If you still have the Nissan compressor you don't need to buy a new one, which ever route you go down. The factory Leaf compressors are above average quality and certainly much better quality and faster than any of the cheapy's you'll see for sale on Tradme, Warehouse, Repco etc.
The repair goo doesn't ruin the tires - it ruins the Tire Pressure Sensors (by blocking them up), but most jap imports do not have these anyway, so goo in the tire is not a concern for the vast majority of NZ Leafs. Tire pressure sensors are mandatory in the USA, so most tales of goo-woe originate from there.
I too suffer the same spare tire vs boot space dilemma with my Leaf. I have a space saver that I keep in the boot and I take it out for journeys were I need the additional space, which means 95% of the time it is in the car. If it gets a flat while the Mrs is driving, the spare is available for the AA to fit for her & she'll be back on the road in no time. Towing the car doesn't get your Mrs to her destination so doesn't solve the problem, and you still have to go pick her up and run around sorting the car out, which kind of defeats the point of having AA in the first place!
I have the spare stropped to the back of the rear seats (vertically, flat against the back of the seat) so while it looks stupid, the boot floor is relatively free and unencumbered.
I personally prefer a spare wheel because, historically speaking, the glue and compressor would not have worked in about 50% of flat tires I've suffered.
The wheel stud pattern is the standard Nissan 5 stud, same as skylines/Cefiro/Stagea/Silvia which get crashed all the time, so compatible space savers cheap and easy to find. Mine was $50 from Trademe.
Thanks, @Tripper1000 - good to hear from someone who's gone through the same problem as me. I think a space-saver, as opposed to full-size, is the best option, given it will reduce the wasted space in the boot; and you're right - a tyre is the best option for my wife (who would certainly use AA to change a tyre); she was not impressed with the idea of using Slime and a compressor!
How does one confirm whether a space saver will work on the Leaf - will a wrecker tend to know what's suitable? Will there be less issue with this than with a full-size tyre? (I've heard of problems with them hitting the brake drums etc if wrongly sized).
I've found there is a Nissan wrecker in town (PN), which I intend to contact; while it may be cheaper on TM, with my (lack of) car knowledge, I was thinking I may be safer to stick to buying from a company.
As for the compressor in the car - whereabouts is it stored? I've not found it when poking around the boot; the goo, sure, but not the compressor; perhaps not looking in the right place.
Isn't it bad car design not have have left space for a spare tyre? It is a bit like a harddrive failure, at some stage it will very likely happen, especially on NZs roads. Sure, these new electric ones have less space due to batteries, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.
Isn't it bad car design not have have left space for a spare tyre? It is a bit like a harddrive failure, at some stage it will very likely happen, especially on NZs roads. Sure, these new electric ones have less space due to batteries, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.
You could make the same argument for the missing handcrank starting handle. (Except for EVs ;) ).
For some reason, puctures seem to happen a lot less often nowadays (I'm guessing because of steel wire reinforcement in tyres), so it's entirely possible, even likely, that you'll never have to fix a puncture. In which case a spare tyre and jack are just a waste of space and weight.
Isn't it bad car design not have have left space for a spare tyre? It is a bit like a harddrive failure, at some stage it will very likely happen, especially on NZs roads. Sure, these new electric ones have less space due to batteries, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.
Oz spec'd leafs had a cradle under the boot to hold a space saver
Isn't it bad car design not have have left space for a spare tyre? It is a bit like a harddrive failure, at some stage it will very likely happen, especially on NZs roads. Sure, these new electric ones have less space due to batteries, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.
You could make the same argument for the missing handcrank starting handle. (Except for EVs ;) ).
For some reason, puctures seem to happen a lot less often nowadays (I'm guessing because of steel wire reinforcement in tyres), so it's entirely possible, even likely, that you'll never have to fix a puncture. In which case a spare tyre and jack are just a waste of space and weight.
I have had to fix quite few driving around Wellington and the Hutt, and I don't do that much driving. Probably get 1 every few years, I even had to change a tyre on the terrace motorway once. You would be surprised at all the rubbish on the road,. including nails and screws etc. I had a puncture only last month from a screw, luckily Tonys tyre service still do free repairs. My current car has a space saver which I guess is better than nothing, or these cans of gunk. I guess most people these days just phone for assistance too when they get a puncture, and new cars tend to have free roadside assistance for 3 years at least.
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How does one confirm whether a space saver will work on the Leaf - will a wrecker tend to know what's suitable? Will there be less issue with this than with a full-size tyre? (I've heard of problems with them hitting the brake drums etc if wrongly sized).
I've found there is a Nissan wrecker in town (PN), which I intend to contact; while it may be cheaper on TM, with my (lack of) car knowledge, I was thinking I may be safer to stick to buying from a company.
I bought one and then test fitted it to make sure it had clearance. I'm not sure what model it came from originally. A wrecker would be a safe bet because they would usually be happy to exchange it for a another if it didn't fit.
jonathan18:
As for the compressor in the car - whereabouts is it stored? I've not found it when poking around the boot; the goo, sure, but not the compressor; perhaps not looking in the right place.
Compressor and Goo live side-by-side in my Leaf and are held down by the same velcro strap and the left-hand boot compartment where the jack and tools live. It's in a grey box about the size of a small box of tissues. Looks identical to this.
mattwnz: Isn't it bad car design not have have left space for a spare tyre? It is a bit like a harddrive failure, at some stage it will very likely happen, especially on NZs roads. Sure, these new electric ones have less space due to batteries, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.
There is heaps of space to fit a spare tire under the boot. Nissan was just being cheap-skates. Kind of sets the tone for the whole car really. It seems like there was a space purposefully created to put a spare tire in and Nissan changed their mind at the last minute. Check these photos out of the Australian version that came with a factory spare.
Another thing you could do that hasn't been mentioned is fit the Run Flat tyres, all the latest Europeans have these so no need to change the tyre at all until you get to a workshop.
I have heard (but not googled for myself) that run-flats require a corresponding special run-flat wheel rim and the rubber is quite expensive, retro-fitting a car with them isn't a straight forward or cheap process.
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