Focus econetic: no spare tyre

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a Focus and was reading a Ford brochure. They do two economical 1.6 diesels: I think one is a Zetec and the other is the Econetic. The econetic does slightly more mpg. How does the econetic achieve the better figure? I think it's the same engine, so is the engine tweaked in econetic or is it that they have reduced the weight of the car? I notice that the econetic does not have a spare wheel. Would the weight saved from loosing the spare wheel and a few other cuts here and there be enough to account for the difference?

I've read a number of cars do not have spare wheels now. Is this just penny pinching by the manufacturers? What do they supply instead: is it something like that holts tyre spray I have seen on the shelf in Halfords?

I suppose a spray is useful if you cannot get the nuts loose (been there, done that) but surely there are sometimes when a spray just won't do and you need a spare wheel?

TIA

Reply to
Fred
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Fred gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

A bit of both - as well as minor aerodynamic changes, low rolling- resistance tyres, different gearing.

Yup. Or runflat tyres.

Indeed. As the driver of a 1-series BMW found out the other evening - it was parked at the side of the road on three wheels and the boot jack...

Reply to
Adrian

Not a bad idea...

Best to see what answer the dealer comes up with :-)

Most of the "specially economic" versions of a car are only listed in order that a low MPG can be shown. Ford have been doing this since the '80s.

In the real world, use the maker's data for urban consumption for the two versions, then reduce this by 10%. This will give you a figure that most drivers will achieve overall.

Now, using your expected annual mileage, the present cost of fuel, and the two sets of mpg figures you have, work out the difference in fuel costs for a year.

The likelihood is you will find the difference to be so small as to not be worth giving up such "luxuries" as a spare wheel!

Punctures are a *lot* less frequent than used to be the case.Owners want to maximise boot space. For some folk who would be unable to change a wheel, and would have to call an emergency service anyway, does it really matter to them if there's a spare?

Some cars have a can of sealant, some use run-flat tyres, some have an electric pump supplied.

Yep, I personally would never buy a car without a spare. I don't even like the fact that my present car has a temporary one, and as soon as a full-sized one comes up locally on eBay, I'm getting it.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

I have a Volvo C70 CC and by the time the roof has stowed itself into the boot the only space left is the well where the spare wheel would go. So, Volvo just supply one of those seal and pump kits. I only hope it works!

Reply to
GB

I guess that statistically many people in the first few years of car ownership never change a wheel for themselves. Many punctures seem to require a new tyre (in my experience) - so why not save costs and weight by only supplying 4 wheels and tyres - they may even make a "Green" issue out of it!

Reply to
John

Oh, great! when you are stuck for ages waiting for recovery because there is a great big hole in one of your tyres, then find that the tyre size is not immediately available, then have to stay in a hotel overnight till one arrives, miss your flight and have to buy another ticket and miss the first two days of your holiday. I would not buy or use a car without a spare wheel attached, preferably full sized, and stuff the green lobby.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

You could apply that argument to a spare exhaust or radiator though.

Reply to
Duncan Wood
[...]

Not really.

If I had to, (and I have!) I could drive home with lumps of exhaust missing. Equally, unless a radiator suffered a massive failure, I could stop every couple of miles and top it up.

I wouldn't attempt to drive home on a tyre that held no air!

Also, the chances of predicting an exhaust or radiator failure by preventative maintenance are much higher than the ability to predict that there was an object in the road capable of destroying a tyre.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

The idea of needing a recovery truck/time to get another tyre merely for a flat tyre is where I have a problem. I have driven on with large lumps of exhaust missing, likewise water falling out. Belts missing, clutch cables gone, gear levers fallen out, brake failure, accellerator cables broken and a bit of string for a throttle, etc. etc. The only water problem I had to get the RAC out for was when I ran over a badger at a great rate of knots at 2am , everything seemed fine, till the the temp. went up, a huge chunk of rad was snapped off (bloody plastic radiators, wouldn't have happened with a copper and brass one, grumble, grumble) , the RAC came out and suggested radweld !!!, I pointed out that it wasn't just a little leak and they took me home on a transporter.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

YMMV, I can remember two occasions when somethings holed my radiator, I've yet to punch a large hole in a tyre.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

I had to get two secondhand wheels and tyres last week for an old lady' fiesta that had hit a big pothole, she got home on the spare and a nearly flat tyre (damaged rim)

Reply to
Mrcheerful

How did you drive without a clutch and gears?

Reply to
Fred

I suppose there will be rare occasions when one spare is not enough, as in this case or if there is vandalism (slashed tyres).

Reply to
Fred

Perhaps it is time for me to add radweld to the list of things to carry "just in case"? (see other thread)

Reply to
Fred

With a broken clutch cable, put it in gear, then turn the key. You can manage clutchless changes with a bit of practice.

With a broken gear lever, use a big screwdriver through the top of the gearbox, or on the cable or rod mechanism to jam it in 2nd, then just drive it.

I drove a Tranny home 12 miles in the rush hour like that once...

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

most fun I ever had like that:

My friend had a mk3 zodiac with the very rare floor change, when the gear box went he could not get another box the same, so he got a column change box, cut a hole in the floor and had the rods coming through into the cab, he then worked out which rods to pull and push to get the gears. It was an absolute bastard to drive, but he managed it, I tried, found third and just used that!! Transits had a nasty habit of getting stuck in second gear, but you could drive those back easily, take the side of the box off and reorganise the selectors, likewise bedford TK. Escorts and cortinas used to snap off the gear lever, mole grips usually worked, or if the lever unscrewed you could tie it down enough to get home. I could not count the number of times I have driven cars with a broken clutch cable or failed hydraulics, often with the owner in the car, they can't believe it, but when I was young is was something you learnt to do, like bumpstarting, another almost lost skill amongst younger drivers, as is driving a car which won't tick over and needs heel and toe all the time.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Yep, done most of those things myself.

I swapped a gearbox in a forward control Commer van for someone once. The s/h replacement box came from a later model. All went well, although the linkage was clearly different.

When I tried it, I struggled to find the right gears. I eventually realised that the gate was reversed, so that 1st-2nd were nearest to the driver.

I offered to sort it out, as the donor vehicle was still available. The owner tried it, and said he was quite happy to drive it like that. (I was doing it for free, BTW.)

He used it to go back to Ireland with his family and all his worldly possessions. 10 years later, he was still driving it!

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

In article , Fred writes

Run-flat tyres.

Reply to
Mike Tomlinson

I did some work on some of those commers, I remember that the rods could get confuddled while driving. and the front wheel handbrake on the right of the driver so that you could knock the handbrake off as you got out, oh and the sliding doors that wouldn't lock back properly and slammed when you braked. the things we put up with! bizarre thing is that one of my neighbours has got one now !! luckily he maintains it himself.

Reply to
Mrcheerful
[...]

Yep, the gear linkage must have been designed as the production line was already running!

The gear change front to back moved about two feet, but only about half an inch across the gate. The inevitable result was that changing from 2nd to 3rd caught 1st gear, and destroyed it.

On the other hand, at least they had a 4 speed 'box, unlike their contemporaries such as the Ford Thames, and CA Bedford.

I had a beat up, rusty one (that I bought as scrap!) for two years to transport the motorcycles I raced, and went all over the country without too much drama.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

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