I recently picked up a used MC with stock 16 inch wheels. As I'm going over the car a little voice keeps asking, "where is the spare tire"?

The car didn't have an owners manual with it so I picked one up from e-bay and now it appears clear that the car came in diferent variants, one with run flats, the other with a compresser and tire repair kit and a third with a spare under th back. It appears that mine must have come with runflats but due to the cheap nature of the previous owners it no longer has them. So now I need to decide if I'm going to install a set of runflat tires or source a spare from an auto recycler along with the mechanism to suspend it under my car. Of course I could do nothing and just gamble that nothing will ever happen but with towing rates being what they are I think I need to take some action.

Any thoughts or experiences are welcome!!

 

Is your 2004 Mini Cooper an S model?

The S model had run flats because the battery is in the rear where the spare tire would usually sit.

Look in the rear compartment under the carpet to see what is in the spare tire area. Is it empty, has a battery in it, or has a spare tire.

The spare does not go under the car.

 

My car is a standard mini and it has only the tool kit under the carpet in the back. There isn't enough space for a spare in that location but the owners manual shows it under the rear of the car suspended by a cable mechanism. When I look under teh car, there is a large space where the tire could be stored. I suspect that the S model structure is different.

 

My car is a standard mini and it has only the tool kit under the carpet in the back. There isn't enough space for a spare in that location but the owners manual shows it under the rear of the car suspended by a cable mechanism. When I look under teh car, there is a large space where the tire could be stored. I suspect that the S model structure is different.

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures.

Sorry for the double post!!

 

My 2004 originally came with 16" runflats, but it also has a spare under the tools.

 

Yes it does. On non-S models. Both my wife's 2004 and my 2003 have spares there.

Mine came with the Sport Package, so it got the 16" run flats. The spare was listed as optional (extra).

For the S, the center exhaust is in the way.

 

Was reading another thread today about using Slime with run flat tires. Not familiar with this product, but it is nice to have options run flats or no run flats.

http://www.slime.com

 

Are all of the spare tire holder parts still mounted on the car.
See diagram of parts:


If so, maybe it makes sense to purchase a spare. You can find a used one at a salvage yard or build one. You can purchase a spare wheel (P/N 36111509164) at a reasonable price ($45) and than purchase a tire Kumho KH 115/70-15 at a tire store. But it will still cost $100+.

When I switched from run flats to non-run flats I added a air compressor kit that includes Slime tire sealant. I also carry a tire plug kit plus I have 100 mile AAA service. I plan to build a spare to carry for very long trips such as MTTS adventures.

 

...as well as, the previous owners may indeed have had a cheap nature, but many (many!) MINI owners switch to non-runflat tires for other benefits (smoother ride, longer life among the most often cited). I did.

 

So the big question is, shoudl I find a spare and the equipment to mount it or just buy a can of spooge and cross my fingers?

 

My car has a big plastic cover over the area and under the cover there isn't any of the equipment necessary to hold a spare. I guess I'm off to the bone yard to find one I can pillage.