[sharathjeppu]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

isn't rotating all 5 tyres the best practice ? or maybe not.

That's what I used to believe. However, I think it makes better sense to rotate 4 tyres as the wear on all the tyres will be even at all times. Logically, to achieve the same with 5 tyre rotation, one will have to increase the frequency of rotation.

[nikkibike]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

isn't rotating all 5 tyres the best practice ? or maybe not.

THIS is the best practice atleast in India where the quality of rubber used in tyres are comparitively inferior than other major countries.... I mean to say, keeping the stepney unattended for long time will only help to deteriorate the quality of rubber due to lack of maintenances.... so instead, guess its better if one cud make optimum use of it during the regular usage period!!!

Due to this reason itself, the global standard of a different size tyre as stepney for indian cars cannot be accepted!!! What say guys??!!

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by nikkibike

THIS is the best practice atleast in India where the quality of rubber used in tyres are comparitively inferior than other major countries..

N what about the quality of roads ?

[sharathjeppu]

Originally Posted by nikkibike

THIS is the best practice atleast in India where the quality of rubber used in tyres are comparitively inferior than other major countries....

Is that a fact? or just an extension of what we apply to everything manufactured locally? Just wanted to be sure. How is the quality of the rubber measured?

[nikkibike]

Originally Posted by sharathjeppu

Is that a fact? or just an extension of what we apply to everything manufactured locally? Just wanted to be sure. How is the quality of the rubber measured?

yeah...its a fact!! Unused rubber will deteriorate quickly if not preserved according to certain standards... In case of rubbers used in tyres, some kinda additives are mixed to improve its storage and extreme purpose requirements.... The quality of THIS is comapritively low in Indian made tyres... Thatz the reason why we see more tyres with premature cracks, tyre roll noise etc etc.... when you check these in tyres fitted on imported cars, thier performace and life results are amazing!!

[newinthomas73]

My uncle bought a Ford Fiesta Titanium (new Model) and it came with tyre size 195/60 R 15. But surprisingly, the spare wheel is of a smaller size. When the dealer was contacted, it was informed that it is the way spare tyres are given, and there is nothing wrong with it.

They say that the spare wheel is supposed to be used till the car reashes a workshop, max ten kms. That way, they can ensure even wear of tyres and the like. They had no answer when asked, "What if the vehicle is in a place where there are no workshops and that too in the night. Will using a wheel of different size damage the vehicle?

Can anyone tell the logic behind the action of Ford in giving smaller wheel as spare tyre?

[sureshshanmugam]

Sharath, your dealer is right, most cars globally come with a smaller sized steel spare wheel. I was surprised to see my Innova 'V', come with the original alloy wheel as a spare wheel.
Spare wheels or otherways called Donut wheels are meant to be used as spares at lower driving speeds until you reach your next tyre repair shop. They are not meant for tyre rotation and use for longer durations. As GTO mentioned, this is a space saver too. And I read articles that certain BMW models doesn't even have a spare tyre as they ride on run-flat tyres.

on a lighter note:
In Inida we get the spare tyre close to the size of the other wheels, but most US car manufacturers give something like a motorcylce tyre as the spare one. It looks very funny when fitted.:-)

Happy motoring.

[sgiitk]

There was a lot of hullabaloo, so Maruti went over to a standard size tyre later. My son bought his a year later than the one in question and it had a standard wheel. First it was a no cost option, then became standard.

[S2!!!]

Reviving this old thread with a very appropriate judgement passed by Pathanamthitta District Consumer Redressal Forum.

Found this on Team-BHP's FB page, shared by Anvino Signi.

PATHANAMTHITTA: Pathanamthitta District consumer Redressal forum has ordered that four wheeler dealers giving spare wheel of a different quality to its customers is not a legal.

The forum’s significant order came in response to a complaint filed by an NRI P E Lalachan against Honda car distributor Kottayam Vishan Honda. When the four wheels of the car was made of alloy, the spare wheel given to him was allegedly a steel one. The complainant had questioned this dealing of the company.

The court observed that giving spare “steel” wheels for a car that cost more than 11 lakh rupees could not be justified. The company is obliged to give five wheels of same quality to the consumer and no dealer has the right to act against this standard.
The forum chaired by Advocate Jacob Stefen and comprised K P Padmasree and Shela Jacob ordered the dealer to give a spare wheel to Lalachan that matched with the quality of the other four wheels of the car sold to him. The dealer was also asked to pay Rs 10000 compensation and Rs 1000 as court expense to Lalachan.
For the complainant, Advocate V R Soji appeared before the forum.

Source : Kaumudi

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

judgement passed by Pathanamthitta District Consumer Redressal Forum.

Couldn't understand why the dealer is troubled here? Isn't it the vehicle spec from OE? So the case should have to filed against the OE (Honda here) right?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Couldn't understand why the dealer is troubled here? Isn't it the vehicle spec from OE? So the case should have to filed against the OE (Honda here) right?

You are right. The dealer sells what the manufacturer manufactures.

IIRC, is there anything that Honda gives the spare as 'Alloy' only in the top-end?

This case needs more clarity IMO.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Couldn't understand why the dealer is troubled here? Isn't it the vehicle spec from OE? So the case should have to filed against the OE (Honda here) right?

True that.

It should have been Honda who should be compensating the complainant rather than the dealer. But in this case, it seems that the complaint is filed against the dealer and not Honda. Either ways, off late I have been noticing that many companies mention a set of 4 alloys in their official brochure. If not, it is the responsibility of the dealer to inform the customer about the same.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by sharathjeppu

The dealer explained this to me as an International norm in that a spare wheel is to be sparingly used.

Then how can we do five wheel rotation? The tyre should be switched from the rim during rotation, or four wheel rotation only, keeping the spare tyre brand new?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Then how can we do five wheel rotation? The tyre should be switched from the rim during rotation, or four wheel rotation only, keeping the spare tyre brand new?

Buddy you did quote a post from 2006, 8 years old almost.

But as what I have seen at the average wheel alignment shops, they perform 4 wheel rotation most of the time unless the owner specifies 5 wheel rotation.

Not many touch the spare wheel apart from situations like a puncture or blow out.

[rajeev k]

Rotating only the four tyres only has now caught on. An advantage of which is that when the need comes to source new tyres you need to buy only one initially to be paired with the rather unused spare one.