No spare tire?




I went to my local M-B dealer to see if the new E class wagon was in yet (it wasn't) and looked in the trunk of an E500 sedan. There was no spare, but rather a small round area under next to the battery, where a spare would normally reside. I forgot to ask the saleman about this. Is there no spare? Are the tires run-flat, or do they just give you an air compressor and tire seal goop as BMW does on some models?




I see M-B's point about not having to use the spare too often, but I've had 3 flats during the last 3-1/2 years. Luckily, only one was so bad that I had to actually use the spare (even though we were about 2 miles from home).
The problem with temporary spares, run-flat tires and tire sealant is that you can generally only drive up to 50mph for no more than 50 miles. That's fine if you're near home. But if you're 100 miles into a 250 mile trip and you get a flat, with a full-size spare, it's a minor delay. Otherwise, it's potentially a huge delay and headache.
I guess someone had just removed the temporary spare from the car I saw in the showroom.
I see M-B's point about not having to use the spare too often, but I've had 3 flats during the last 3-1/2 years. Luckily, only one was so bad that I had to actually use the spare (even though we were about 2 miles from home).
You've gotta get your *** out of LI like I did and move down here to Atlanta where the roads are MUCH better.
Jeff



