[JohnM5832]

G'day all.
Just joined. I live in Sydney
I'll be buying another car by the end of the year.
The Touareg is on the short list. I've got $40K or so, so it will be a 2011 model.
I've just realised it doesn't have a full size spare. Given that it's designed for off road use, I can't believe that it doesn't have one.
Browsing your forum I came across one guy who said that there was enough room (lengthwise and crossways) for the full size tyre, but of course not enough depth. But if you cut out the well, and reshaped it you could fit a full size wheel in.
I haven't had the chance to crawl underneath and look at one, so I'm in the dark here a bit.
If it is physically possible to do, I'll do it. If it's not possible, I'll buy something else.
So, two questions -
1) Is there any reason you guys can think of why you couldn't cut and rebuild the wheel well lower? eg something in the way? it would affect something else?
2) Assuming that there are no physical problems, has anyone done this before? To save me re-inventing the wheel.
Thanks John

 

[Naturist]

For the T3 there are some people in your region who got made a wheel carrier that mounts to the tow hook. Another option is to just fit it vertically at the side of the trunk. You could either get a "in-trunk carrier" made for that (I remember seeing a similar factory option for the spare somewhere), or simply use cargo straps for fastening. Of course, this will then reduce available trunk space...


Rebuilding the wheel well is IMHO slight overkill, I'm sure VW would have made it full size if it was feasible (although there could be other reasons behind that, e.g. saving weight and thus bring down the consumption). I would keep in mind the possible decrease of resale value in case drastic modifications do not go as planned (I just say this as something to think about, not to underestimate anyone's modification skills).


In general, I agree that having a full-fledged off-road vehicle (or any car, for that matter) without a full-size spare just s*cks...

 

[Scubacruiser]

If you're looking at a TDI, the AdBlue tank is under the spare tire and therefore you won't be able to mod for a larger tire. Other models may possibly be modded.

 

[Black Grouse]

The easier option might be to store a full-size spare vertically - this would mean making a narrower lid to the spare wheel well, so the spare can then sit on the bottom of the well - original lid can be refitted if/when you sell the car and a lot less drastic than your proposal!

 

[Naturist]

OK, found the OEM setup for the T3. Check out this thread:


http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f67/luggage-compartment-spare-tyre-setup-238769.html

 

[47Driver]

What about this? I saw this while walking around Düsseldorf.

 

[skyfree]

I agree that it's not great for off-road use not having a full-size spare. In my T3 I mounted one vertically in the cargo area as others have done. It left enough room for me to build a sleeping platform and I lived out of there for 8 days with no problem.

I guess it depends on how often you go off-road though. If it's frequently and you need an optimal solution (not in the cargo area, not on a hitch carrier), I would probably look at something else. The only comparable option I found was a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the full-size spare option. You can also get a high/low transfer case and air suspension on that so it's really much more off-road capable out of the box.

 

[Naturist]

What about this? I saw this while walking around Düsseldorf.

That's the OEM carrier for T1 and T2 (factory option). There's no similar option for the T3.

 

[noobytoogy]

Given that the tyre wall expands and, therefore, the overall diameter increases when you blow up the space saver spare, you've not got a cat in hell's chance of fitting a full sized spare however you look at that hole in the boot floor.

The standard OD of any factory fitted wheel tyre combo is 29 inches.

For a full sized spare [which MUST carry an IDENTICAL tyre to the other 4 if you want to travel at speeds in excess of 80 kph] either muscle up for a roof rack fitting, build a tow hitch carrier, or stack it in the boot.

In any event, invest in tyre strings and learn how to use them. You can be up and running in under 15 minutes without even removing the punctured wheel.

 

[JohnM5832]

Thanks all for your replies. As I said, I haven't looked at a Touareg "in the flesh" yet. I've just been looking on-line to "sort the wheat from the chaff". But on the face of it, the Touareg is on the short list. Naturist, mounting the spare vertically as I saw in the thread you referred me to is the best compromise, if it can't be stored underneath. Noobytoogy, I thought that I came across it some where that the spacesaver spare lives in the wheel well in a plastic tray which can also hold tools etc. Removing the plastic tray gives you a larger area in which the full size spare could live. Am I mistaken? Am I mixing this up with another car?
Thanks John
BTW I have no great interest in going seriously off road. My main interest is for towing my caravan and boat, and also for going down firetrails, dirt tracks, and getting a little off road for camping and bushwalking.
I was recently reading an on line magazine for 4Wd and caravanning types, and they took a Cayenne for a test drive down a fire trail back of Lithgow. Nothing to adventurous, and these days practically the outer suburbs of Sydney right? Well they tore a hole in the side of a tyre, went to get the spare, and found there was only a can of gunk.
And no mobile reception!
Fortunately because it was a magazine test, they had a backup car for the photo shoot. A Touareg. So they took the space saver spare out of that and put it on the Cayenne. They said it was horrible on the firetrail. Had to go at walking pace. When they got to the bitumen, they got the car up to speed and back to Sydney, but they said it was pretty bad.
The magazine has now banned doing testing on any car that doesn't have a full size spare!
Cheers

 

[noobytoogy]

Look at the steel . . . top and bottom:

http://www.allpar.com/photos/reviews/competitors/volkswagen/touareg/spare-tire.jpg

The Touareg has been around since 2003. If a full sized spare could have been squeezed in, it would have been done long ago.

 

[Black Grouse]

Quite a few other cars have a spare wheel well big enough for a full size spare but get supplied with a skinny space-saver and storage tray - in some cases, no spare just a can of spray sealant and a larger storage area - and in one case, the 3rd row seats replace the spare..

 

[Flash635]

My T1 definitely does not have enough room for anything bigger than a deflated space saver.
Oh, did you know that? The spare is deflated to save room and the car is supposed to come with an air pump.

If you have air suspension the pump is built in otherwise there's a pump that sits in the back with the spare.

Or not, as in my case.

There's a wacking big muffler under the back of the Touareg known as the "suitcase."
I've heard it makes little different to the sound if it's not there.
That would free up a lot of space to drop storage space into.

Pretty sure hacking up your floorpan is a no go unless you get an Engineer's certificate.

 

[seafarer28]

BTW I have no great interest in going seriously off road. My main interest is for towing my caravan and boat, and also for going down firetrails, dirt tracks, and getting a little off road for camping and bushwalking.

Cheers

Do not discount the Touareg because of the lack of a full size spare, we (Touareg owners) have found a number of ways of carrying a full size spare (search posts) with no issue.
Based on what you say regarding towing boat / caravan, little offroad to get to camping spots you will be hard pressed to find a better all round vehicle to enable you to do these things well.
Do yourself a favour and just get into one and take it for a half hour test drive and you will see what I am talking about, you will be impressed.
BTW, I get asked often from other travellers what I think of the Touareg when seen towing my big van, I don't bother to say any more than "it's the most versatile vehicle I have owned and if I tell tell you all about it you won't believe me, so just get into one and take it for a drive and make up your own mind"

TonyB

 

[Ewie]

What Tony said X2

 

[Flash635]

I'd say if you're packing to go do some wheeling it wouldn't be too much trouble to pack a full size spare as well.

The rest of the time, shopping and picking the kids up from school, you can make do with the space saver and tyre repair strings.

 

[JohnM5832]

Thanks all for your input.
I was wrong about my impression that the wheel was set in a plastic "box" in the well.
Obviously then, the idea of fitting a full size wheel in there gets blown out of the water.
However, having thought about the solution that some use - mounting it vertically on its side - I think that's a good idea. You've definitely given me food for thought.
As I said at the start, i wouldn't be doing anything until later in the year. Just "lining up the ducks", and in any case, I'll be tied up for the next few months.
Once I'm clear, I'll get back to you guys.
In between times, I'll take take one for a test. TonyB - I like your enthusiasm about it being so versatile.
Cheers John

 

[4ePikanini]

I put a full size spare on my roof as I went one size bigger than factory which renders the biscuit spare useless.

 

[skyfree]

I was recently reading an on line magazine for 4Wd and caravanning types, and they took a Cayenne for a test drive down a fire trail back of Lithgow. Nothing to adventurous, and these days practically the outer suburbs of Sydney right? Well they tore a hole in the side of a tyre, went to get the spare, and found there was only a can of gunk.
And no mobile reception!
Cheers

That's really poor planning for a 4Wd magazine.

Audi Q7's come with run-flat tires now, so that one is off my list. Too bad because I really like it. That seems to be the direction things are going since most people just call for roadside assistance these days. All my vehicles must have spare tires on board, and I much prefer a full-size spare.

 

[hydrolocked]

I put a full size spare on my roof as I went one size bigger than factory which renders the biscuit spare useless.

What size tires are those?