Several months ago I removed the floor panel in the cargo area of my 1996 SW1 in order to check my spare tire pressure. To my shock, I discovered the treads and sidewalls to be shreaded. Apparently the tire had exploded at some point in the compartment.
I went to Jack Furrier Western Tire Center for a replacement. They mounted a used T135/80R14 97M tire on the wheel, because they had no T115/70R14 88M (specs of the original donut spare). The 18-yr old clerk told me this was an acceptable substitute.
Long story short, I didn't have time to shop around, since that same day I had to make a 500mile trip to a different state where I was to work for the summer. I figured a tire of any kind was better than nothing.
Is this tire an acceptable substitute? I'm not an expert on tires, but I do know that there are limits to tire and wheel interchangeability. By the way, my regular tires are P185/65R-14 85S, and not the original P175/70R14
84T, if that affects the equation at all.
I also discovered that the replacement tire is a tight fit in the spare tire compartment; in fact, it leaves no room for the jack, which I'm now storing behind the front seat. But this is more of an annoyance than a real problem. My main concern is that when I inevitably get a flat and have to use my donut spare, no damage to the car or serious handling problems results.
Comments appreciated.
Ethan