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vanDub
27-03-2011, 07:29 PM
Have had my Polo for 3 weeks and checked my spare wheel. Disappointed to find that spare is limited to 80 KPH despite being full size and fitted with the same brand of tyre as the 4 alloy onroad tyres. Note it is not a space saver spare.
The road tyres are load / speed rated 85H (max 210KPH) and the spare is identical in all ways except it is rated 84T (max 190KPH).
Can anyone explain why the spare is speed restricted to 80KPH (sticker on wheel) while fitted with a tyre rated at 190KPH. I can see an issue mixing different rated tyres on the same axle but for the 1/2 Euro saving VW made surely they could have fitted 5 identical tyres and not have a speed restricted spare.
Blitzen
27-03-2011, 08:00 PM
Because it is illegal to run a wheel Or tyre on an axel that doesn't match the one opposite. This is why it is speed rated.
vanDub
27-03-2011, 08:14 PM
As I said earlier, why not fit the spare with an identically rated tyre to those on the road. The cost differential between a 84T rated tyre vs a 85H cant be more than a couple of dollars.
Or else why not fit a space saver spare, That must be cheaper again.
Any one have a standard 15" Lakeside alloy with Conti Premium Contact fitted they wish to sell, or maybe I'll get a second spare so that I can have identical wheels/tyres on the same axle and then not be speed restricted.
Dumbest decision ever made by VW.
broxigar1983
27-03-2011, 08:22 PM
It is a sparewheel to get you to point B, then replace/fix the other...

The sticker is there for the legal stuff I think.
vanDub
27-03-2011, 08:51 PM
My Passat "spare" wheel is a 5th alloy that regularly rotates with the other 4. AFAIK when looking at Jetta, its "spare" is a standard / matching tyre on steel rim and is not speed restricted.
If anyone else wants to replace their speed restricted spare I have already contacted a poster on this site who has a set of 15" lakeside alloys that I hope he will split as I recon he has a better chance of selling them individually to people like myself looking for a matching 5th alloy.
I hate the idea of a new/near new tyre in the boot that usually gets nil or little wear. In all my 45 years of driving I always wore out 5 tyres, bought 4 new ones and just kept the best of the old ones as a spare as it only needs a short life remaining. That spare got replaced next purchase to ensure it did not have an age issue.