I recently purchased a 2015 vehicle from a Mid- Coast Maine dealer. This was not an inexpensive purchase — the decision was made on the basis of comfort, durability, safety and reputation as I was forking over more than $38,000. (That is like twice the cost of my first home!) The reason I’m writing is to warn others who may be purchasing a new vehicle and may be as unaware as I that there are several manufacturers who do not include a spare tire within the usual trunk space. Instead, they provide a can of air and maybe a jack. Mine is one of these manufacturers, yet I found this out the hard way. The can of air does not quite help if you have sidewall damage and your only hope is to be flat-bedded.

I’ve been most unsatisfied by the manufacturer’s response as well as the dealer’s response when I complained that I’d not been told I had no spare. Their offers consist of everything including refitting my trunk compartment to allow for a donut spare at an estimated cost of around $900 — or a 30-percent discount on aftermarket products I might want to add to my vehicle if I spend $300 or more.

My message is simple — ask ask ask if you are purchasing a new automobile and — if you’ve already purchased one, CHECK YOUR TRUNK!

BJ Richards
Woolwich