New tires for my s-lites are just too expensive, 300 installed for runflats is rediculous and I should have thought about this before I purchased the S especially without a spare tire.

So I want to get rid of my run flats and switch over to a set of performanc tires for my 17" S-Lites, I figure I will get a spare tire.
Here is my train of thought......
I commute ~70 miles a day, I will be waring out expensive runflates every 1.5 years at 300 each to replace... thats too much.
If I replace with non runflats the ride will be better, I will get longer tread life and I will have more options
BUT I will need a spare
What are you doin in this situation, are there any cheap fixes?

The mini spare is pricey and I don't have a lot of cash. Are there any spares from hondas or other 4x100 bolt patterns that people are using?
Any informed or great ideas welcomed!!
thanks
-MININH

 

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"The mini spare is pricey and I don't have a lot of cash."

Certain Honda wheels MAY fit. (There was a thread in which Alex, from Tire Rack gave centerhole sizes. BUT you also need to get the correct outer diameter. Most of the Honda doughnut wheels are 13", the MINI 15". I'm not certain if the tire sidewall sizes compensate. I bought a new MINI doughnut wheel from Classic (at their 20% discount) and then went to the junkyard and found the best doughnut wheel with the correct tire size in the newest/unused condition. I have a friend with a tire shop and he mounted it for free but even with mounting costs you would probably come out ahead of buying a wheel and tire from MINI and you know it will fit correctly.

 

There are many tire places with a much better deal than that. When I was looking for performance tires, I actually found a lot of run-flats that would've only cost about $190 a piece installed... that's a lot less than $300, and a lot more in-line with the cost of normal tires. The added weight and encumberance of a spare would be a pain compared to paying a little more for runflats.

 

I purchased the mini cooper spare tire with wheel from a wrecking yard last year and paid under $50 with shipping. I have it strapped in the boot. It takes up a little space but if you need to fold the seats down it fits perfectly behind the passenger seat. I purchased a bag from the bag lady so you don't see wheel in the boot. The mini spare probably weighs about 20lbs or so.

 

what resource did you use to find the spare online? for that matter, for finding junk yard parts online?

 

I just searched the internet and sent out inquiries. They respond if they have the parts you want. You might not find it the first time but keep looking. The wheel itself new is only about $35 bucks. The tire seems to cost the most. It's an oddball size.

 

If you didn't trust the aftermarket patch-in-a-can and inflator kit, you could always just carry one of your autocross wheels and tires as a spare, or when you replace your run-flats and heavy factory wheels with decent wheels and tires when the run-flats wear out, just toss the best of the run-flats in the back as a spare.
You are going to replace those run-flats and heavey wheels, aren't you? Having driven both versions, I can tell you that a standard tire is considerably more comfortable, and will give better handling, than a factory run-flat.
Knock-off Nut

 

I have to mention that the mini spare fits in the boot and without much intrusion at all. The cover sticks up just a little...and might rattle slightly.

 

[QUOTE=meanboy]I just searched the internet and sent out inquiries. They respond if they have the parts you want. You might not find it the first time but keep looking. The wheel itself new is only about $35 bucks.

I could not find ANY sources for wrecked MINIs when I was looking for mine. I used several different search engines. From whom did you buy the spare?

 

when i got rid of my run flats for some yokohoma AVS es 100's i ended up buying a spare tire and wheel just in case. i got mine from a girl who bought aftermarket wheels the same day she got her car. i only took the spare with me when i left town. i never had to use the spare but i'm glad i had it just in case. my town just got a MINI dealer a few months ago. before that trying to find a replacement run flat would take days and just be a big hassle. i just bought a set of aftermarket wheels myself. i've posted my "spare" in the for sale section. check it out.