits can only deal with minor punctures and flats.

"They're easy to use, even for someone who might be afraid of changing a tire, and they're safer because tires can be quickly refilled, getting the driver off the roadside and back in traffic faster than putting on a spare,"  Dave Cowger, GM's tire engineering group manager told the AP.

However, consumer awareness about both the absence of the spare and the presence of the inflator kit is low. Dealerships aren’t required to publish the spare-tire omission on the new car stickers, and some motorists don't realize there's been a change, until they go to make one.

Ronald Montoya, consumer advice associate with the Edmunds.com automotive website told the AP that many new car buyers assume that they're getting a spare and don't ask about it.

"Unfortunately, this is something that many of us don't think of when shopping for a car," Montoya said.

Although there are fewer cars with spare tires, there are still other options. Demand that either an optional spare tire be included with the final negotiated price or have complimentary road side assistance built into the sale.