[Blue Fox]

Sorry, each member gets one "rant" thread, and I'm cashing mine in now.....

I'm SO SICK of hearing about how the new Forester's (or even newer Subaru's in general) don't come with a full-size spare. Trust me, we get it, we know it. Hardly any new vehicles come with them anymore, not even most 4x4 trucks......they get a donut, just like the rest of us. If it's that important to you, why didn't you haggle to have one thrown in at purchase? And if you found out it doesn't have a full-size spare until after your purchase (which means it obviously wasn't important before the purchase), why is it such a big deal afterwards?

Now please, I'm normally a laid back, non-argumentative (to a point) kind of guy, but the amount of shear complaining about this is getting a little ridiculous.

-- BUT --

This isn't just a frivolous rant, oh no. I have a solution. It costs a whopping $100 bucks to equip your vehicle with a full size spare ($40 for a steel wheel in the 16" size, $60 for a tire) at your local tire shop. They may even have used tires and wheels for cheaper than that. Or you could even look around in the classified forums to see if anyone is parting them out. And if $100 bucks breaks the bank, then maybe you shouldn't be taking your brand new $20,000+ vehicle off-road in the first place, because I assure you if you off-road to the point where you "NEED" a full size spare, you'll eventually break something a bit more expensive than puncturing a tire. (and I can promise you that)

/rant

If mods or admins feel the need to delete this, feel free, I just felt the urge to have to share my frustration and actually post my first (i think) rant thread.

 

[Nasarog]

Bravo!!!

 

[Trainman]

I knew it was an issue when I was buying, so I did as you suggested: got them to throw in a full size spare as part of the price. No biggie if you think ahead and do your homework. Good points Blur Fox that will hopefully help others who are contemplating a purchase.

BTW, the last non-pickup I bought that had a full size spare was a 1986 Ford Bronco II. All else since then (1988, 1996, 2004 vehicles) all have donuts. And if we had got the AWD Sienna, it would have had NO spare at all, just run flats. We should be thankful we do not have to put up with those! Fortunately, except for the Sienna, all the others have been able to hold a full size spare tire. Sort of needed around here.

 

[parad1mg]

excellent rant! and all points covered..

only those vehicles that are actually off highway terrain capable (and i dont mean washes, sand dunes, muddy fields or mild trails. i mean you need to crawl over something bigger than your head terrain..) come with full size spares from the factory like the '97 mercury, '02 tundra and '06 4 runner that we have..

but for all other vehicles including our foresters that, like blue fox said:

if you off-road to the point where you "NEED" a full size spare, you'll eventually break something a bit more expensive than puncturing a tire. (and I can promise you that)

you don't really need a full size spare..

 

[vicali]

lol, some people get caught up with the small stuff I guess.. chances are they probably won't even see it, or know what to do with it. Better to stick with AAA.

you know, you should start suggesting people get three more donuts and ride on those. :biggrin:

 

[James]

I guess I am in the opposte camp.

I would have been very happy with a Donut. I was actually told that my Forester would come with the Donut. I was a little surprised and annoyed, when I took delivery, that there was a full sized spare in there. I was expecting to have the extra storage tray, and the space to stow the cargo cover. Either way, it is no big deal. I just shrugged it off.

I know the advantages of having the full sized spare, and I have already used it for a few days while I was considering getting my OEM tire fixed or just buy new tires. I have been contemplating buying a Donut spare, for when driving around town, so I have more storage and less weight (for better MPG). Then I can switch to the full sized spare on Road Trips.

 

[parad1mg]

lol, some people get caught up with the small stuff I guess.. chances are they probably won't even see it, or know what to do with it. Better to stick with AAA.

you know, you should start suggesting people get three more donuts and ride on those. :biggrin:

ooohh.. that would be awesome!:biggrin:

i bet you can save gas too with using donuts all around :woohoo:

 

[markyh]

Good rant. I've been driving for 20 years and have only had to drive on a spare once. Yeah, it was a tiny temporary spare, but that's just it, temporary. I think I drove home and to a gas station the next day to get the tire fixed. The problem is people want to go for to many miles for weeks or even months with them on. :chair:

Another good rant you could have is about all the daytime running light posts.:mob:

 

[vicali]

ooohh.. that would be awesome!:biggrin:

My hoodride buddies have been doing this for awhile;

ps, that's a low comp, Sylvan Lake Farfrumhome 2005 :biggrin:

 

[Blue Fox]

only those vehicles that are actually off highway terrain capable (and i dont mean washes, sand dunes, muddy fields or mild trails. i mean you need to crawl over something bigger than your head terrain...

YES! Thank you.

You don't really need a full-size spare for this.......

But if you're doing stuff like this.......yeah, get a full-size....

YouTube - levuka 4wd park

 

[johnny_hk_iowa]

Sorry, each member gets one "rant" thread, and I'm cashing mine in now.....

I'm SO SICK of hearing about how the new Forester's (or even newer Subaru's in general) don't come with a full-size spare. Trust me, we get it, we know it. Hardly any new vehicles come with them anymore, not even most 4x4 trucks......they get a donut, just like the rest of us. If it's that important to you, why didn't you haggle to have one thrown in at purchase? And if you found out it doesn't have a full-size spare until after your purchase (which means it obviously wasn't important before the purchase), why is it such a big deal afterwards?

Now please, I'm normally a laid back, non-argumentative (to a point) kind of guy, but the amount of shear complaining about this is getting a little ridiculous.

-- BUT --

This isn't just a frivolous rant, oh no. I have a solution. It costs a whopping $100 bucks to equip your vehicle with a full size spare ($40 for a steel wheel in the 16" size, $60 for a tire) at your local tire shop. They may even have used tires and wheels for cheaper than that. Or you could even look around in the classified forums to see if anyone is parting them out. And if $100 bucks breaks the bank, then maybe you shouldn't be taking your brand new $20,000+ vehicle off-road in the first place, because I assure you if you off-road to the point where you "NEED" a full size spare, you'll eventually break something a bit more expensive than puncturing a tire. (and I can promise you that)

/rant

If mods or admins feel the need to delete this, feel free, I just felt the urge to have to share my frustration and actually post my first (i think) rant thread.

I totally agree.... :Banane35:
I did my research here before I purchrase my 10' XT and you can covert the spare tire space to fit a full size, and yet, even go fancier, get a Yakima Mega/Load Warrior like me and put the full size spare on top and that's it. but I haven't put on a full size spare on it yet... :biggrin:

 

[INSubbie]

My 99 GMC Sierra came with a full size spare... I used it for the first time a couple of months ago, and sitting there, riding under the bed... the rim was rusted real bad and had no air. It still had the little stubbies on it too!

 

[vintage42]

.... if you found out it doesn't have a full-size spare until after your purchase (which means it obviously wasn't important before the purchase), why is it such a big deal afterwards?....

It becomes a big deal only after the new owner is made aware of the complications of using the compact spare:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...ester-2-5x-premium-owner-tn-67674/#post750277

... I have a solution. It costs a whopping $100 bucks to equip your vehicle with a full size spare ($40 for a steel wheel in the 16" size, $60 for a tire) at your local tire shop....

Add the plastic support bucket that goes in the wheel to hold up the plywood cargo floor, and the mounting and balancing of the tire. The total cost for me was $200.
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...ester-2-5x-premium-owner-tn-67674/#post750837

 

[vintage42]

My 99 GMC Sierra came with a full size spare... I used it for the first time a couple of months ago, and sitting there, riding under the bed... the rim was rusted real bad and had no air. It still had the little stubbies on it too!

My 1991 Mazda truck came with a compact spare under the bed. I replaced it with a full size spare, which soon became completely rusty. I really appreciate that the Forester, as small as it is, can carry a full size spare inside.

 

[Jingletown]

[...]
I'm SO SICK of hearing about how the new Forester's (or even newer Subaru's in general) don't come with a full-size spare.

Well, that wasn't much of a rant, more just a rather mild complaint .

I'm one of those who's complained about the fact that the Forester doesn't come with a factory option for skid plates or a full size spare. The reason I complain is because it's quite explicitly advertised and sold as suitable for bad-road and off-road driving as-is, which it really isn't, at least in my experience. So my complaints are with the advertising, really.

Ans yes, the first thing I did was buy a full-size spare (a good one -- I don't want to be stuck in the wilds of east-central Nevada with a crudulent spare, full size or not), and in the next few weeks it's the skid plate's turn...

 

[illmannered]

I've replaced my spare lil donut with 4 skateboard wheels.. Bring it on!!!!

 

[JBX]

If it's that important to you, why didn't you haggle to have one thrown in at purchase?

It was, and I did. :biggrin:

 

[bbottomley]

If mods or admins feel the need to delete this, feel free, I just felt the urge to have to share my frustration and actually post my first (i think) rant thread.

You misunderestimate us! :icon_wink:

Well, that wasn't much of a rant, more just a rather mild complaint .

And a well founded one at that!

[rant]I hate the "I hate” threads![/rant]

 

[wakeabyss]

Well, I agree with your argument, but what I don't understand is why doesn't the donut have the same rolling circumfrence as the stock tires. This would jive if the car was not AWD.

 

[Woody '04]

I could trade off a full size spare for a little more aluminum in the engine block castings to keep the headgaskets from leaking earlier than they should! 10 years and they still leak! :icon_mad: :icon_razz: :biggrin:

Seriously, I'm glad it holds a full size spare. I would choose to always carry a full size spare unless I had to bolt it on the roof or something.

I respect those that don't want one.

There are valid reasons on both sides of this one.

As far as a Subaru Forester, for me the lack of standard full size spare goes right along with more "mainstream" styling, lack of a proper temperature gauge and substitution of idiot lights, not foglights standard etc etc. I don't think I would buy a 2009+ Forester.