So I have a 2012 caddy CTS 4 with the 3.6. It came with 19' wheels, and no spare, just a compressor and a can of fix a flat in the tire well.This has always pissed me off. I finally found a matching wheel in good shape, even the sensor worked. So I put an OEM tire, Goodyear Eagle on the rim, and the sunuvabitch won't fit in the well.Called the dealer to bitch, knowing it wouldn't help.He said' oh yeah, didn't we tell you that 5 years ago? The 19s on the performance models won't fit; the well is for the stock 18' wheels." So now most of my already tiny trunk is full of spare tire. And I still don't have a jack. Only have 25K miles on it. This is my retirement car, I intend to baby it along until I get called to the Cadillac Ranch in the Sky. Friggin' hate car dealers.

Frustrating, but not sure why it's the dealer's fault. Did you ask if a matching spare would fit?

Hell, when I bought Mrs.BurtonRW's Hyundai Accent, I knew full well that it only came w/ a can of fix-a-flat, but I also did enough research until I was positive that the unused spare tire well (not actually sure why they put it there) would, in fact, hold a matching spare if I bought one.

Bitch away, but I think your bitch may be better directed at manufacturers looking to save a penny.

-Rob

I don't even think you can blame this on cost cutting. This is the new standard in the performance vehicle segment. Spare tires weigh a lot, and weight cuts both performance and fuel economy.

My plan is to get rid of my spare and get run flats.
I can use the space to mount a gun lock or something.

Good luck on those run flats. Their ride sucks,they don't wear well, and they cost out the ass.

Or, at least the ones for a 750LI BMW do!!!

Also, if I may step in the discussion from a dealership employee's viewpoint.

I work in a GM dealership as some of you know, Parts Department. 47 years worth of fixed operations association, that means parts for body shop and service departments, wholesale and retail purchasers also.

A lot of times this information is not forthcoming from the manufacturer, we figure it out "on the fly". That is why our EPC's (electronic parts catalogs) have a function to allow us to add notes. Last week I needed a keyless remote transmitter for a 06 Cadillac, STS if I remember correctly. Service writer came back to get transmitter from us, had a VIN number but no old transmitter. Short end to long story, all major items are tagged to a code, the RPO (regular production order). Catalog listed two transmitters, one with a RPO for low power remote starter, one with no RPO and no mention of remote starter. So I call Engineering for clarification.

His answer was "all of this model came with remote starter, AP3 option." My retort was "Is this part of a sales option package or are all of them built with AP3? (which is different RPO from the low power one I earlier mentioned) th which he answered "All of that model car have remote starter" to which I said "unless we have a list of standard equipment or a breakdown of package components (for example SLE, LT, SLT, all packages) how can we remember or know this?" We have list of all RPO's that a car is built with and major packages like the SLE et al I mentioned earlier. Nowhere on the RPO list does AP3 show up to indicate this car has a remote starter either added on or as part of a package.

Answer was "I will submit a case" which means to the trash can it goes..........Multiply that several times a week, you see how this goes.

can u let the air out and put it in there?
then u can use a compressor to fill it?

The compressor that comes with the car can only be used with the sealer IIRC.

A close friend bought a Hyundai Hybrid in South Carolina and drove cross country with his wife.
Along the way, drove over some crap in Texas which tore a tire apart. Goes into the trunk to find no spare tire, just a can of inflate.

Needless to say, he was pissed. He bought a tire for $$$ and a spare tire and wheel for $$$$$.

A can of "blow up" is nice, but what you use when the affected tire is shredded and won't hold air?

Doughnut may be your only option

His car is AWD. I would not want to put a lot of miles on the car with an odd sized wheel/tire.

Also ground clearance is another factor to look in with the donut tires.

I'm just rantin' and ravin'. I shoulda asked if the bigger tires on the perf. package wuld fit. I was naiive to think the dealer would tell me. That spare stays in the trunk. The back seat is the new trunk. Nobody ever sits in it anyway. I guess it's a good thing I didn't buy the CTS-V after all; it barely has a back seat.

This car is sort of special, because my Dad always wanted one, but could never afford it. I was thinking of him when I strolled in and wrote a check for the whole cost. Dad would have been proud. This detail kinda tarnishes the whole deal , a little.

Some new cars are making it an "upgrade" to get a spare tire. I had a buddy buy a new Hyundai and it was almost an $800 upgrade to get a spare tire with the vehicle. He decided if his tire went flat he'd just wait for the free roadside to tow him because he could buy an entire set, maybe 2, of tires for the cost of the tiny donut..

quote:

Some new cars are making it an "upgrade" to get a spare tire.

My new work truck had a spare as an option. It wasn't standard.

My car has a well designed to fit donut, but I can squeeze a full size tire in there if I remove the organizer tray and let the air out of the tire. I just keep a small compressor and the jack tucked inside the wheel.

You know what else has a horrible impact on weight and mileage? Fuel. Fucken new cars...and gubmit motors.....ah!!!! 30k plus ain't enough to include a fucken spare?

Very nice looking car and one of the neighbors has one. Car and Driver magazine had a nice review.

http://www.caranddriver.com/re...36-sedan-test-review

The only thing scary I see is when you pop the hood and look at all the room you have to work on the engine.

Maybe you could adapt a spare used by other manufactures. Here is a BMW spare:



http://www.bimmerzone.com/BMW_...BIM-SST-F25-KIT.html

If an original 18" size will fit in the well then it has a larger 19" profile than called for. Outside diameter is the determining factor for fitting in the well. It doesn't matter what the rim size is.

Almost all cars or insurances offer some sort of roadside assistance included, so they figure that you can call for a tow vs. changing the wheel yourself.

I made sure to get a spare when we bought my wife's car, and was repeatedly questioned on why I wanted it if it included roadside coverage. I pulled out a map of a logging road we take to get to a friends camp that we rent, and I asked if the wrecker would get me out there... the dealership stopped asking questions and included the spare at no charge.