ORLANDO, Fla. – I get questions all the time, but every now and then one comes in that feels a little more personal.
The latest? A friendly household debate between a husband and a wife over how fast you should drive on a spare tire — the good old “donut”.
So let me step in and help settle it.
If you’ve ever had to use that compact spare, you already know it’s not like your regular tire. It’s smaller, lighter, and designed to do one thing... get you from point A to point B safely until you can replace your full tire.
Most manufacturers recommend keeping your speed at or below 50 miles per hour and only driving on it for about 50 to 70 miles at most.
And there’s a reason for that.
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That donut has less traction, less stability, and it can affect how your car handles, especially when you’re braking or taking turns. Add in Central Florida rain, and now you’re really pushing your luck if you’re treating it like a normal tire.
So if one of you is saying, “We’re fine, let’s just keep going,” and the other is saying, “Hey, slow it down,” I’m going to side with the cautious approach every single time.
Here’s the best way to think about it: the donut isn’t your solution. It’s your ride to the solution.
Keep it under 50 miles per hour, take it easy on the road, and make getting that full tire replaced your next stop.
And just like that... debate settled, and hopefully everyone rides home a little happier.