Spares

A tool bag with select tools for the car, a second tool bag (behind passenger seat) with accessories for the car (dip stick thermometer, pair of walkie talkies, several micro-fiber cloths, wine bottle opener, spare ear plugs, flashlight, gloves, trash bag and more that I can't recall, and a third spare parts container in the Frunk with spare points/condenser, spare relays, fuel filter, etc., none of which I've ever used on my car, but they've been handy for others.

This has been covered about annually so there are several threads on it back in the site history (search on "spares for the road" or something similar), but this linked list is about as complete as you'll get.  Just look through it and decide what makes sense for you to have on board.  You probably don't need or want everything, just the stuff your car might need.

https://www.speedsterowners.co...-spares-for-the-road

Thanks Gordon I always forget to look first.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

A tool bag with select tools for the car, a second tool bag (behind passenger seat) with accessories for the car (dip stick thermometer, pair of walkie talkies, several micro-fiber cloths, wine bottle opener, spare ear plugs, flashlight, gloves, trash bag and more that I can't recall, and a third spare parts container in the Frunk with spare points/condenser, spare relays, fuel filter, etc., none of which I've ever used on my car, but they've been handy for others.

This has been covered about annually so there are several threads on it back in the site history (search on "spares for the road" or something similar), but this linked list is about as complete as you'll get.  Just look through it and decide what makes sense for you to have on board.  You probably don't need or want everything, just the stuff your car might need.

https://www.speedsterowners.co...-spares-for-the-road

Gordon,

I could carry all that stuff with me and still need to call for a tow. Whereas many here could take a bit of twine, chewing gum, and a knife, and not only get their car running again, but get an extra 25hp out of it to boot, lol.

Bill

I don't have a spare. mine came with an oversized Rockford Fosgate amp plunked right in the center of usable space.

I don’t have a spare, either.  Carried one for 17 years and never used it, then used the storage space for my heater.  Instead of a spare tire I have a scissors jack, a set of tire plugs and a plug tool and a 12 volt air compressor.  That’s it.  If that doesn’t get me going I call AAA.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

I don’t have a spare, either.  Carried one for 17 years and never used it, then used the storage space for my heater.  Instead of a spare tire I have a scissors jack, a set of tire plugs and a plug tool and a 12 volt air compressor.  That’s it.  If that doesn’t get me going I call AAA.

I need to do the same - right now, all I'm counting on is hope that I don't get a flat - not a good plan. Any recommendations for a scissors jack and a good 12v compressor for our cars?

Bill

I carried a spare for a while in my Spyder. However, Hagerty has flatbed service included with my policy. Plus I have a truck and trailer with built-in winch. NO MORE SPARE!

Amp? I put a 2x100 watt RMS Audiopipe amp under the dash. The amp is about 2 x 3 x 6 inches, very small. It's powering a couple Polk patio speakers. You can't even see them under dash unless you look hard(they're black). Input is a bluetooth receiver, works great. All in a Spyder.

I purchased a spare (full size) from VM and had it mounted in the front of the car. I did it because a lot of places I dirve do not have cell service, I do have AAA but would have trouble gettig a flat bed. So I have a spare, small sicissor jack and some tools, and stuff for fixes. Having said all that I have 400 miles on my car and had a failure of the diszzy moduel on a blind turn on Coldwater Canyon, dead, could not restart, dogging cars going over the hill.  I called AAA and had her flatbedded to VM Greg changed the dizzy and all seams OK.

@slowshoes

Bill, I got a salvage yard scissors jack out of a Ford Windstar van.  It included a 19mm lug nut wrench that becomes the jack crank.  I had to very slightly modify the mating plate to better fit my car (I jack under the shock absorber lower mounts) but that was it.  It collapses down to less than 4" tall and I store it behind the driver's seat.  IIRC, it cost me about $10 bucks but I got it along with a bunch of other stuff including a space-saver spare out of a Cadillac.  

Any factory jack should work but the bonus is getting something with a crank that's also the lug wrench - saves carrying yet another wrench - and a generic top plate that won't have to be modified to work with your car.  That may not be a big deal for you, just a heads up.

If you have the storage space, Home Depot (and others) sells a 12 volt scissors jack that's pretty cool, too, for a bit more money:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BL...wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I got one for my wife's car once after the factory jack (a cheap POS) died.  We later sold the car but I kept the jack and haven't moved it from the attic, since.

@R Thorpe

Having logged 100,000+ miles (161,000Km) on our previous VS and have 30,000+ miles (48,000Km) on our current VS, we've been in many areas on long distance drives with no cell service. Was prepared as best I could with spare and other emergency items.

Here is the trunk layout of both our Speedsters.

I hope you find this info helpful.

That’s what my trunk looks like plus a quart of oil down by the battery.

Love the weather seal "system"

It's also a tow rope, emergency food snare and right seat co-pilot silencer.....

@Gordon Nichols posted:

@slowshoes

Bill, I got a salvage yard scissors jack out of a Ford Windstar van.  It included a 19mm lug nut wrench that becomes the jack crank.  I had to very slightly modify the mating plate to better fit my car (I jack under the shock absorber lower mounts) but that was it.  It collapses down to less than 4" tall and I store it behind the driver's seat.  IIRC, it cost me about $10 bucks but I got it along with a bunch of other stuff including a space-saver spare out of a Cadillac.  

Any factory jack should work but the bonus is getting something with a crank that's also the lug wrench - saves carrying yet another wrench - and a generic top plate that won't have to be modified to work with your car.  That may not be a big deal for you, just a heads up.

If you have the storage space, Home Depot (and others) sells a 12 volt scissors jack that's pretty cool, too, for a bit more money:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BL...wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I got one for my wife's car once after the factory jack (a cheap POS) died.  We later sold the car but I kept the jack and haven't moved it from the attic, since.

Thanks for the info Gordon - very helpful. I was wondering where the best place might be for a scissors jack to be placed in order to lift the car. Looks like the top of most scissor jacks will need a bit of modifying.

After seeing how neatly a spare, plus various tools, tucks into the frunk of Jim's car, I may go that route as well. (thanks for the excellent pic Jim).

Bill

@MusbJim posted:

@R Thorpe

Having logged 100,000+ miles (161,000Km) on our previous VS and have 30,000+ miles (48,000Km) on our current VS, we've been in many areas on long distance drives with no cell service. Was prepared as best I could with spare and other emergency items.

Here is the trunk layout of both our Speedsters.

I hope you find this info helpful.

In all of those miles, how many times have you needed to mount that spare?

@MusbJim, what size is your spare tire?

My tool kit kind of matches what was included with VW beetles plus a few additional tools. Other than fuses, I don't carry any additional spare parts.  Maybe I am living dangerously.

I pack a 928 jack. It is very compact and lightweight. It fits in my SOC tool bag with other tools. The photo shows a half-sphere at the top. I bolted 1/2" aluminum plates on the underside of the car with holes it fits into.

@Troy Sloan posted:

In all of those miles, how many times have you needed to mount that spare?

It's a point well taken that getting a flat tire is a rare event - I can only say that the ones I've had were memorable (downright scary in one instance).

But more to the point for me is, what space is taken up by the spare, that is needed for something else. In my case, I basically have the spares that Jim has in his car - so for me, having the spare is just a bonus. I'm still able to take what I normally take, and a little extra weight in the front end probably doesn't hurt either.

Bill

I have a VW rabbit similar Jack but I opted for a scissor Jack from Princess Auto/ Harbor freight. IM welded a plate with a lip all and around on the frame to prevent it from slipping which can be an issue with the V style  jacks ... just saying

BTW thanks Gordon For the flat repair too I will look into that as well it’s a great idea.

@Troy Sloan posted:

In all of those miles, how many times have you needed to mount that spare?

ZERO! But then again, I've never had to use the life preserver on my sailboat all those times I've crossed the ocean between Newport Beach and the Channel Islands or Catalina.

All it takes is once, and Murphy's Law  would ensure that the 1st time (and maybe ONLY time) would be somewhere in a remote stretch of desert while I'm cruising through Anza Boreggo, or up Palomar Mountain Rd, or Joshua Tree. It would never be somewhere in the city or any other place convenient for a cell phone signal or tow truck.

So true.Like a lot

@MusbJim, what size is your spare tire? - @Michael McKelvey

135R x 15"  on 4.5" wheel. Hope this info helps, Michael!

@MusbJim posted:

ZERO! But then again, I've never had to use the life preserver on my sailboat all those times I've crossed the ocean between Newport Beach and the Channel Islands or Catalina.

All it takes is once, and Murphy's Law  would ensure that the 1st time (and maybe ONLY time) would be somewhere in a remote stretch of desert while I'm cruising through Anza Boreggo, or up Palomar Mountain Rd, or Joshua Tree. It would never be somewhere in the city or any other place convenient for a cell phone signal or tow truck.

I'm guessing you have a lot more room on your sail boat for that life preserver and it's probably required by law too, so it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison.   

No question about it, if it makes someone more comfortable to have a spare then by all means carry a spare and sacrifice the storage space.

Yes, we all know from your video that your Speedster has way more space than most.  😉

^

Jim’s the only guy I know who packs a flat iron and ironing board.

Along with everything else in the house....

I would use these lifesavers, easy to carry, taste good too,  you just add water.