[aldo90731]

I took my Challenger SRT for a drive up Crest Highway today, a mountain road known by So Cal sports car and motorcycle enthusiasts as a great driving and scenic route.

But my drive ended abruptly when I drove over a fallen rock, puncturing the front passenger tire instantly.

Since SRT vehicles are not equipped with a spare tire and there was no cell phone reception, I had to limp 20 miles @ 20 MPH...until the rubber melted. Fortunately, the tire disintegrated once I was within cell phone range.


Despite much care, the front spoiler got scraped getting the car up and down the flatbed tow truck

When I called Roadside Assistance I found that Chrysler, in its infinite cheapness, does NOT cover flat tires (?!?!?!?!?!)

Chrysler needs to find a way to fit a spare tire. Without the assurance that one can get home, these SRTs are nothing more than very expensive grocery getters.

 

[ptschett]

Sorry to hear about that. These inflator kits can only do so much. SRT would be a tough application to provide a spare given the big brakes, different front/rear wheel sizes, and rear LSD, but I'd want to at least have the option of a temporary spare.

I wonder if a spacer and an R/T spare would work? I know if I'd bought the spare-less Mustang I was also considering I would have come up with some way to have a temporary spare.

 

[valiant67]

There are aftermarket SRT spare tire kits available. I think it's a shame to have to buy something like this rather than have it come with the car but I am sure there are reasons.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/dodge-challenger-srt8-spare-tire-kit-/121089576364?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c31804dac&vxp=mtr#ht_63wt_1399

 

[aldo90731]

Yes, someone on Challengertalk.com reminded me that one cannot mount a donut on rear wheels with anti-spin.

I am thinking of getting an SRT replica 20x9 wheel and a tire and carry it in the trunk --of course there will be little room left for anything else

There are aftermarket SRT spare tire kits available. I think it's a shame to have to buy something like this rather than have it come with the car but I am sure there are reasons.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/dodge-challenger-srt8-spare-tire-kit-/121089576364?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c31804dac&vxp=mtr#ht_63wt_1399

The spare tire well is taken up by two subwoofers in 2012+ models.

Apparently Chrysler feels listening to good sounding music is more important than getting home.

 

[Jeff2KPatriotBlue]

Ouch!

Even though I have Chrysler Roadside on the Journey, I haven't canceled CAA yet!

 

[browens1534]

They do cover lockouts! Or did in the mid90s...

 

[ImperialCrown]

There is a TIREFIT kit supplied in the trunk for inflating small punctures. I'm sorry that you had major tire damage. Hopefully the wheel is OK.
Chrysler does offer a Tire and Wheel Road Hazard Coverage that can be added to the Roadside Assistance Plan at 1-800-521-2779.
The tow company's insurance should hopefully cover the front spoiler damage unless they had you sign a damage disclaimer before loading the vehicle onto the flatbed.
I think that even with Road Hazard in a case like this, the car would still need to have been brought to the shop.

 

[aldo90731]

There is a TIREFIT kit supplied in the trunk for inflating small punctures. I'm sorry that you had major tire damage. Hopefully the wheel is OK.
Chrysler does offer a Tire and Wheel Road Hazard Coverage that can be added to the Roadside Assistance Plan at 1-800-521-2779.
The tow company's insurance should hopefully cover the front spoiler damage unless they had you sign a damage disclaimer before loading the vehicle onto the flatbed.
I think that even with Road Hazard in a case like this, the car would still need to have been brought to the shop.

Yes, the wheel is fine. Thanks.

The lessons I learned from this is: to avoid venturing far w/o a spare tire, and to have a Plan B to get home w/o having to depend on Chrysler's shifting promises or cell phone reception.

Now I have to figure out if I want to carry an unsecured spare tire in the trunk, which will leave little cargo space --and could turn into a projectile in an accident, let alone in hard cornering-- or replace the Dodge with something more thoroughly designed like [gulp] a Ford Mustang with a proper spare tire.

 

[aldo90731]

There are aftermarket SRT spare tire kits available. I think it's a shame to have to buy something like this rather than have it come with the car but I am sure there are reasons.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/dodge-challenger-srt8-spare-tire-kit-/121089576364?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c31804dac&vxp=mtr#ht_63wt_1399

I've been looking into the option of removing those useless subwoofers and putting this spare donut in its place.

I will have to see how complicated it is to disconnect the subwoofer and what impact it will have in the sound of the stereo.

 

[dfarc]

It will be even tighter back there in the LA, when they shrink the spare tire well to accomadate the wider tires for the Hellcat

 

[saltydog]

Ouch!

Also check with insurance carrier, we pay less $5 bucks extra per car, per month for road side assistance, never had to use it but nice to have.

 

[MoparNorm]

The lessons I learned from this is: ....

...to take the JK...
Had a great drive last week in the mountains, folded the top down and drove over many rocks...

Thanks for the tip about no tire coverage. I've never used the Chrysler coverage, figured it would be a hassle and never had the need. I have used my AAA, for wife and daughters, many times, even though they also have the Customer Care.

 

[aldo90731]

Indeed, Norm! But if I am going to take the JK to the mountain roads, then why do I even have a Challenger...? --which is part of a bigger question: if I cannot trust the Challenger for long trips, or even local mountains drives...what role does it really have...? Daily commuter? It is way too expensive for just that. Poser car? Maybe...but again...too much money to just look pretty in it.

I looked under the trunk floor: it won't be that easy to remove those subwoofers. I will also have to toss out that useless air compressor, and the battery may still get in the way of things. And then, of course, I still don't know how the stereo is going to sound w/o woofers.

The Challenger trunk area needs a lot of work in general. I've been trying to adapt a simple cargo net for weeks, but don't seem to be able to make it work yet.

Ugh...the more I look into all of this, the more tempted I am to just cut my losses and part with this car...

 

[ptschett]

If it makes you feel any better, the comparable models of Mustang and Camaro, w/ Brembo brakes would probably have been just as stranded. IIRC they delete the spare in favor of the inflator kit too.

 

[aldo90731]

It doesn't but thanks for the info.

I believe the Mustang GT carries a spare tire...and from everything I have read, it provides comparable performance to this car for a lot less money, but also less cachet.

 

[UN4GTBL]

What do you mean that Chrysler's roadside assistance doesn't cover flat tires? You had to pay for the tow?

Several years ago, we parked somewhere and then drove home later in the day. As soon as we got home I heard air hissing, and sure enough, both passenger side tires were punctured by something. We called the Chrysler roadside assistance line and they sent a truck to tow it to a dealer, no questions asked.

 

[aldo90731]

Yes, I had to pay for the tow.

I remember being told a long time ago that Roadside Assistance included flat tires. But it seems that with the pass of time, at one end of the Chrysler organization someone made the decision to stop including flat tire assistance, while at the other end SRT decided to start sell cars w/o spare tires. The end result is that their most expensive halo models cannot get you home if you get a flat tire.

 

[MickM]

Did you know you didn't have a spare when you bought the car?
And I believe the rt Challenger Has a temp spare and limited slip rear end. I bet if you get the SRT spare kit you will be OK. As far as the subs can you mount them else where in the trunk?

 

[aldo90731]

Did you know you didn't have a spare when you bought the car?
And I believe the rt Challenger Has a temp spare and limited slip rear end. I bet if you get the SRT spare kit you will be OK. As far as the subs can you mount them else where in the trunk?

Yes, I knew the SRTs have no spare tire; what I did not know is that Roadside Assistance started excluding flat tires.

I like the temp spare kit idea, but relocating the subs is a major undertaking; that boom box is the size of the whole spare tire well.

There is also a fullsize spare tire kit for Dodge Charger police cars, but it was to be welded to the trunk floor, and the fullsize spare tire takes two-thirds of the trunk space.

Amazing that such a large car has so little room for something like a spare tire.

 

[MickM]

Yeah the trunks seem to be getting tight.
I went out to check if my Avenger has a spare. Luckily I have Michelin tires which have a flat tire service and USAA insurance which has road side assistance for just under 2 bucks a month