Cheapskates! 80 Kph Spare

[Charliewool]

Ok, So I knew! ( cheapskate Charlie DIDN'T spend the extra on spare alloy).. And so it happened today...Wife ( with kids in the car) rings from just outta Serpentine ( near Bendigo)..Front R/H tyre flat.... Instructed her how to change wheel... etc etc.. She phones back.. "the spare has 80kph max speed on it"..My comment..."you're f.....g kiddin"...What is this? one of those "space saving" wheels as on the BM's? Anyhow, she arrives home, It is a steel 16 with dunlop monza. Do they (Ford) Intentionly "torture" us to drive at 80 ks all the way down the Calder highway, just to cover their legal arse???..... Anyhow, In the market for another 17 alloy XR6 rim & tyre.. Also, any pointers as to what I should be paying for a new 17" SP3000 as the tyre is stuffed.

[Guest IMTRBO]

are you serious all they give you is a monza f*cK I need to change my order to include the spare.

[Turbo6man]

Well, if the car had four Monzas on it you wouldn't be limited to 80 kph. But Ford do have to protect their arses because with one odd wheel/tyre of a different width and profile your vehicle's dynamics are severley compromised. How often do people get flats these days? I reckon your wife was pretty damn unlucky - that's twice now LOL.

BTW I reckon it's a cheap act to not include the fifth wheel with the car to match the other standard fitment items.

[NT TURBO]

Have seen them advertised for $250 tyre only.

[turb06]

With spending so much on the car the 5th wheel should be part of the deal, especially since its the sports model and sex appeal is everything, who wants to see an xr6 with only 3 mags and a unsightly steely. I got a 5th alloy when I bought a new nissan. It is cheap.

[Charliewool]

Guys... My fault for not forking out for the 5th alloy. 2 complaints I DO have .. 1/. WE all realise that the vehicle would be safe at 100k's with a 16" steelie & monza.. But a woman reading THAT sticker on the spare, then proceeds to create traffic chaos down the Calder highway travelling at, "not a K over 80" !

2/. I suggested she ring Ford Roadside Assist to change the wheel ( as she didn't even know where the wheel brace was).. Their reply... "sorry lady we only service a 30km radius of Melb"... Where's THAT in the fine print?..

[turb06]

That is lame since most roadside assist programs use the local RACQ, RACV, or equivelant to your state anyway.

[MattB]

There was actually an article on one of the "current affairs" (how pensioners getting kicked out of their rental property rates as current affairs is beyond me) shown on Tuesday night (think it might have been Today Tonight). They had a WRX to demonstrate and some talking head from NRMA saying that the fifth wheel should be the same and how dangerous they are...said that they shouldn't be used on the front wheels due to the lack of safety in emergency braking.

[XR6TK1W1]

Yet again I have to laugh a bit. In NZ the spare is the same as the road tyres no question asked, IE standard. Why do Ford underspec the cars in Aussie and not here

[Turbo6man]

Maybe the regulatory authorities in eNZed call for it on safety grounds - same as should be here - the ADRs are a bit of a joke when you can have manufacturers getting away with things like this.

Charlie, I agree that Roadside Assist is also a BIG JOKE - what the hell??!! Another scheme that Ford can advertise to make them look good on the surface and then NOT DELIVER THE GOODS! I wonder if any of the "others" do the same. Mate, if I were you I'd be on to Ford Customer Service, pointing out just how much you've put into their coffers recently, and demanding a satisfactory answer as to why they couldn't arrange assistance for a "lady in distress".