Night from hell. Thanks FORD!

[Zeldoz]

Cut a long story short. I was installing a telephone system in Sittingbourne yesterday. Driving home the satnav took me the "Shortest Route" through 2 hours of back road. Which was ideal as i running late and needed to get home so i wanted to avoid A roads.

Oncoming car comes at me i move over, hit a hulk footprint sized pot hole. Blew tyre instantly.

"GREAT" but, i wasn't overly angry. Work will cover it, throw the spare on i'll be inconvenienced by 10 minutes tops.

Limped into a side road, spent 5 minutes unloading the boot full of tools. Pulled the rear carpet, space for a wheel. NO wheel. I was stumped. Got on my knee's looked under for a cage holding it underneath. Nothing.

I was fuming at this point. Rang Apex who my work gets the cars off. "Sorry, but Ford S-Max's don't come with spare wheels anymore" .. You must be kidding. "Don't worry there's a puncture repair kit, use that your be on your way.

Well, the tyre had a 10inch gash in the side wall. A repair kit, unless magical wasn't going to repair that.

So, They insisted on me using it before they release me a number and reference to call AA. Used the kit, obviously pissed out with the fluid that usually blocks a small hole, not a complete tear. Rung back, Got AA's number.

Phoned AA. Explained im not idiot, and i would need a flatbed to be recovered. "No problem we'll send one right away.

I also mentioned, it's a large family car, and it probably will be overweight to tow with a transit. But she noted this apparently and i was being sent a truck right away

2 hours later, Bob turns up in his AA transit. Oh yeah your need a low loader. As i can't tow you. My max limit is your car + 50kg tops and you've got alot of tools. - WELL NO SHIT SHERLOCK I EXPLAINED THAT TO DORIS ON THE PHONE.

Off he plods, 3 HOURS FUCKING LATER. The truck arrives. And 1 hour 40 minutes later. I get dumped at Apex, luckily the guy was decent and took me home.

I had the fucking night from hell. ALL because some BRIGHT spark at Ford wanted to save some money on the build of the car.

The guy in the truck said he recovers 5+ a day from a puncture which they don't have a spare. Plus, most manufacturers now don't supply one. OR its an optional extra which can cost up to £1000.

My work car is a 63 plate Ford S-Max when i use it and i go out. HOW RIDICULOUS.

Anyway, RANT over. Had to get that of my chest. Absolutely ridiculous. So I was delayed 6 hours, got home at 12:30am. Then im now sat in work, falling asleep and answering all calls on the support desk. Urghhh!

Edited December 13, 2013 by Zeldoz

[mikey4410]

Fuckin joke aint it that cars no longer come with spare.

Fucktards

[TomStarlet]

sounds like a bitch of a night mate its done now though (Y)

[Glanza-Ben]

Optional extra for a spare wheel now on new cars

[AdamB]

Its to save carrying around dead weight, bit of a pain in the ass with all this eco crap going on.

[JamesD89]

They may as well give you nothing rather than that shite foam puncture repair kit tried one on a galaxy before not only do they not work but they fuck the tyre up as a bonus for the sake of the weight of a biscuit wheel.

[griffo20022]

The amount of ranting I've heard about this topic. It is sh*t tbf! They say it's to save dead weight but in all fairness a space saver isn't much heavier than the compressor they supply!

[Xpect]

Well, my stepdad has a rather new BMW, has no spare wheel either.

I toom out the spare wheel of my Starlet and will be putting a sub in it, but only because I'm not dependant on the car. If I really needed a car for everyday work (after tuning my starlet) I obviously would get one with a spare wheel for situations like yours. Cars like transporters that are built for heavy load with no spare wheel? Bullshit.

On cars in the class of a Starlet it would be okay.

[shorty]

Gotta love ford! Pain in the arse. Thankfully i have a connect van and it does have a cage under for a spare.