"Puh-leez" what? It's a sports car! Just ask your insurance agent. Buy a diesel VW if you want practicality...I had one and they work.
I've run into several large tire dealers, e.g. Goodyear, that won't handle an 18" wheel in my metro area. If you're in the boonies where you'll need the new tire, you'll have trouble finding someone who can mount a tire on it assuming they have something approaching the correct size...225/45/18 is not yet a common size. If the fix-flat can't do it, I'll wait for the tow truck. Patience is a virtue! I would leave the car on the side of the road in the boonies? Walk 10-15 miles. Puh-leez!
And when I travel with wife and/or others to places such as the "boonies", I'll probably have a full trunk with golf clubs, etc., leaving no room for a dead tire and wheel. Maybe it would fit in the one empty seat, but that's little consolation if you have to drive 100+ miles on the donut.
One other little issue. If the flat is one the rear, you'd be best advised to put a front wheel on the rear and the donut on the front to avoid screwing up the rear-end if driving any distance. That's what Honda recommends for the S2000. That's two tire changes.
And I've driven my Miata 15,000 miles without a spare and no difficulties. It came with 140 rated Potenzas. After 11k miles, including 3 autox events, they were down to less the 2/32. And I rotated every 3k miles My ES100's are rated at 240 with a AA traction rating. Check the Tire Rack if you think the 040's are worth a damn.:o

 

That sounds like a great set of tires!

I know that this may sound a little selfish, but I'm not to worried about my city/daily commute - but I want to also take the RX-8 out on one of those rare (but after getting the car - not to rare) family (wife and 2 children) outings and have a little driving adventure (part of this large desire is from Mazda's own marketing coments about the RX-8 catering to those with family lifestyles who desire to drive a sports car*) over some our country's great hilly/curvy stretchs of road/highway - far away from the crowds (and maybe even cell phone service) ... which makes me remember when I was single or didn't have the kids yet, those past bizarre and exceptionally incongruous times that I had a flat in the middle of nowhere and could not call AAA for a tow and get it repaired, but luckly had a spare with me and the day was saved!



So, I'm one of those who plan on getting a spare - it might not stay in the rear trunk, but maybe inbetween the seats when we do our family trips!?



* unless I'm confusing the RX-Evolv's hype about being a "family" sports car with the RX-8?

 

I'm single and I love going for a drive in the country of NC. Not only for the fun of driving but rubber necking at all the farm land and scenery. A part of me also misses living in a rural small community.

Unfortunately these days I'm usually driving my 94 Pathfinder SE so I don't bother doing any hard driving. And thats why I'm attracted to the RX-8. I also want to get a motorcycle (Buell XB9S). The downside is I could easily rack up miles so spreading my driving/riding between vehicles is good (the upside: More (affordable) toys the better).

I'm still going to go for no spare, run-flats, and Slime. Would be mighty rare for there not to be some air within 50-75 miles.

Sorry, but I think putting a spare tire in the passenger areas might ruin some of the experience. I can see its value in an extremely remote area, but in NC these roads are dirt. This is where I got my flat recently and like normal the tire keeps air for a few days with no problems. I pulled out about 3+ inches of strong thick metal "wire". Didn't make it a block. Hehe

 

I was thinking about driving around our great westen states ... like Texas (where I now live) and farther west and north west ... it can get pretty quiet in some of these here parts ...



Yeah ...



... I believe that was the point! And your "point" is also well taken ...

:D

 

i dont think you can use slime on runflats; the ribs in the runflats make it impossible to flow in the wheel

 

Ahh thanks for the info. That kills that.

 

I saw the spare tire on an '04 for sale.....it looks exatcly like my 3rd Gen RX7 donut. It is even the same ugly yellow color.

Seems to me like you could get a machinist to make a duplicate of the spare tire mount. Sell it to owners reasonable-like. The owners just have to find an RX7 donut to mount.

 

did you get a license from the city government to exhume this dead thread?

 

I wish I had one but I don't have one.

Why, because if I take a trip I'll need a spare...

Why not, cause it adds weight and space in the trunk...

So how come, because I got the base 6spd and I refuse to pay $500 for a spare tire.

 

I get flats on one or more of my vehicles every year. It's the nature of the environment I live in, so I WILL be getting the spare, because I WILL need it.

 

When I had my Conquest, the BF Goodrich Comp TA's in the rear used to lose the side wall all the time (4 of em, normal highway driving). They were special order ( I will never again buy BFG tires). The last time it happened it was -15 degrees. Suk'd big time. Truth is, it will never be a good time to have a flat. If you can buy a 30k (and put gas in it) car, you should be able to make a choice on a spare tire that you are comfortable with. Sooner or later, you you be tested on your choice. Oh, one more thing, you probably won't be driving it, it will be your wife, and she forgot to take the cell phone with her. Now your really f#$'d