You should drive no more than 50 miles on a temporary or donut spare tire if possible. If you absolutely must go longer than 50 miles, avoid driving on it longer than 70 miles.
Space-saver tyres have a limited travel distance because manufacturers design space-saver tyres as emergency equipment. The tyres only have a range of 100-450kms before they become worn out and need to be replaced. Space saver tyres are only good for speeds up to 80km/h.
While technically you could drive 200 miles on a donut spare tire, it is not recommended due to the risk of tire failure, potential damage to your vehicle, and safety concerns. Therefore, it's essential to replace a donut spare with a standard tire as soon as possible.
“Unless specified, you should get a new spare tire at 10 years to ensure it is safe to use,” says Ryan Pszczolkowski, CR's tire program manager. “You should inspect your spare tire periodically to look for any cracking or dry rot.” This task can be done when you're checking the tire pressure.
If you are curious, “How long can I drive on a spare tire,” or “How fast can you drive on a spare tire,”, here are some details: Spares tires cannot be driven over 50 miles per hour. Spare tires should not be driven more than 70 miles. Spare tires have less traction than a full-size spare.
You should drive no more than 50 miles on a temporary or donut spare tire if possible. If you absolutely must go longer than 50 miles, avoid driving on it longer than 70 miles. A spare tire isn't meant to completely replace a tire, rather, its purpose is to tide you over until you can properly replace it.
Your Spare is NOT a Long Term Solution
While there are different sizes and types of spares, we suggest you keep speeds at or below 50 miles per hour and drive no more than 50 miles on a spare tire before getting your flat fixed.
You should not drive over 50 mph and no more than 50 miles with a donut-type spare tire. Driving for long distances on a spare tire can potentially cause damage to other car parts, including the transmission.
Without it, a standard tow (around 5 miles) can cost you over $100. Decide before you buy the vehicle if you're willing to go spare-less. If you find yourself regretting your decision later, you'll need to buy a tire, jack and lug wrench. Plus, there may not be space to safely carry the tire and tools in your vehicle.
The bursts or damage to the engine equipment, including the transmission, will happen if you drive too long with a spare one. It is not suitable for long-term use, too much abuse will endanger your safety.
However, the tire itself is not built to last. Your owner's manual will give recommendations for driving time and speed. A general rule of thumb is to drive no farther than 70 miles and no faster than 50 miles per hour before replacing your donut with a new tire.
While you can drive on a full-size spare longer than a space-saver, you will still want to replace the tire immediately. Because your spare tire is probably not the same brand as your other tires, you will have poor traction and handling in your Balcones Heights commutes.
Your spare tire, be it a full-size non-matching spare tire or a compact spare, is typically a smaller diameter than your four normal use tires. It may be a slight half-inch up to a couple of inches in diameter difference and the width is usually significantly less than your factory tires.
Reusing a Spare Tire
Only drive on spare tires for emergency transportation, and replace them with permanent tires as soon as possible. There's no danger in using a spare tire more than once.
How Much is a Spare Tire? The price of a temporary spare tire will greatly depend on a few factors, mainly the size, performing ability, and brand of the tire. Generally speaking, the price of donut tires ranges from $50 to $200.
As I mentioned above, the faster you drive on a spare tire, the more impact you will have on your car and the higher the risk of causing damage or have an accident. As a result, it is a good idea to drive below 50 mph and proceed with caution when you do have a spare tire.
Generally speaking, you should drive no more than 50 miles on a temporary spare tire. While this doesn't sound like much, it should be enough to get you to a tire shop. You may be able to push it past 50 if necessary, but it can be dangerous to go much farther.
New car manufacturers are always looking for opportunities to control costs and improve their bottom line, and eliminating the spare wheel can save them considerable costs during production. A full-size wheel and tyre can cost around £150-£200 or more, while a space-saver wheel costs only a fraction of that price.
Compared to full-sized spare tires, they are designed to save weight and trunk space. Since they are not designed for long-term use, they typically feature a smaller physical size, narrower tread and reduced tread depth compared to the tires normally used on the vehicle.
You can typically drive a few hundred kilometres on a space saver tyre, depending on the brand and type. Ideally, they should be put on the back wheels as opposed to the steered wheels.
Spares cannot be driven over 50 miles per hour. Spare tires shouldn't be driven for more than 70 miles. You'll have less traction than with a full-size spare.
To find out how long you can drive on your spare check your owner's manual for an exact recommended mileage for the spare tire. 100 kilometres is the rule of thumb. These tires are not designed for long-range service. They are made to get you to a garage to have your tire either repaired or replaced.
Since spare tires are built smaller and lighter, going 50-70 mph causes the tires to wear out quickly. As mentioned earlier, it is dangerous to drive on a spare tire too long because it can cause damage to other parts of your car, such as brakes, transmission, steering system, suspension, and even car heating.
The “Donut” Spare
You'll want to know that the donut spare is not to be used as a normal tire. In fact, it's got these restrictions on use that you should follow to avoid damaging your car's internals: Don't drive over 50 mph. Don't drive on this spare for more than 70 miles.
A conventional car can last for 200,000 miles. Some well-maintained car models will reach 300,000 or more miles total. The average passenger car age is currently around 12 years in the United States. Choosing a well-built make and model can help extend your car's longevity.