[ImperialCrown]

Tire/Wheel Road Hazard is an added 'option' for Roadside Assistance. If you were told that your contract covers tires, then check your copy of the contract over. There should be an 800 number for questions or applying for RH coverage. Have receipts with VIN, date and mileage handy.

 

[browens1534]

I dumped my doughnut after a sidewall blow out... Although the 215/50-17 doesn't fit too well in the spare tire well, but its better knowin that I have a new tire back there to use if I need to go to discount tire for a replacement... And why couldn't they put the subs like the dart has? It sounds bomb [I should have my mouth washed out with soap for using such terms] but still compact and out of the way.

 

[valiant67]

Many services that cover flat tires will only install your spare tire so even then you'd have been out of luck. I checked mine (not the Chrysler contract) and it says it will install my spare tire, no towing or other service if a spare is not available.

 

[aldo90731]

The more I read about "Roadside Assistance" on here, the more unreliable it sounds --and the more reason to own a vehicle that you trust can get you home

 

[CherokeeVision]

I remember when we bought our 94 Vision. The LH had the option of a full size spare but this car didn't have it. I told them I would buy it if they added a full size spare. They asked me, how often do you have a flat? I told them we had 2 within three months and i wanted a full size spare. they added one.

Bugs me that the Malibu doesn't have a full size spare.

And they wonder why so many people buy 4 door pickups as their daily driver. Because you can get a full size spare!

 

[aldo90731]

OEMs are nuts: they keep removing the spare tire from more and more models, and at the same time cutting back on the roadside assistance coverage. And then they wonder how they can earn customer trust...?

 

[MoparNorm]

OEMs are nuts: they keep removing the spare tire from more and more models, and at the same time cutting back on the roadside assistance coverage. And then they wonder how they can earn customer trust...?

My 1996 WJ was recalled because of the lack of a full sized spare. Jeep gave me a matching Limited wheel ($265) and a matching Goodyear Wrangler AT, at $165, all free of charge. When you're 105 miles Offroad, the 50 miles run flat tire doesn't cut it..

 

[aldo90731]

Looks like another tale of a slipper slope:

• Once upon a time, Happy Spare Tire lived in every trunk in the forest
• Then the Evil OEM Lord brought Ugly Donut to the forest, and told him "Ugly Donut, go and get into every trunk out there". As time passed,even though Happy Spare Tire didn't want to leave, Ugly Donut made its way into trunks everywhere
• Then the Evil OEM Lord invited the Roadside Assistance Witch and her little sidekick Flat Tire Assistant to come live in the forest, on condition that the Roadside Assistance Witch gave the Evil OEM Lord a magic potion to eliminate Happy Spare Tire and Ugly Donut from every trunk in the forest
• But one day, grumpy Cost Cutting visited the Evil OEM Lord, and told him "little Flat Tire Assistance needs to leave the forest". So the Evil OEM Lord turned to the Roadside Assistance Witch and told her "tell little Flat Tire Assistance to leave the forest, at once!" And little Flat Tire Assistance left the forest.
• And this is why today drivers with a flat tire, no Happy Spare Tire, no Ugly Donut, and no Flat Tire Assistance get the finger from the Roadside Assistance Witch, and the Evil OEM Lord expects us to live happily ever after

 

[CherokeeVision]

What is really hair brained is how the space for the spare is only big enough for the donut. Where the heck are you supposed to put your full size flat? Especially if you have the vehicle full of cargo and passengers.

 

[aldo90731]

Yup.

Another hard-to-understand fact is how my tiny 2,800-lb 2006 Honda S2000 had space for a --standard-- donut, yet my 4,400-lb USS Challenger does not have room for one (?!?!)

 

[Stratuscaster]

Does a 2800lb S2000 have room for a standard spare donut when subwoofers are installed into it?

Weight (mass) is no indicator of storage space. I'm guessing a multi-ton military tank doesn't have a whole lot of storage space.

How do other automakers with performance cars equipped with large wheels and tires deal with the issue?

What is really hair brained is how the space for the spare is only big enough for the donut. Where the heck are you supposed to put your full size flat? Especially if you have the vehicle full of cargo and passengers.

Good question. What have people done in the past in such a situation?

 

[SouthPawXJ]

Good question. What have people done in the past in such a situation?

It's obvious to me that he needs to upgrade his Challenger with a swingout rear bumper tire carrier.

 

[aldo90731]

Does a 2800lb S2000 have room for a standard spare donut when subwoofers are installed into it?

Weight (mass) is no indicator of storage space. I'm guessing a multi-ton military tank doesn't have a whole lot of storage space.

How do other automakers with performance cars equipped with large wheels and tires deal with the issue?

Good question. What have people done in the past in such a situation?

Well, if Dodge is trying to compete with other "performance cars equipped with large wheels and tires", it is failing miserably by entering a two-and-half ton "sports car".

Sorry, I don't mean to come across like I hate my Challenger, I do not. In fact, I love it. But let's face it, two doors and 500HP do not make a track-ready contender any more than taking out the spare tire does.


--PS: the tires and wheels on a S2000 are comparatively huge for the size of the car; the difference is that Honda decided it would be unconsciounable to sell a car w/o a spare tire, while Dodge is letting itself get carried away by the current "no-spare tire" fad

It's obvious to me that he needs to upgrade his Challenger with a swingout rear bumper tire carrier.

LOL that's exactly what one of my offroading buddies said!

 

[Jeff2KPatriotBlue]

My van has a full sized (on a steel wheel) under the body... I have used it, but being a van with cubic meters of cargo space, I did not bother putting the blown-out tire under there to get to the shop.

The Journey has a donut, and the owner's manual tells you not to put the full-sized on the hoist under the body. Being a tall station-wagon, it does not have much space when loaded for a family weekend vacation.

 

[Erik Latranyi]

I travel a lot. The first thing I did was drop AAA. Their coverage is not perfect and when they are swamped with calls, you can wait for hours.

My wife was pregnant and needed help in a snowstorm that delivered nearly 30". They refused to come help her because there were too many calls that day.

I ended up rescuing her by driving for 4 hours in that snowstorm.

The only dependable thing is yourself.

 

[aldo90731]

I've had dozens of people tell me over the past few days "you should get AAA Roadside Assistance for $5/month", "Thank God I have USAA Roadside Assistance for $2/month", "I got Roadside Assistance through my insurance company", "The dealer added Roadside Assistance to the purchase contract for an additional $1,500", "my Credit Union gave me Roadside Assistance for an additional $500".

Roadside Assistance must be a gold mine!

Of those who made the call, about as many received the service they expected as those who felt they didn't. It seems no one really knows how good or bad your Roadside Assistance is until you make that call.

 

[68RT]

I have had it on my insurance policy for 10 years and only one call for assistance in that time. Wife has used it quite a few times. Insurance policy usually is a lot cheaper than a separate policy for about the same coverage. Nothing works when you can't get phone service though. Years ago, when a car was pulled over on the side of the road, at least two cars were also stopped to give assistance. Now, you are on your own. (side benefit of cell phones.)

 

[aldo90731]

I can see Roadside Assistance playing the role of added peace of mind, especially for those with driving dependents.

However, it still seems Roadside Assistance should not be relied upon as your Plan A for getting out of a emergency --contrary to how many of these services (and some OEMs) would like us to think of them.

 

[Dave Z]

Given how often we've gotten flats since getting rid of my wife's 1989 Escort in 1994 (never), I have not found roadside assistance of any kind to be very important. I've gotten stranded with one car since then, my Spirit R/T and I got AAA for that, which saved me money but caused untold aggravation. I dropped AAA as soon as the car was gone. Since then my insurance company threw in towing for free.

The S2000 was years and years ago, wasn't it? Hardly a fair comparison. Did it have wheels anywhere NEAR as big as modern ones?

 

[Doug D]

I haven't had a flat in decades. I think the last one I had was the late 80's - had a '79 Monza at the time. Wife, on the other hand has had a few. Was worth it to have AAA or a motor club membership. At least she could call and they would change the tire. One time she was fortunate to have the Road Safety Patrol right behind her when a tire went down.

I had AAA for quite some time. Rarely had to use it for "roadside assistance". Used It for other discounts and maps, TripTiks, etc. AAA, like other motor clubs, is not perfect and yes, in times of severe weather, they may not come out or be delayed. Happened to me 20+ years ago. Living in Denver at the time we got a severe cold spell (subzero temps for over a week at a time - highs were -15*F & lows -35*F). Due to the high demand for jump starts and other assistance, AAA was overwhelmed and advised (if you called) it would be 72-96 hours before they could get someone to you and you'd probably get faster service by contacting a local service station or garage.

We have "Towing" on our insurance, but it only pays $50 per occurrence. Considering that's what a tow driver charges just for showing up, it ain't enough. At least with AAA+, you can get a tow up to 100 miles.