What country?

I would have thought that a standard space saver spare would have been in the spare wheel well. No standard rim and tier will fit. The space saver is a tyre on 17 inch rim that "pops" to the approximate correct size when inflated. The fact that you mention "old slicks" I gather the Treg is not new? Did you buy second hand? If so did the previous owner "misplace" the spare?

Investigate getting some tyre strings - low cost and may give you more repair options (check youtube videos on how to use) but will not assist for a sidewall cut.

 

The space saver spare is not included in all models, and I think it does depend on the country you live in too.

It has to be removed to access the AdBlue filler cap. A little bit of an annoyance, but not difficult unless it had to be done in the rain.

I live in the USA, and my 2013 Sport TDI came with the space saver spare. Included in the tire changing kit is a 12 volt DC portable compressor with very, very long battery post cable clamps. There is absolutely no way a full sized spare will fit in the space meant for the space spare. When the space saver is collapsed, the diameter is several inches smaller.

I haven't ever had to use it (yet), but watched some YouTube of how it functions. The valve core is removed to allow the spare to deflate after use.

 

Where are you located, and what vehicle are you driving? If you amend your signature to show this it would help people trying to reply.

I just happen to have one that is looking for a new home, but I don't know what your car is or where you live..

 

You have a problem on the car and should not be driving any faster than 50 mph or 80 kph at any time.

If you have put an old super slick worn out tire (that also may not be the same as the replacements) back on the car and the tread depth is not within 2mm of the new tires on the same axle and 3mm between front and rear axles then you risk transmission wind up and potentially damaging the gearbox.

All Touaregs MUST run with identical tires at all times - that is same make, same model, same tread pattern, same size and same, within the limits above, tread depth.

From memory to think the space saver spare might come in 17 and 18 inch wheel sizes.

It was not supplied to all cars from the T3 onwards as a weight saving/cost saving gimmick which was yet another example of VW''s total lack of understanding of the 4x4 market and also the Touareg model itself.

You can buy new space savers from dealers for around GB £260 but you also need a jack and some other bits to secure it in the trunk space as well as a decent wheel brace. You already have the compressor.

And if you look at pictures of spaces avers you will see the speed limit stickers all over them which brings me back to do not exceed 50 mph or 80 kph until you have a new - and identical to the other three - tire fitted.

The transmission software copes with the odd sized wheel up to the speed limits but not above them hence the warnings.

 

The good tires are Vredestein Quatrac 5XL (all-season) and the old one is a Bridgestone Dueler. Ok, maybe it's not a super slick yet. The safety markers on the tire are not yet worn (they were on the other 3 old tires though). I get no warning message and the car runs perfectly. Pulls to the right slightly but that is absolutely normal with a worn tire.

The problem is that I need to do a 250km journey next week. (Slow, queuing traffic with 30km highway). I would get another Quatrac but I cannot find one, I need to import one from Germany and that takes 10 days (8 left). Would that be safe for the car?

 

And don't be tempted to use the air compressor via a cigarette lighter socket. Only use the under bonnet terminals. The power draw and length of run time to inflate a tire is too much and too long for the ciggie sockets.

 

I am from Romania, Eastern Europe. T3 3.0TDI.
I can not find a damn jack that lifts this thing and also fits inside the trunk. I would curse VW but all manufacturers are giving up on spare wheels. I miss the old under-the-car spare. Technology is so advanced that flat tires are no longer a thing.
My tire has a 2cm slash on the sidewall. It could have been stitched but I threw it away, 200$ are not worth the blue balls I would get driving at higher speeds. I was running from a serious hailstorm, got under a bridge (it was really dark there) and attempted to climb the sidewalk (so as not to block traffic). Someone left a f-ing CROWBAR there and it was really dark.
Still, slashed tire is better than hail damage (plus cracked panoramic roof).

 

I understand your issue with needing to do a trip, but you are going to end up doing damage to the drive line running that one tire that is smaller than the rest. You will not get a warning persae, but not a good idea at all.

 

Damn. Am I looking at serious damage?

 

You won't know. The problem lies in potentially burning the clutches in the gearbox,

Either stick to 80 kph MAXIMUM, or get a new tyre, or go in another car, or go by train.

 

Alright, thanks. I'll stick to 80km/h then. I wish there were trains in Romania. Well, we have trains, as long as you don't mind doing 200km in 9 hours (I'm not joking).
I always thought the spare wheels had the 80 km/h limit because they were unbalanced and made the car unstable.

 

Last train journey I did in Ukraine was 1,000 kms and took 28 hours. A bottle of vodka EACH for breakfast helped pass the time in our compartment!

Whilst waiting for a train in St Petersburg, the overnight train arrived from Moscow. Thieves had gassed the passengers and there was a line of body bags and ambulances waiting...

 

Last train journey I did in Ukraine was 1,000 kms and took 28 hours. A bottle of vodka EACH for breakfast helped pass the time in our compartment! Whilst waiting for a train in St Petersburg, the overnight train arrived from Moscow. Thieves had gassed the passengers and there was a line of body bags and ambulances waiting...

One of your MI6 mission again. I thought you would have signed the Official Secrets Act My good man!

 

If the garage still had your old tires and you put one of them back on, why not go back and get the other 3 old tires put back on? You won't have the tread depth issues we are talking about which will allow you to make your trip without the 80kph restriction while you wait for a new replacement tire to be shipped from Germany. When it arrives, you can put the 4 new tires back on.

 

Genius. Thanks! I will go there tomorrow morning and do that.

 

I could be wrong but the spacesaver spares in the T3 are all the same size. They are meant to get off the road safely to the nearest parking lot or safe area to get the Treg towed or get the treg wheel repaired and put back on. I say that as I got some 18's for snows and got a 18 inch spare sent to me off e bay. I will be darned it was the same spare for the 18's as the 20's, the red one which sits over the adblue tank

 

Driven sensibly and at no more than the limited speed, the spacesaver can travel quite some distance and is actually a bit more robust than it appears at first sight.

Don't be afraid to resort to it!

Do keep your fingers, small children and the local town or village idiot away from the spacesaver when you deflate it though and always deflate on a hard surface. The collapsing side walls eat fingers, loose stones and grass!

Overall, however, I have found tire strings to be the best way to deal with punctures.

You can be on your way in ten minutes or so from hearing the dreaded "woob-a-woob-a-woob..." of a deflating tire without having to remove the affected wheel and you can fill quite large holes with several strings too.

Always get a proper repair done as soon as you can though.