vhdoshi

It looks like that Acura will no longer be including a spare tire (donut) in the trunk anymore for the new RLX !


Inside the trunk, underneath where the spare tire used to be is now a storage compartment. And now Acura provides an air pump instead.

Megatron

Air pump? Is there a can of stop-leak goop also?
I don't see how an air pump alone will help if you've got a big enough leak to get a flat.

Shotgun

They're saving a ton of money and weight with that flat tire solution arrangement...

Colin

Yes, can of sealant along with an air pump. A spare tire should be available as a dealer option.

JTRADAR61

60 K and no spare tire. Acura still does not get it.

KeithL

Acura is so funny lately. I get the reasoning, but come on $60K car and no spare?

rondog

iTrader: (1)

half the owners won't even get out and change a tire, Roadside assistance would be on the scene in a jiffy. Smart move with obvious research done on their part to make that decision.

miner

A can of sealant will ruin the tire pressure sensor. Plus the last time I needed roadside asistance in Houston it took 2 hrs for them to arrive.

vhdoshi

ouch !!

vhdoshi

Shotgun is correct. Acura says the spare tire is no longer included "To enhance the weight distribution" of the vehicle...

KeithL

Really? Wouldn't ideal weight distribution be 50/50 and FWD cars typically run closer to 60/40 so taking weight out of the back helps how? I'm sure it helps the SH-SH-AWD since they need rooms back there for batteries and the electric motors.

Megatron

That's probably how they want it. More parts profit for them when you have to buy a new tire pressure sensor to go with a new can of stop-leak goop.

Colin

LOL, you could spent $33K on a TSX wagon and not get a spare.

JonFo

So? I'm fine with no spare.

never used the one on my RL in 80K miles. Matter of fact, can't remember the last flat in any car for at least a decade.

Maybe I'm just getting old, But I'd rather have the service take care of it anyway. Who the F* buys a $60K car and complains about the cost of a roadside repair or a flatbed to deal with a once in a decade problem (if that)?

getakey

You're lucky. I've had 2 flats in 8 years on my 2005. Both times I changed the tire in less time than roadside repair would show up. Without spare, would have to load on flatbed because of AWD.

Was able to drop tires off for repair and pickup later.

Its a strange sensation to watch the pressure go down on the TPMS waiting for a place to pull over.

KES

Money is not my issue. I want the option. Change it with a spare (my self or a service) or have it towed. Leak sealant and an inflator won't fix a blow out. Flat are rarer these days but still happen. I really just don't want to be out in the boondocks and not be able to get myself back on the road.

Rocketsfan

I'm guessing it's a fuel economy thing. The Cadillac ATS did the same thing - although they come with run-flats and it's a sports sedan, not a luxury barge.

jshaw

Just cutting corners and penny pinching. Acura doesn't even have an excuse, like a rear driveshaft taking up space, to fall back upon. At any rate, roadside assistance is great... if you are within service range, not late at night, nor stuck at higher elevations. Basically, where a flat tire suddenly becomes a big deal.

BDoggPrelude

It's not corner cutting or penny pinching. They are freeing up room for batteries in the hybrid-AWD model.

Colin

I hope they put the batteries there, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they'll end up behind the seat.

BDoggPrelude

Either way, the batteries are going to reduce trunk space so not having a spare helps to free up a bit more.

Rocket_man

Unfortunately unless they change the sheet metal for the hybrid they will not be putting the batteries there. The sheet metal is stamped with room for a spare. Runflats at least give you a way to keep moving on a flat if you are in a bad location, or severe weather. And roadside assistance may take a long time if you are on a road trip in a remote location. But runflats have thier downside. They are pricey, effect the ride quality, and often have to be replaced if they have been driven on with low pressure. Runflats may not be normally stocked at tire dealers so it could take days to get a replacement. I hope the TLX doesn't follow this trend.

Griots Garage sells a kit to repair a puncture. Might be good enough to limp along to a tire shop.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...ortby=ourPicks


Under the RLX trunk floor...



Under that...

Colin

We don't know how much battery this will carry so why couldn't they put it in the spare tire space? The CR-Z places it's battery in a similar location (granted it's a small battery) but there is also a tire in there. I don't see why they couldn't do it unless they need a lot of battery which is very possible, which is why I said it'll probably go behind the seat. However, fitting it in there would be an elegant solution if it could work out.

I have a similar kit that I got from walmart for far less than that. I also have a small compressor. In the end, if I had a car without a tire, I'd probably skip the sealant and go with a plug too. However, I'm sure that if I couldn't find the source of the problem, the sealant would be a good backup.

Finally, the TSX tire and kit is ~$1000 in parts. I'd assume that a RLX kit would be similar or slightly more. For those wanted this option, I'm sure it'll be available.

KeithL

So if you are on a long trip and something punctures the sidewall and makes the tire unusable what is roadside repair or a flatbed going to do to get you on your way quickly? To me, it is an insurance policy , I may never need it, but when I do I will be glad I have it. I used to go for rides in the mountains where even cell coverage is questionable so last thing I want is to have a irreparable flat and not be able to even call. Sorry I'll take the spare.

miner

My roadside assistance failed in Houston - the 4th largest city in the US. The battery died on my '04 TSX, wouldn't jump start and I called the RA number and said I needed a flatbed (I had an OEM body kit so I did not want a tow truck). 2 hours later a guy in a '83 Olds Cutlass shows up with a trickle charger and tries to charge it after I had already stated it would not jump. I finally called AAA and they sent a flat bed in 30minutes. Problem ended up being a clutch position sensor. Thanks Acura.

vhdoshi

I believe that the battery pack for the Hybrid RLX will be underneath the rear seats not behind the rear seats. More specifically, underneath the rear seat cushions

GoHawks

My Cadillac CTS coupe has the pump and fix-a-flat. The OEM tire is Michelin Pilot Sport MXM4. I just put new wheels on her and while I was at the tire store I asked the guy about this. I said the fix-a-flat is fine for a nail, but what about a blowout and a shredded tire? He said, "you're running a premium tire that is well constructed. We hardly see that happen with these". We'll see.

Our X5 comes with run flats, but it also came with an optional spare.

I think everyone is going the route of no spare to save weight.

crxb

are the tires run flats?

Colin

Wow, that would impress me for sure. That is normally where the fuel tank goes. Where could they move the fuel tank? Would they just make it smaller by the size of the battery pack? Interesting.

neuronbob

Don't blame Acura for this. This is the latest (mistaken) trend for automakers. Even GM is doing this. I've now bought two Cadillacs in the last five years and no spare. In some cars it is offered as a pay extra option, but not in many cars.

I personally disagree with this as I do a lot of cross country road trips and am frequently out of convenient reach for roadside service. I guess I am one of those few who will change a spare. As such, I bought a solution fabbed for my CTS-V. The fact is, though, most people won't change a tire and automakers see it as low hanging fruit for weight loss.

Still, spares should be offered as an option.

Colin

We have been told that one will be offered as an option. It is for the TSX Wagon. However, currently we're not seeing it listed in parts.

4cruizn

Agree 100% with all of the above. I do 45,000 miles a year and on my longer cross-country trips, I take TWO FULL SIZE SPARES! Forget weight savings. I travel on a tight timeline, I can't afford to be sidelined and sitting for half a day at Discount Tire waiting for a tire that that they might not even have in stock.

Spare please.

Colin

At today's press conference for the new MDX, they briefly talked about the RLX with AWD. The showed one of their animations that depicted the battery above the rear axle centerline directly over the motors. Looks like it'll be behind the seats or somewhere other than the spare tire location. This will continue to leave space for an optional spare for those that need it.

neuronbob

^^^^
Good news. Hopefully it'll be an easy mod like it is for the TSX wagon.

Colin

I wouldn't even call it a 'mod' since it's a factory accessory (assuming it shows up one day). The kit includes all the mounting hardware and tools.

KeithL

Looks like Infiniti is doing this now with the Q50, the spare is a $200 option. Very surprising, how many people are going to realize they don't have a spare until they go looking for it? You know no dealer is going to mention that hey look "no spare" in this car.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

this isnt new....

the challenger srt does not come with a spare...

phishfood

Ditto here ... you head out to Nantahala National Forest there's tons of roads out there with zero cell signal.

When I go to the shooting range out in the middle of nowhere there's a good ten minutes where you're driving down the old logging roads with no signal, good luck even finding a tow truck to figure out where you are even if you could call.

gbriank

So, did you cobble something together???

jwong77

BMW has been doing this for years, seems pretty status quo nowadays.