Merc's temporary tyre solution

The company is in the process of distributing extra stocks of full-sized spare wheels and tyres to its 59 Australian dealers. Sales staff are being asked to tell customers that if they want to go on a long trip, Mercedes will lend them a full-sized spare wheel and tyre free of charge.

"All customers have to do is let us know in advance and they can take a genuine Mercedes full-sized spare wheel with them," says Clyde Campbell, general manager, Mercedes Car Group.

"That way, M-Class owners will effectively have two spares - the space-saver tucked under the rear floor and the full-sized one that we lend them. Plus, by having extra spare wheels distributed to dealers across Australia, they are more readily available to customers wherever they may be."

Mercedes-Benz Australia hopes to make a full-sized spare a no-cost option on the M-Class from the middle of next year.

The company is developing a moulding insert for the rear floor to enable M-Class customers to carry a full-sized spare inside the vehicle. An external spare-wheel carrier will be available late next year but is likely to cost extra.

Following Drive's coverage of the space-saver issue two weeks ago, we have been inundated with messages of support for our call to change Australian regulations to make full-sized spare wheels compulsory on all four-wheel-drives and to ban aerosol puncture repair kits on all new passenger cars.