I've been looking for a compact spare for long trips now I've ditched my run-flats. The OEM spare is quite expensive. I've been told a 15" compact spare from a Miata (2000 I think) will fit. Has anyone tried it? Advice? Honda civic better fit? Thanks.

 

Find a person that you know that has a Miata or Civic and ask if you can try their spare tire on.

Is that a strange request or not?

If it does fit let us know so we can go out there and hunt for some spare tires.

What about any 4x100 wheels on domestic cars? Ford focus, Neon, or maybe a Mazda 3?

 

I just picked up a donut spare from a A3 VW Jetta ('95-'98), unused, from a wrecking yard. Its a 125/80-15 tire, with 4x100 bolt pattern, also with a 56.1mm center bore. Fits the Mini MCS hub perfectly. Got a basic, fairly small scissor jack from a older Honda, total price for all was $20.

Look around the wrecking yards, plentiful of Golfs and Jettas with brand new spares. Very close to stock MCS tire diameter, maybe 1/2" shorter overall. Better match than a Cooper donut spare that the dealer wants $200+ for.

Plan to keep the spare in a canvas bag, jack and tools stored separately, take on long drives only. Can of fixaflat and compressor will find their ways into my trunk also.

 

The older Focus' has a slightly different bolt pattern then 4x100...Not sure about a neon..mazda 3 is the cousin of the new focus..not sure of the pattern.

BTW, we picked up a cooper compact spare for $25 plus shipping from a bone yard in GA. I would search the Internet to see if there are any other deals like that.

 

actually, vws have a 57.1 mm center bore, which should be close
enough for a temp spare (but you'd have trouble putting a MINI spare
on a 4x100 VW hub)

here's a link that gives bolt patterns and centerbores for lots of cars
(doesn't have MINI, but you can select dozens of other makes)
http://www.prestigewheel.com/HubRingsbyMake.asp

 

What's the mini bore..56.1mm, I think...I purchased a set of metal hub rings from discount tires and I think that was the bore.

 

Thanks for the correction Cristo ! My mistake, I was too excited that the VW spare fit over the hub. Yes, 1mm larger, but hopefully in temp use only, the 4 lugs will hold adequately till repairs can be made. Viewing that awesome hub spec website (I gotta bookmark that before I forget!), looks like those older Hondas would be the best choice in terms of bolt pattern and hub nose diameter (56.1 like the MINI). I just haven't verified if they would come in a 15" x 3.5" wheel, making sure we get adequate clearance for the brakes, etc.

I know the VW donut spare spins cleanly, with good offset, at least on the rear of the MCS.

 

What is the wheelbore number from the site above and does anyone know what size the MCS uses?

Thanks,
E

 

I tried the spare (14") from my son's 98 Civic on the front of my MINI. It won't fit. It doesn't clear the brake caliper - at least on the front.

 

56 mm

Alex

 

As long as it clears the rear, that's all you need. If you get a flat on the front, jack up the rear on the same side, install the donut there. Then jack up the front and install the good tire/wheel from the rear on the front. It's an extra step, but I'd rather have my "real" tires up front anyway.

I also carry a torque wrench in the boot on long trips, and any time I plan to have tire work done. I have yet to find an evenly-torqued set of lugs when I get a car back from tire service. I always recheck them before I drive any significant distance from the shop- especially if I catch the tech using an impact gun on to put the lugs back on.

<soapbox on>
(I don't trust those "torque adapter" sockets. I have a set of them, and I've never seen a tech actually follow the impact gun calibration procedure specified in the documentation that comes with those things.) For shops like that, I'll do the retorque right on their lot. I've never had any shop staff question what I'm doing, or why. I suspect that's because they already know, and don't want to afford me an opportunity to explain it to their other customers as well.

I adopted this practice after paying for 2 sets of front rotors on my old '84 Escort. The dealer played it off, stating that the rotors on Escorts "are just prone to warpage, especially with hard use." (The car was out of warranty, or else I bet they'd have been a little more creative with the excuses.) I started hand- checking the lugs, and the rotor warpage magically ceased!
<soapbox off>

 

Interesting...when I had the Proxe 4 put on the Lexus the installer used a torque wrench..

 

i have 17" run flats will a 15" donut work if i change to non- run flat 17" tires?

 

Should be fine as long as the diameter of the donut is close to the diameter of the tire it will replace.

 

Sorry that table turned out unreadable. Here's a better version

Make HONDA
Model Accord
Year 82-89
Bolt Pat 4x100
WheelBore 76.00mm/2.992
HubSnout 56.15mm/2.210
Part# HR76-5615

Thanks,

E

 

Make HONDA
Model Accord
Year 82-89
Bolt Pat 4x100
WheelBore 76.00mm/2.992
HubSnout 56.15mm/2.210
Part# HR76-5615

One thing the tables don't show is the size of the Honda spare wheels. I just came back from a wrecking yard and the Civic wheels are 13" and 14". Are the Accord 15"? Are any 15" spares available, other than the Jetta, with closer fitting hub snouts?

 

If you don't want to take chances with non-OEM wheels, here's another alternative: Buy the Cooper mini-spare *wheel* from your dealer. The wheel lists for $42.75. Then buy the appropriate mini-spare tire from the Tire Rack for about $60. You can probably get the tire mounted for $5 at the local tire store. Total outlay approx $110. Yes, more than the boneyard, but at least I can count on it fitting properly.

The dealer wanted $128 just for the tire, and that was the "discounted" price.

 

cincymcs,

Can you post what compact size tire you used?

Thanks

Alex

 

I took the spare from a 94 miata I was parting out and tried it. Sorry but it won't clear the brakes. Maybe one from a newer like 2000 and up will work we'll have to see when I get my buddy to stop by with his miata.