Having a spare tyre in the car isn’t something most of us give too much thought to. We may even forget it’s there until the dreaded day we need it. At Kevin Burke Tyres they take spare tyres seriously and hope to raise awareness of the need for a good spare tyre.
It isn’t a legal requirement to have a spare tyre, unless you run a taxi or hackney but nevertheless having the right tyres can make all the difference when braking suddenly or driving in harsh weather conditions. We’d recommend that you always carry a spare tyre and that you keep it in as good a condition as any other tyre on your vehicle however it isn’t illegal to sell a vehicle without its spare tyre or even to register a car in Ireland without one.
There are three types of spare wheels, learn about these below:
A full size spare wheel can be used to replace any of the wheels currently fitted to your car, you don’t have to use the same brand and these tyres don’t have any regulations on what speed or distance you can travel after fitting them.
A smaller spare tyre known as a compact spare tyre or donut tyre can only be used to get yourself to the nearest repair centre, you can only drive for up to 50 miles and at 50 km/hr on these tyres so it isn’t ideal in comparison to a full size spare.
A run-flat tyre has a reinforced sidewall that can still be used to drive while it has lost all its air, similarly to the smaller spares it isn't your best option as it can only be used to get to the nearest repair centre.
If you don’t have the space for a tyre, you can always buy a smaller tyre like the ones mentioned above. They wouldn’t be the preferable option but a lot of cars use them these days as they save space and cut costs. When purchasing yours, do ensure to stick to the regulations we’ve mentioned in this blog. We also wouldn’t advise using inflation devices. We would agree with the RSA here and steer clear of using devices that are usually included in common tyre repair kits.
In the unfortunate event that your vehicle breaks down and you have a punctured tyre, then you can have your car towed at no higher than 32 km/hr to your nearest repair centre. You can use a temporary spare tyre as long as your vehicle is a passenger vehicle, you don’t drive above 80 km/hr and you only use it to get to the closest repair centre.
If you have any further questions on spare tyres, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 091 845329. Alternatively, if you’d rather drop in and see them in person and have a chat, you can visit one of their three stores across Galway (Galway City, Athenry and Gort ) and speak with a member of staff who will be delighted to help you out!
