'03 996.2 targa emergency/space saver/spare

[Porscheperfection]

I feel a bit dumb asking this question, but here goes....my recently purchased '03 996.2 targa was missing a spare/emergency/space saver wheel which should come in a cover with tool kit etc. My car runs 18" carrera classic alloys, so I thought I'd source a second hand space saver but all the ones I've found are 17". So my question is...can I run a 17"emergency space saver wheel on the same axle as an 18" wheel, albeit for a very short distance to get puncture fixed or replaced. Even if I found an 18" space saver, I doubt if it will fit in the boot - so maybe the solution is to have a can of tyre sealant in case of puncture, but I believe these are quite destructive to the tyre anyway? I seem to recall that neither my 987 Boxster S nor 997 C2S had a spare wheel, just a compressor, so I appreciate your experiences with spares and alternatives.

[porschedude]

The wheel diameters means nothing for a spare. You could run a 6" diameter wheel if you could find a tire with the same diameter of the tire as the others. Check the tire diameter OEM tire and the tire diameter of the current tires and see how close you are to the OEM spec'ed tire. If it is off less than an inch I say no problem to run a short distance.

[Uwon]

I went thru the same concern as you with my '06 C2S. No spare no TPMS. Picked up a used 16" 996 full size spare pace saver tire and jack on Pelican which fits in the frunk standing up, but, as we do allot of traveling I found that  it ate too much baggage space. Also thought about where I would put the punctured tire/rim in the car if I had to change on the road- a coupe with passenger cannot take a 305x30x19 in the back seat. So I settled for an aftermarket TPMS setup by Orange (Amazon, ebay, etc) for about $140which lasted 5 years. Just replaced the whole system with my last tire refreshment as it turned out to be cheaper than buying separate replacement battery/sensor units. Now I only carry the Porsche aluminum Jack, torque wrench, pump, work gloves, and a plug kit. I figure that in most cases the TPMS will give me enough time to pull over and fix by the side of the road. 

Hope this helps.

cheers,

johan

Edited August 15, 2016 by Uwon

[Porscheperfection]

Thanks Porschedude - of course, so simple. The optional wheels with 225x40x18 are the same diameter as the standard 205x50x17 so a 17" space saver when inflated will get me out of trouble if I have a puncture - appreciate your explanation.

[Porscheperfection]

Thanks Uwon another excellent suggestion to get me out of trouble if I have a flat - that's a great idea!