It happened. Flat tire. No spare.

As I noted in the recollection of my latest adventure, the new donut spare/wheel was safely stored away in my garage, where no harm could befall it! I noted that had I carried the spare, cluttering up my trunk forever, I still would have needed someone to change it due to health problems and the heat. The only problem (aside from waiting about 25 minutes for the flatbed) I had was the overpriced and incompetent tow service. I will be paying the extra $35/year to extend the towing to 100 miles, for my 4th flat!! I still plan to keep the donut spare safe, and comfortable til I take a serious jaunt. Call me stupid; I say it's optimism!! Har, har!


Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
AChoiredTaste.com

 

No worry. If such a misfortune would fall upon me, I am on the same boat as you are. I have my full-size spare for PRIME safely stored in my garage also. I also have AAA Premier membership with extra towing miles.

 

I still believe that if those making the spare /no spare decision at Toyota were women and mothers. all Toyotas would have spares! It is just too risky for women who have to drive at night in remote areas with no cell coverage to go without a spare. And as slow as AAA is, it makes sense to carry a spare that they can change for you if you are unable to do that yourself or the roadside does not allow it.

My scariest blowout ever was on a gridlocked Cabin John Bridge on the DC Beltway at 10pm one summer night returning from teaching a class and my four month old son in his car seat. It took two hours in 98F heat to find a tow truck driver who was not drunk to take us and the Acura to a dealer's lot and then finally home at midnight. And three days for Acura to get a new tire so we could pick up the car. As a woman that was two hours of terror I hope never to repeat.

So do keep the females in your life in mind when you make this decision of spare or no spare. And please don't forget that cell phones often don't work.

 

Regardless of gender, if the cars sans spares don't sell, they'll reinstate the spare in short order.

Sadly, this fight is often lost, through complacence, and a tidal wave of new product with a previous feature stripped out.

 

I just relocated my big tire plug kit under the rear floor cover yesterday. I had to remove it from the nice plastic case but there was a rectangular slot that was empty and it all fit. While I was at it I put my torque wrench and the special socket for my custom wheels under there too.

 

Glad you mentioned the spare. I've got AAA and Going father than 7 miles tomorrow so I better stick that spare back there before I leave!

 

Nice ride Jayne. What part of Utah are you in? Are you ready fir winter driving. I’m in Salt Lake City.

 

Stupid question... how does one buy a spare tire for the Prius Prime? Order any tire that is sized "P195/65R15"? How does one buy the "rim", and how does one put them all together? Anything else needed besides the tire and rim?

 

Somewhere in this loooong thread, someone did posted parts number for compact spare that will fit on PRIME. I can't find it now, but someone who INDEX all the threads may chime in. You can also look for used old Prius (either Gen3 or Gen4) compact spare or full size rim and tire on ebay , Craigslist or at local junk yard. FYI, when I had flat on OEM GEN3 tire, I purchased a pair of new tires. I asked the tire shop to put one of (still newish and good) OEM tire on separate steel rim for me. I no longer have Gen3, but kept the full size spare, and that's what I carry in my PRIME now. Gen3 tire and wheel is the same size as Prime.

Edit: I found this post by @Mendel Leisk
How to find and purchase a spare tire for a Prius Prime 2017/2018 | PriusChat

 

Got mine from my dealer. Could have saved a buck or two but I know this will work.
Prius Prime and spare tire

 

Was that a compact or full size spare?

 

It's a compact (donut) spare.
Also it came unbalanced but checking my other car with a compact spare it too was unbalanced from the factory.
I don't think I would want a full size spare. This one fits nicely in front of a rear passenger seat. If you intend on keeping
it in the trunk/hatch area a full size would eat up a lot of space and I doubt if it would fit nicely in the back seat area.
J

 

FYI, full size spare (195/65R15 on 15 inch rim) fits perfectly in front of a rear passenger seat. If you fold down the rear seat with a headrest removed, it is so snag and wedged in, there is absolutely no movement of stored spare tire while driving. I almost never use rear seats, so both rear seats are almost always folded down to increase cargo area. Only problem I see is if I have to use two rear seats for people, I will have to put this spare tire in the back trunk/hatch area, and it will not be secured down.

 

If you're ok with temp spare, just order the temp spare rim spec'd for 4th gen Prius, plus the tire spec'd in the Owner's Manual. The first you can look up on McGeorge Toyota (online dealership parts department), the latter on TireRack.

If you want a full size spare, this is the rim I've been using with snow tires:

Corolla steel rim, part no: 42611-02471 (2003-2008 corolla or matrix, CE, LS, S)

And yeah, your pick of 195/65R15, maybe Bridgestone Ecopia EP20? And this one I would balance, and use just a regular (non-TPMS) valve.

 

I agree no spare no sale

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I was all set to buy one and when I found out no spare tire and no place for me to Mount one where it would be safe in an accident I didn't buy the car. I kept my 2013 prius. I refuse to buy a car with no place to put a spare tire. Before everyone jumps in yes flat tires happen all the time I see them sitting on the side of expressway ever day


Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Great info, Salamander King! Thanks! I would be interested to know where you got that nice tire cover.

 

From Amazon "Moonet Universal Spare Tire Cover Black (14 inch)"

For the full-size 195/65R15 tire, 14 inch cover is the perfect fit. Do not get 15 inch cover. If you are not seeing clickable Amazon link above, make sure to turn off Adblock on your browser.

 

Third row seat coversion for spare tire - AudiWorld Forums


Just an example

 

I keep one of these kits in each car.