Anyone buy a full-size spare wheel/tire combo they're happy with?

My best spare tire is the one I never had to use. I was considering getting a spare for the gen5 prius as an emergency BU but figured since I haven't had to change a flat at the side of the road in 30 years I'll get away with making a call to get a tow truck if it happens.

 

What are you looking for, a rim? There’s maybe a steel Camry or RAV4 rim that works.

 

I recently had a blowout in a Lowes parking lot.

An air compressor did nothing, a piece of scrap metal put a 3/4 inch gash trough the tread.

I had a full size spare and a Walmart $42 trolley jack with which I changed the tire in 15 minutes.

 

Perhaps posted in the wrong forum?

Berkshires, eh?
If you want to wander over to Albany, I'd give you a smoking deal on a new donut, lol.
But, you're not looking to go the donut route.

Reason mine's leaving is because I now store a full size tire in back of the passenger seat. I bought snow tires, so I use an off season wheel/tire. Passenger seat goes way back, rear seat backs fold down. I store a jump pack in the wheel dish. 'Camouflage' is a black winter jacket, lol. Only issue I've seen is that the console cover doesn't open totally-can still look in and get stuff, etc.

eBay gets a lot for an original equipment spare wheel. But, since you're only buying one, perhaps bite the bullet, or make a call to a local wrecker, but you'll pay top dollar there too. Maybe some other classified?

I'd still say go OEM. No problem with fitting, lug nuts, etc. If you got fancy, you could put the same tire on, tpms, and put it in your tire rotation scheme. Don't ask me about tpms specifics for this scenario though, lol.

If the blowout happens after hours, it could be an overnighter. At least if you wait for AAA, they'll put on your nice full size spare.

PS: Mine is an LE, so it has more height in the back.
PPS: Also, since mine is an LE, it has 17" wheels. Same diameter of course, roughly, but narrower. I don't know how much of a factor 19" wheels would be as far as storage goes-maybe too wide.

 

A full sized folding chair? That's tough; they don't look big with a person sitting in one, but they are large and heavy.

I have a full sized Camry wheel and tire sitting in the rear passenger footwell and locked in place by the front passenger seat, like Velvet's picture above but I don't get a flat surface out of it. Maybe you could have the chair sit on the partly folded rear passenger seat back and slot some softer luggage under it.

 

There are plenty of solutions discussed in other threads on this forum. Search "Modern Spare" where my choice is detailed and many members chime in with their thoughts on the pros and cons of one stop shopping for a full size spare.

KH

 

Check area scrap yards for one. I just purchased a steel rim, mounted and balanced the best of the 4 tires I replaced @ 40K miles. They were all a couple of 32nd above the warning markers. That was also the only tire that didn't have a patch in it.
I swear; I've gotten more flats in this car than any other I've ever driven, combined. I went with some tougher heavier tires and lost a few mpgs, but haven't had a flat since. Pulled a nail out on my last tire rotation, that didn't penetrate.

Good Luck

PS; don't forget to buy jack and tire iron; I believe Toyota deleted those tools along with the spare in the gen5's; I still had tools in the gen4; just no spare.