If you are searching for a new car, you may have noticed that many of the vehicles for sale at dealerships lack a spare tire. Carrying this auxiliary item, although it has the ability to get drivers out of great trouble, is not one of the mandatory requirements when traveling by road. What's more, the main reason why the new models no longer offer a spare wheel is due to a question of saving weight and space.
There are as many detractors as supporters of this new measure to improve the ergonomics of vehicles. However, it is true that it is recommended to carry a spare tire to solve the blowouts or punctures that every driver is exposed to when traveling on the road. Luckily, there are currently a multitude of viable, comfortable alternatives with equal or greater effectiveness to spare wheels that you can already consider incorporating as part of the equipment of your new car.
Despite their similarity in name, spare wheels are a much lighter option than conventional spare wheels. Known colloquially as a 'biscuit', it is a small and much less bulky tire that allows the driver to circulate just long enough to reach the workshop where they can repair the puncture or blowout of the original wheel. Same function, same tools, but less cumbersome.
Among the disadvantages of emergency wheels are a shorter lifespan and speed limitation to 80 kilometers per hour when driving with them.
This is probably the most comfortable option of all. And it does not imply that drivers carry any additional elements: the spare wheels are the wheels themselves. Run-flat tires are a special type of rubber that some new models already incorporate. These have a lower support that allows cars to continue circulating after suffering a setback until it is properly repaired.
In addition, these wheels have reinforced sides that prevent tire deformation caused by loss of pressure after a blowout or puncture. An ideal solution for emergency situations in which, yes, you can only drive at a maximum of 80 kilometers per hour.
This solution is cost-effective, practical and hardly takes up space. The central element of this kit is a foam that is injected into the pneumatic valve to seal punctures. On the negative side, it is a perishable product, so the driver must remain attentive to its validity so that, when they go to use it, it is not expired.
