A6 Avant TSFi e spare wheel...

[MajorSparky]

Could someone help me with the following please:
I am considering buying a new Audi A6 Avant TFSI e but understand that there is no storage space in the car for even a space saver spare wheel. Is this true? If so, does anyone have experience of using the puncture repair kit and compressor that comes with the car? And finally, is the use of the tyre repair kit a temporary measure that will need to be followed up with the purchase of a new tyre? Your help appreciated.

[Magnet]

Hello Clive, 

Many thanks for being in touch with the form.

As I understand it, the demise of the spare wheel went through the process of first being dispensed with in its original full size form and being replaced by the ‘space saver’ spare - all in the best interest of weight saving, and therefore fuel saving! I cannot recall it being stated that it would be of cost benefit to the manufacturer, but I may have missed that bit! 
The next ‘development’ (again with the same good intent as above) was to replace the weighty space saver wheel with a small and cheap compressor and an aerosol of goo to attempt to seal up up the puncture. I think that during this stage of the ‘development’, you could opt to buy a space saver spare to fit in the well. 
Now I believe that the well has disappeared, so there is no designated storage for a wheel, even if you wanted one. 

The so called puncture repair is no more than a get-you-to-the-nearest-tyre-retailer, where you are most likely to be met with a bill for a new tyre - assuming the repair sealer was actually capable of sealing the leak to get you there. 
Not restricted to Audi of course, but all the mainstream manufacturers. 
It’s progress Clive! 
Worth checking out with the salesman incase I’ve got it wrong.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Stevey Y]

5 hours ago, MajorSparky said:

Could someone help me with the following please:
I am considering buying a new Audi A6 Avant TFSI e but understand that there is no storage space in the car for even a space saver spare wheel. Is this true? If so, does anyone have experience of using the puncture repair kit and compressor that comes with the car? And finally, is the use of the tyre repair kit a temporary measure that will need to be followed up with the purchase of a new tyre? Your help appreciated.

Hi you have it in one, I think you can ask for a space saver at extra cost, the puncture repair kits are ok if its a small hole but if its a split you are scuppered, the Mondeo Sport I had was originally going to be produced with the repair kit only until one of the Ford big wigs had a pre release demonstrator for the weekend and split one of the forty series tyres and was stuck in the wilds of Surrey for hours waiting for the recovery to turn up, he put in a real snotty report to the CEO of ford UK who then decided the customer would be given the space saver option at extra cost.

Steve. 

[Stevey Y]

PS   they must still have a wheel well as otherwise where are they going to put the battery? I know my space saver is mounted above the battery.

Steve.

[MajorSparky]

Thanks for the replies, guys. It looks as if my proposal at acquire some green credentials is going to take a set-back over this. I don't think I can live with a car without a spare wheel; so it will have to be either staying with the car I've got, or going for a new one with straight petrol or diesel engine. Pity really. Thanks again.

[Magnet]

Hello Clive,

’.....green credentials.....set-back.....’ Apologies but I’m not following this, in terms of no spare wheel. 
Trying to understand your requirements, but I think you are seriously limiting your choice by only buying a new vehicle which has a spare wheel, as opposed to the new norm of compressor and goo. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[MajorSparky]

Hi Gareth,

Well, given the choice, I think that the vast majority of drivers would prefer to have a spare wheel in their car than to have to use a repair kit and compressor. I may be wrong on this, but I don't think so. Moreover, having now looked at various forums that discuss this matter, there seems to be quite a few contributors that express the opinion that the goo doesn't work on a large proportion of puncture that they've experienced (none were Audi owners, I should add) and that this has caused them no end of disruption. I agree that the probability of having a puncture is very, very low, but to me, having no spare wheel will be a bit like the `range anxiety' feeling when driving a BEV vehicle. I wouldn't feel comfortable with it. And I don't wish to spend sixty odd thousand pounds for a car that will give me that feeling.

As I understand it, therefore, I am limited my choice only by not being able to have a BEV or a Phev vehicle if I want a spare wheel on board - unless I buy a Volvo XC40 Phev which I understand has space for one. The sale of BEV and Phev vehicles represented about 14% of all new car sales recently. So, there's still a vast choice of non-electric and hybrid cars out there.

Clive.

[Magnet]

Hello Clive,

’....vast majority of drivers would prefer to have a spare wheel .......’ I’m sure you are right, and yes, I would join that band, but the fact is that manufacturers have declared it semi-redundant in favour of the compressor and goo. Nothing to do with economics of course, but all to do with less weight, thereby appeasing those who worship the green environment, so the principle is valid and understood. 
My only point is that if a spare is really that important to you, then it is most certainly going to restrict your market - of that there is no doubt, and as I see it, you will either have to go along with that, or buy a spare wheel and tyre (and jack) which you can permanently store in the boot to be used in cases of emergency. 
Apologies, Clive, but although I understand your principle, I see little alternative other than the above two suggestions. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[MajorSparky]

Your point taken, Gareth.

I guess the truth is that there are not enough customers out there who feel the way I do about the importance of spare wheel. Consequently, manufacturers don't feel the need to do anything about it, especially when to design in a spare wheel compartment would cost more money and lower the performance figures a little. The only way they would do anything about it is if they lost market share because of it, e.g. to Volvo because people were flocking to buy their XC40 Phev. Very unlikely, however.

Clive.

 

[Magnet]

Many thanks Clive,

’...I guess the truth is there aren’t enough customers who feel the way I do.......’ Being realistic - unfortunately true.

On a separate note, but connected with the green benefits of electric vehicles, and tyres in particular. You don’t hear must said about the tonnes of rubber that gets shredded to fine particles - to be breathed in - as the remnants of our forever-faster wearing tyres are distributed on the highways. 
Just a thought! 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[MajorSparky]

That one, Gareth, is not going to be resolved until we no longer need roads and tyres, i.e. when we're all flying around in drones.

Clive.

[Jinxit]

I don't know about the TFSI e but I have a 2020 40 TDI which is a mild hybrid and I ordered the space saver wheel. It fits in the boot with the sub speaker inside it. It did mean I had to have a factory order rather than a stock car but in my opinion that was worth the wait.

[MajorSparky]

Thanks for that, Martin. I was hoping to get a full, plug-in hybrid. However, in the absence of a spare wheel, I'll take a look at the TDI.

[Stevey Y]

Hi why is everyone with green credentials hell bent on buying a golf buggy, observe the following, Battery life uncertain, disposal of old batteries a mystery,Lithium is highly toxic even the American fire brigade had to contact Tesla who were to say the least vague about how to deal with battery casing leaks, and in the final analysis I cant envisage anyone rushing out to buy a ten year old electric car.

One of the Hackney proprietors on our circuit bought a Kia Niro brand new he was always waxing lyrical about how good they are until he tried to trade it in for another KIA hybrid, oh what a surprise with only 45k on the clock the dealers flat out refused to entertain it as they could not be sure of how much life was left in the battery, then they made him an offer, pay four grand for a new battery and two grand for the old ones disposal, then they said he could trade it in, thats real faith in your product.

Driving around today subject to this conversation I was playing spot the full electric car, I only saw two a Nissan Leaf and a seventeen plate Tesla, where I live is definitely Audi country the place is saturated in brand new and almost brand new Q3-4-7 and generous sparkling of A4-6 Avants mostly diesel, I think personally electric cars are for people who don't know a lot about cars mechanically and have been sucked in by the hype without having studied the peripheral problems of getting rid of the redundant technology and its effects at least with what we drive now we know all about it, having looked at it logically I think the future  is Hydrogen fuel cell or bio ethanol technology. PS the KIA was only two years old when the above tried for a trade in.

Steve.

[MajorSparky]

Good points, Steve. 

I guess the RAC or AA etc will start offering the services of assessing the remaining lifetime of batteries in used electric/hybrid vehicles in future. Because of the doubt about the battery condition, it's understandable that the cost depreciation of these cars is going to be high. 

As far as "...electric cars being for people who don't know a lot about cars mechanically..." etc., I don't think so, Steve. (Just look at the YouTube videos comparing their performance with piston engine cars.) Joe Biden's plan to half US green house gases by 2030, and Boris's plan to cut the UK's by 78% before 2035, plus Boris's plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles after 2030 (although some hybrids will be permitted until 2035) will mean that the pressure will be on to get rid of our liquid fuelled vehicles in the very near future, long before fuel cell technology cars are on the forecourt. Hence the move to electric first.

In line with these objectives, I think it will be the policies brought in by government and local councils that will have a significant effect on how the market develops - e.g. taxing liquid fuel, restricting diesel vehicles from entering certain areas etc..

As for hydrogen or bio-ethanol, I haven't got time to wait. I'm eighty this year!

Clive.

PS. Makes my concerns about the availability of a spare wheel sound insignificant, doesn't it.

[Magnet]

I really like the ...Boris’...plans ( should be in caps) bit Clive!

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Stevey Y]

7 hours ago, MajorSparky said:

Good points, Steve. 

I guess the RAC or AA etc will start offering the services of assessing the remaining lifetime of batteries in used electric/hybrid vehicles in future. Because of the doubt about the battery condition, it's understandable that the cost depreciation of these cars is going to be high. 

As far as "...electric cars being for people who don't know a lot about cars mechanically..." etc., I don't think so, Steve. (Just look at the YouTube videos comparing their performance with piston engine cars.) Joe Biden's plan to half US green house gases by 2030, and Boris's plan to cut the UK's by 78% before 2035, plus Boris's plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles after 2030 (although some hybrids will be permitted until 2035) will mean that the pressure will be on to get rid of our liquid fuelled vehicles in the very near future, long before fuel cell technology cars are on the forecourt. Hence the move to electric first.

In line with these objectives, I think it will be the policies brought in by government and local councils that will have a significant effect on how the market develops - e.g. taxing liquid fuel, restricting diesel vehicles from entering certain areas etc..

As for hydrogen or bio-ethanol, I haven't got time to wait. I'm eighty this year!

Clive.

PS. Makes my concerns about the availability of a spare wheel sound insignificant, doesn't it.

Hi Clive the Hydrogen technology is not as far away as you think, Ford had a fleet of Focus police cars on trial with Leicester constabulary ten years ago the police raved about the performance and economy but the only fly in the ointment was yet again the E.U. who were dead against type approval being issued for a hundred petty reasons, so Ford scrapped the project, so now years later there is heavy investment on the stock market in the companies who are producing this technology. as for government policies has everyone forgotten the Ultimate Idiot Tony Blair telling everyone to go buy a diesel as its better for the environment, then less than ten years later all diesel drivers were public enemy number one and since then diesel fuel has always commanded a higher price because according to the government they are more polluting than petrol, they forgot to tell us how much more CO2 the petrol engine produces, in the final analysis its all to do with revenue from tax where do you think they will get the ninety million a year they collect from the motorist fossil fuel purchases when its no longer available, my bet is the electric to charge your car will be about four pounds a kilowatt, how many times are we going to be dragged with our wallets one way then another, I subscribe to my dads theory that you can always tell when a politician is lying, their lips move.

Regards Steve.

[MajorSparky]

".....Hydrogen technology is not as far away as you think...."

I agree Steve, but we have a chicken and egg situation here. I think the problem of lack of availability of fuel cell electric vehicles is more to do with the lack of infrastructure to refuel them. FCEV are also expensive to buy, compared to non-electric vehicles (although the purchase price will reduce considerably if there were more on the road) and expensive to run (although the cost of hydrogen would also reduce if more of it was sold). Of course, to buy an FCEV would mean that you would be buying a "golf buggy" and have all the battery problems that you've referred to earlier.

Clive.