Spare tire that fits!

I only intend to put my spare in the trunk on long trips. Trunk space is too valuable when I'm in town. I'd still use the sealant for a nail. If I get a blowout in town I'll call someone at home to bring the spare. So dumb as it sounds for carrying it if I'm driving across the state I'll probably put it in a garbage bag to keep it clean and throw my luggage on top of it.

The tire will sit in my garage mostly. The jack and wrench I got from the junkyard acura are small. I bundled/wrapped them with a bungee to avoid rattles and put them in the lower compartment. I'll trade the couple of pounds and the small room they take for the ability to take a tire off or jack up the car (roadside fluid leak or such) if needed.

I was sort of guessing when I took the acura tools. If I had been more confident it would all work getting a handful of acura or honda lugnuts (almost every car had them) from the junkyard would have probably saved me the $7 amazon route and I would have gotten all 5.

I mentioned a lot of the junkyard cars (both honda/acura and nissan/infiniti) had the Styrofoam spare tire trays. They seat wherever the spare tire was. They just pull out of the host car. I almost grabbed one but passed because I didn't want to store it in my garage and when I'm traveling I usually have luggage and stuff so I didn't want to trade the trunk space.

I sort of regret not grabbing one. They fit the tire (keep it from flying around) or could be cut to fit. Some already have cutouts for the jack and tools. And its just block foam. I think with a cutting blade and some messing around a tray could be crafted that would keep it all secure and probably fit on the ledge behind the rear seat. It would eliminate any fears of the tire flying in an accident. I didn't price them but I would be shocked if the junkyard wants more than $5-10 for it since almost all the cars (including the ones missing spares) still had them. Doubt there is much of a market for them.
If for some reason in the future I get an itch to grab one and it works I'll post pics.

 

This is kind of funny to me. I had my spare in the trunk for quite a while (didn't have a problem with trunk space locally). Then, one time when my wife went on a 'long' trip with her sisters, she had me take it out (couldn't fit luggage with tire in there). I never bothered to put it back.

I agree that keeping it in the garage is fine for 'local' use. It does seem like carrying it on a 'long trip' makes sense, BUT if it doesn't fit with the luggage it doesn't help much !
Maybe we need to work on minimizing luggage !

 

Inspired by the fitted luggage designed to perfectly fit the trunk of the Mercedes Benz 300 SL, I present the new Clarity line of fitted luggage with included spare tire (a special clothes-folding guide comes at no extra cost). What appears to be expensive pigskin leather is actually a covering of ecologically cognizant recycled pop bottles.

 

You may have trouble fitting your size 12 shoes (unless they fold too) !