CAR wholelife costs are being pushed up by vehicle manufacturers using space-saver spare tyres to cut down space and weight. Space-savers or 'skinny' spares were once only found in exotic sports cars, but are now supplied in some mainstream models from volume manufacturers.

These tyres cannot be used as replacements during standard services, so an extra tyre is needed over the life of the vehicle, sometimes adding hundreds of pounds to running costs, according to Kwik-Fit Fleet. It has found that about 11% of S-registration car owners whose tyres it has checked or replaced carry either a space-saver or a 'skinny spare', which is smaller than the standard tyre fitted to the car, compared to 5% in 1994.

Kwik-Fit Fleet sales and marketing director Simon Roper said: 'This is an effect of the move towards lower-profile and wider section tyres we have noticed over the years. For fleet operators, the tyre is not just a spare to be used in an emergency, it is the replacement that comes into play when one of the vehicle's four tyres needs to be changed through wear or damage.'