The Spare Tire

Subject: The Dependable Spare Tire…Until Now

There is an old saying that goes, “The older the tree, the deeper the roots.” It’s a metaphor suggesting that as people age, they become more firmly established in their beliefs and routines.

Okay, at 72 there may be those who would say I’m firmly established in my beliefs and routines. That’s true, but I’m going bald, so my roots can’t be that deep.

I accept change when it makes sense. I reject change when value, common sense, and safety are sacrificed for the promise of profit.

I’ll spare you the tire puns because you’d probably get tired of them. Instead, I’ll get right to the point of my deflated enjoyment of buying a new car: Ford decided my new Bronco Sport didn’t need a spare tire.

The day after I drove my new 2025 Ford Bronco Sport home, I decided to see what kind of spare tire it had—a full-size spare or one of those little donut tires.

When I looked in the cargo area where the spare tire had been in my previous Bronco Sport, I found…nothing.

“No problem,” I thought. “It must be mounted underneath the vehicle.”

It wasn’t.

I was confused and stunned. There was no spare tire anywhere. Instead, there was an electric air pump with tire sealant sitting in the shallow well where the spare tire would normally be.

My confusion quickly inflated into anger, and my anger turned into regret. I felt Ford, the dealership, and—just a little—my salesman had betrayed me. At no point during the buying process was I told that the Bronco Sport did not come with a spare tire. One would think that little piece of information might be important enough to mention before someone spends tens of thousands of dollars on a new vehicle.

I was ready to take it back to the dealership.

A few hours later, I learned that eliminating spare tires is becoming a growing trend throughout the automobile industry.

The explanation is that removing the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench reduces weight, improves fuel economy, and saves manufacturing costs.

I understand the reasoning. I just don’t agree with it.

In my opinion, the small improvement in gas mileage simply isn’t worth the possibility of leaving someone stranded in the middle of nowhere—think Montana, Wyoming, or Nebraska—with a tire that can’t be repaired with sealant and no cell phone service.

To be fair, the odds of that happening to me are probably very small. Then again, three years ago, while traveling out West, I found myself in an area without cell phone service. Low-probability events do happen.

I don’t believe the minimal savings in fuel or manufacturing costs justify removing something that has provided drivers with peace of mind for generations.

At the very least, if automobile manufacturers choose not to include a spare tire, they should still design the vehicle with space for owners who want to purchase one.

This letter really isn’t about a tire.

It’s about trust.

When customers spend a significant amount of money on a new vehicle, they deserve to know when something as basic as a spare tire is no longer included. That isn’t a minor detail—it’s something buyers should be told before they sign the paperwork.

As I said in the beginning, I accept change when it makes sense. I reject change when value, common sense, and safety are sacrificed for the promise of profit.

One more thing.

This isn’t directed solely at Ford because many dealerships do the same thing. Why do dealerships think it’s acceptable to place their own sticker or emblem on a customer’s brand-new vehicle? Unless you’re willing to compensate me for advertising your business on my vehicle, please leave it exactly as it came from the factory.

I’m sending these comments to Ford, my dealership, and my salesman. My salesman is a good guy, and this isn’t intended as criticism of him. I simply wanted him to know how disappointed I was.

I’m also choosing not to identify my dealership publicly because I have been a loyal customer and intend to remain one.

However, I will post these thoughts on social media because, like me, I’m sure many people have no idea the dependable spare tire has quietly disappeared from many new vehicles.

The disappearing spare tire may be the worst automotive idea since the Ford Edsel.

I hope these comments will spare future customers from the same deflated new-car buying experience.

I suppose the next thing that will happen is country music radio will stop playing country music.

Wait…

That already happened.

Scotty, beam me up!

Gene Johns
MSgt, USAF (Retired)