Which spare wheel for Sports Nav with 19" alloys?

[Tall333]

Well, I grudge paying Mazda several hundred quid for a spare wheel, so I'm trying to figure out which spare wheels will (or won't) fit my car.  I'm ok with sourcing a jack and wheel key, and cutting the foam to suit, and finding a long screw to attach the wheel to the floor etc.

I have a Sport Nav saloon with 255/45/19 tyres.  I see there are quite a few (quite cheap) space savers around on 16" rims, which would give a bit of difference in running circumference, but would they fit over the brake calipers?
Alternatively there are a couple of space savers on 17" rims, would they fit better?
I also see one or two on 18" rims, I assume this is what I should have?

Alternatively, if I sourced a full size spare...would it fit in the spare wheel well?

Any help appreciated

[stevem100]

No a full size 19 inch will not fit the well. I got the Mazda skinny spare complete kit at cost price when i bought the car second hand as i didn't want it without a spare and just the useless gunk kit which IMHO should be ilegal. If i move on to a facelift model i will take my kit with me. A few people i know when buying a new car have refused to purchase the car unless the dealer supplied a spare wheel and the dealers did. Other people i know didn't realise they didn't have a spare wheel until they got a puncture. If you have just bought the car the dealer might do a deal but it still costs a bit. Be careful with the jack as i am hearing not all fit the jacking points properly and cause damage.
Hope i have been some help cheers steve

[Tall333]

Thanks for the reply Steve.  I see from your profile your car is a 2014 model - does it also have the 19 inch wheels?  And could I trouble you to ask what size your space saver is? I'm finding info about 125/70/17, but have also found info about needing the 18 inch version if I have 19 inch wheels.

As far as my research goes, it seems that most of the Mazda range have the same stud pattern, centre bore and offset - and there are cheap wheels from, say, RX8's kicking about.  I reckon I could probably pick up one with a similar circumference to the 125/70/17 space saver I mentioned above.

If only the rain would stop long enough I'll go and check what height there is for a full width spare, albeit probably a 16 inch with a not-so-low-profile tyre.

Thanks again

[stevem100]

Yes mine does have the 19 inch which is standard for the 175 sport nav to be honest i'm not sure of the size of the skinny spare but it was standard part kit from the main dealer i bought the car from  I only checked that it was there and they checked the pressure on the 2nd service. In the daylight if it's not raining i will try and get the size for you. i do no of someone who who purchased his sportnav new but with 17 inch wheels by his request but he had to have normal tyres not low profie to keep it more or less the same size. From what i understand the full size 19inch with tyre is just to high and raises the boot floor which is shallow anyway but i don't think it will take the diameter either :(If i get the size i will post it for you. PS by the way you have to fit all skinneys on the rear i don't no if you new that. Other than the spare issue there are a great car the only mod i had fitted was the auto fold mirrors which i think should be standard anyway IMHO.
cheers steve

[Tall333]

Thanks again Steve, that would be great if you could check the size for me.
I had a look under the boot mat and there's not a lot of height there to fit a full width wheel, so it seems a space saver is the way to go.  Just need to make sure I get the right one.
I'm aware of the rear only fitting, and while it would be a pain to have to swap two wheels around if I got a puncture on the front, it gives me peace of mind that I could deal with it at the side of the road if necessary.

[stevem100]

STOPPED RAINING :)Had a look tyre size is 185/55 R 16 83 V Suprised me but as it's not low profile i suppose it makes up the difference. Anyway i hope this all helps, the cost price of my complete kit inc vat was £300 as i said before be careful about the jack on the facelift because there is a sealing strip close to the jacking point that's not there on the prefacelift i have heard so you could damage it. Let me know how you get on.
cheers Steve

[Tall333]

Thanks very much for that Steve, I can now go hunting.  I'll also check out the jack points and make sure I get something that fits.
You're a star - have a virtual beer on me 

[Tall333]

Just an update.  I measured the space under the boot mat to be about 125mm tall, and therefore reckoned that a 185 profile tyre would mean raising the boot floor by about 2 inches.  Considering I don't get punctures much (obviously I'll get two in the next three days for sayng that), I just need something to get me out of a pickle, and decided to get something skinnier.

I bought a 125/80/16 space saver which fits perfectly in height under the floor, and got hold of a jack and wheel key.  The wheel would probably reinforce the boot mat better if I fitted it "dish side up" but decided to bolt it in "dish side down", so I can put a pair of gloves etc in the hollow.  There's a strengthening plate stuck to the underside of the boot mat which goes about two thirds the way back, thus leaving the last third un-supported.  It's made from that corrugated plastic stuff that you might see a 'house for sale' sign made from, so it's not exactly the strongest stuff on the planet.  I cut a piece of wood to fit diagonally across the inside of the wheel, and I cut a piece of hardboard to sit on the last (un-supported) third.  I also cut my existing foamy packer around the wheel so the rest of the support is the same as it was.  I've ended up with the boot floor at exactly the same height it was, and a strong boot mat.

BTW I also checked that it actually fits the car, and doesn't foul the brake calipers etc.

Thanks for your help