Re: Space saver spare tires are a joke

["mlcmlcmlc" <mlcmlc@enter.net>]

John and everybody
,
I bought both my Audis from the original owners. (A 1987 5000tq sedan and a
1991 200q avant).  Neither car had a proper spare wheel/tire.  The way I see
it, the point of a spare tire  is a safety / convenience factor...I suppose
one could argue that you don't even need a spare of any kind, (Heck , just
drive it like the rally guys do when they have a flat...) !!!!!

Ever been on a LONG trip and had a flat ??!  In the middle of Timbuktu where
the only available tire is an off brand piece of garbage (not even S rated)
at $150 +  ??!  If the shop's even open ??!  And you really do have to be
somewhere at a given time ?  Oh, and now you're going to limp along on the
shoulder getting side swiped by all the rude crazies who never move over for
anything...and you only have 683.7 miles to go. Have a nice trip in your now
obsolete nice car.!!!

Sure, this scenario doesn't happen that frequently (thank god), but it does
occur.

I see the ultimate use of a vehicle is first to get you there.  Then to have
as much fun / comfort / convenience while doing it as possible.

Hell, why do we like a good awd system on Audis ?  Because every once in
awhile the weather is really bad , the chosen roads are really bad, and
maybe we like getting there in a nice car with no sweat...I guess awd isn't
"necessary" either ?  There are quite a few excellent 2wd performers out
there that work very well on the smooth dry stuff.   I'm sure we've all
driven some real 2 wd bombs in terrible conditions and gotten where we
needed...

My point was, it seems absurd that a nice, large, dependable vehicle which
can go thru most conditions should be handicapped by not having a real
spare. After all, you're only as good as your weakest link.

BTW, ever had a flat on a motorcylce? Now there's a good time !  (If of
course you didn't crash first).

Just my BS,     Joel Stetina  87 5000 tq, 91 200q, 79 323i, & motorcylces.



-----Original Message-----
From: John Karasaki <johkar@teleport.com>
To: Glen_Powell@ne.3com.com <Glen_Powell@ne.3com.com>; mlcmlcmlc
<mlcmlc@enter.net>
Cc: C1J1Miller@aol.com <C1J1Miller@aol.com>; quattro list
<quattro@coimbra.ans.net>; 200q20v list <200q20v@pdikeman.ne.mediaone.net>
Date: Friday, January 15, 1999 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: Space saver spare tires are a joke


>I have 20+ full size "spares" I can choose from to put in the "trunk"
>portion of the '87 5KTQW.  So what does it have in it?  A compact spare
>from a urq so it can fit in the left side vertical compartment like all the
>non-quattro 5k based avants.
>
>Why do I want to haul around a full sized spare?  I'd rather have the
>extra, huge, trunk space for other things instead of for storing an item I
>will probably never use.  If I ever have to use the spare, it will be on
>for a VERY short period of time.  Is a compact spare dangerous?  Not if you
>remember it is on there and drive with your head instead of in a binary
>fashion.
>
>A couple of years ago I sold someone on this list a set of "new" 15x6,
>5x112mm wheels from a '87 5kt.  These I had gathered from the trunks of
>various 5kts in various wrecking yards.  Each had NEVER been used.  These
>cars mostly were the 100k+ mile variety.
>
>At least in 1987, the 5kt and 5ktq came with a full sized spare.  The
>owners manual makes a big deal about it.  Some bean counter or marketer
>must have realized it wasn't helping sales, so it was eliminated.
>
>John Karasaki
>"living on the edge with a compact spare tire in the boot"
>
>
>
>
>At 04:00 PM 1/15/99 -0500, Glen_Powell@ne.3com.com wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>The 87 5KTQW has a full-size spare.
>>
>>-glen
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>"mlcmlcmlc" <mlcmlc@enter.net> on 01/15/99 01:57:56 PM
>>
>>Please respond to "mlcmlcmlc" <mlcmlc@enter.net>
>>
>>To:   C1J1Miller@aol.com
>>cc:   "quattro list" <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>, "200q20v list"
>>      <200q20v@pdikeman.ne.mediaone.net> (Glen Powell/US/3Com)
>>Subject:  Space saver spare tires are a joke
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Come on !!
>>
>>In a car as large as the type 44 sedans & avants, not outfitting or
>>designing a space for a proper stock sized spare tire is outrageous !  The
>>stock sized wheels and tires are not that big, 205/60 or 215/60  15" .
>>BTW,
>>the 87 sedan is a tight fit in the trunk w/ a 15x7 w/ 205/60 as a spare.
>>The floor panel is slightly raised at the rear. I imagine the 91 200
15x7.5
>>w/215/60 would raise the panel more (obviously), the question is the
>>diameter.
>>
>>The 91 Avant has miles of space for a legitimate spare. (I checked). I'm
>>currently trying to find a stock wheel for my 1991 200Q avant for this
very
>>pupose. (15x7.5  ET 35mm).  Anyone have a few  of these ?  If so I'm
>>interested in buying .
>>
>>Joel Stetina    87 5000TQ, 91 200Q avant, 79 323i, & stuff
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: C1J1Miller@aol.com <C1J1Miller@aol.com>
>>To: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
>>Date: Sunday, January 10, 1999 11:08 AM
>>Subject: Subject: Re: '86 5k turbo lights/grille into a '84 5k
>>turbo...doable??and other questions
>>
>>
>>>In message <8cbeae05.369722e1@aol.com> JordanVw@aol.com writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>also another question - what years of 5k TQ came with a full size spare
>>>stock?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>><Has to be the dumbest thing, especially on the ur-quattro.  A "space
>>>
>>><saving" spare tyre?  Oh yeah?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>><What happens when you _do_ have a puncture?  Where do you put the one
>>>
>>><you've taken off?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>><I suppose it's an Audi - you don't replace the tyre, you just order a
>>>
>>><new complete wheel and leave the old one at the roadside.
>>>--------
>>>I thought this started because the body design was originally for a
>>vehicle
>>>with smaller rims/wheels.  A full size would probably fit in my
>>5000-bodied
>>>'91 200q; but the 7.5" wide rim would cause it to stick up too high...
>>>also, these fancy alloy wheels/tires would require a higher base price if
>>you
>>>bought 5 rather than 4 plus a cheapo donut spare.
>>>chris miller, windham nh, c1j1miller@aol.com
>>>
>>
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