I am very concerned about the lack of a spare tire. I have a MX5 also with the rubbish pump and gunk kit and managed to find a suitable "get me home" tire. I need the peace of mind this brings. This is Africa so getting stuck in the wild is seldom much fun.

Good news:
I have been in contact with my Porsche dealer in Cape Town this morning and just a few hours later have received a quote for a purpose made solution from Porsche. It's the usual collapsible (or inflatable) spare complete with all the tools and parts to fit it in the front luggage compartment made for the new 991.
Reduction in avalable storage seems not too bad.

It's not cheap and the local price works out to around $1600 USD including taxes - most likely a lot less in other countries.

I will only pack it if I take the toy away for a weekend getaway but it is just a "must" for me. I now feel a whole lot better...

Rainier

 

Where do you put the full size flat tire and wheel when you take it off?

 

I would love to see a picture of the on-again off-again, and apparently now on-again, inflatable spare in a 991.

As far as where to put the spare, if no passenger and it fits in seat, great. If not, I would have no problem rolling it off to the side of the road, out of view if possible, and pick it up later, if it's still there. I am far more interested in the car and occupants going where the need to go than I am about a flat tire making the journey.

 

Around here, doing that effectively means you are throwing away the wheel and tire. Not sure I want to do that each time I get a flat.

 

I don't have kids to worry about so the back seats are likely to be used for overnight bags if at all. There should be plenty of space to put the damaged tire, suitably wrapped in a plastic bag of course.

Talking about the back seats. Here is something the motoring journalists don't consider much: I managed to convince the wife that this is the right car as it was the only car (in this kinda range with two doors) where we could flip the backrests down and have more than enough space to transport our three cats in their carriers to our usual weekend retreat. Her favourite choice of car failed miserably here (Base 2WD Gallardo). Never mind a few other issues (like nearly double the price).

Wonder if the cats will enjoy the PSE ?

Rainier

 

I looked at the Gallardo as well. But there was not space inside and I didn't fit comfortably... Not to mention the interior is outdated with much stiffer ride...
Cape Town is a very nice... I was there last year....

 

I have a 996 widebody with the Bose system and trying to get the rear tire into the back seat was a nightmare! The only time I ever got a flat, the flat tire had to be wedged into the front seat to transport it to the tire shop.

 

I have a spare from a Boxster that I use to keep in my 997, I wonder if it would fit my 991 ...as far as storage it fit in the Frunk

 

The tire will fit in the back seat if you have a Cab and the top is down otherwise no go I think. I know it won't fit in the truck as I tried that with my 996 and I wasn't able to put it in the back seat till I put the top down. That is probably why they did away with the spare.

 

That's a good point. Yes, it is not going to fit in the trunk, that is understood. I'll have to check on getting it into the rear seat. I have seen a damaged tire being transported in a 997 back seat (and that was a coupe) but I am not sure of the exact model.
My S has the 20" wheels of course. Those are not exactly small wheels.
I notice the tool kit has a tool seemingly intended to remove the tire from the rim ? Perhaps that is the answer. Should provide a good workout...

Maybe my dealer knows more...

Rainier

 

.
M5 driver here - I too had that angst of no spare tire - the puffer and goop just won't work on a blowout

bought a fullsized aftermarket rim and mounted a front tire (smaller than the rear, of course) on it (have a new set of tires just sitting in the garage)

took it to the dealership and made sure it fit all the way around with no rubbing - works great

put it in the trunk (wrapped in plastin) and took it on my 6000 mile drive last year - will do so again this year

a bit more room in the M5 than in ya'lls Porsches - the peace of mind is great

 

I don't see the average person removing the tire from the rim with handtools on the side of a road... Even if successfull, I imagine the rim would be torn up beyond reason before I was done with it

 

Do I understand you correctly that your Porsche dealer quoted the spare wheel and tools? Do you know if this is available from any Porsche dealer? I have a Cab so it may be feasible - thanks.

 

These are Porsche parts but the written quote I recieved does not include part numbers. The quote lists individual parts with prices right down to the foam insert that holds the tools. The most expensive piece of foam I have ever seen - by a very long way.
I'll only get the tire itself, that will halve the cost. I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling paying over $200 for a simple scissor jack that I can find in the local store for not much over $10 (and I prefer a small hydraulic bottle jack anyway).

It may be that this tire cannot be sold directly by Porsche in some countries due to legalities governing the form and shape of what a spare is supposed to look like and collapsible tires may not have been considered.
However, in that case I am sure you will find third parties offering the same though the back door. I think Suncoast in the U.S. is a likely outlet.

Rainier

 

A rough measurement suggests that the front 20" tires of the S will fit into the back of the 991 coupe and that it is possible to get the tire in if it is deflated.

The idea is that the spare always goes on the front, even if you have a flat at the rear. The front tire is not as stressed as a rear tire even at slow speeds and has less weight to bear.
If you have a flat at the rear you need to take a front tire and move it to the rear so you can use the spare in the front. I bit of a mission perhaps but still acceptable. Much better than no spare at all.

Rainier