If there is snow you'd really appreciate having the AWD.
Two of my neighbors have 2WD's and many times I've driven by them when they are stuck in the snow.

I keep my spare in the trunk, very few times I need to stow away the third row so it doesn't really bother me.

 

Do you have it mounted? Or just rolling around? Full size spare? Would you be able to snap a pic for us. Curious what you do.

Many thanks!

 

If you need AWD then yes its worth it but I really don't see it as a headache. I carry an air pump, cans of fix a flat and a temp spare. you can see what I and others posted in this thread.

http://www.siennachat.com/forum/40-general-discussion/29674-2015-sienna-ltd-awd-spare-tire-3.html

I mount mine behind the 3rd row seat, If I need to lay the seat down I move the spare to the side and attach to the top seat belt and rear seat mount points.

 

Temp spare!? I need to read up on this!!

 

If you are looking to stay in the Toyota family and at a price point similar to the Sienna, have you considered the Highlander and 4Runner? The AWD Highlander comes with a temporary spare tire and the 4WD 4Runner comes with a full size spare tire.

The 4Runner would likely be the best in snow and is a real truck with body on frame. The Highlander is very car-like but still has much more ground (i.e. snow) clearance than a Sienna.

All have three rows of seats but the Sienna has the most interior space. Consider branching out?

 

Hey Geezer.

The 4Runner is a no-way. Probably Toyota's oldest and most outdated vehicle.

My wife wants the Highlander I want the Sienna (I love sliding doors and the ability to haul kids and grandparents).
IMHO the third row seating in the Highlander is a token third row at best. When the third row is in use there is zero cargo space. Plus our kids and their friends are not getting smaller.

 

I never considered the FWD model. Too much snow and ice around here (UP Michigan). I ditched the run flats and put on a set of Yokohama Geolander GO15's (all terrain with snowflake). After one winter with these tires I'm sold on them. This van just goes, regardless of the conditions and they are far quieter on the highway then the run flats. I'm not messing with winter tires, summer tires, extra TPMS tools, etc. I just carry some fix a flat and a compressor. For long trips I intend to get a cheap full size spare/wheel and carry in a roof top carrier.

If you have to ask if you should get the AWD chances are you need/want it. It's worth the hassle of the spare tire issue.

I can't even give the run flats away despite them only having 10k miles on them. It's as if everyone knows they are junk!!

 

Can you please take a pic of your van with these tires on it. They appear to be beefy looking...curious how they look on a Sienna.

Thanks!

Even though I'm far away, I'm a loyal fan...GO BLUE!

 

I have a donut strapped down and an inflation kit.

I live in Utah and I probably wouldn't be interested in a Sienna without the AWD. I've only had it one season but it dumped here this year and I ski. The Sienna was a beast in the snow with Blizzak's on it. We drove around California and Wyoming skiing this year. I passed every type of truck and SUV made in the worst of storm. The Sienna never spun out once this year and only slipped once going down hill at Snowbird Ski Resort. It had dumped like 3' of snow that day and the road was being closed so I'll give it a pass on that slide. If you drive a lot in bad weather you will not regret the hassle factor of that spare.

 

We have 2 AWDs
2005 and 2015 --- 2005 is now in semi-retirement
Have driven back and forth from Cape Cod to Utah the last 17 winters
and then up Little Cottonwood Canyon hundreds of times
on some days AWD in the canyon is a police requirement
We use 4 snow tires and a compact spare in rear "Trunk"
just in case.
AWD and snows have saved our fannies many times.
Travelling across I80 Wyoming in winter can be very scary

Good luck -

 

I'm on my 2nd Sienna AWD - first a 2004, now a 2011. I live in Portland Maine, and used to live in Buffalo NY and still travel quite a bit. AWD is a huge plus in snow. I also have 2 sets of tires with rims - one all season set, and one winter tire set. I don't have tpms sensors in my winter set and ignore the warning during the winter months (some mechanics won't swap the tires without the tpms sensors installed - your results might vary) .

Regarding AWD - In a nutshell, I don't get stuck - period. Poor weather handling is superior, and I don't worry in rain, snow, or even taking my van into muddy terrain on occasion. I also have AAA Premier RV which provides multiple tows (one up to 250 miles) and even gas if I run out. If I get a flat, I have AAA to bail me out.

Regarding a spare - I've had a few flats in the past but nothing requiring a tow yet (18+ years now). Most flats occur when your tires have become really worn and a nail makes it past the tread, others are generally the result from a slow leak. Keeping good tires on your ride keeps your chances of a flat pretty low, and the slow leaks usually give you enough warning to take your van to a mechanic without needing to change your tire.

Just my 2 cents

 

My wife is the primary driver and there is no way she is going to change a tire. With older vehicles she would have to call someone to rescue her when she got a flat. I like that now she can just drive the van home. I'm willing to live with the fact that the tire will need to be replaced, it's a tradeoff that I'm willing to accept if it means that she can drive the van home or to a shop.

 

I picked up a 2015+ Mustang spare rim off of craigslist since it's alloy, and had a Dunlop Space Miser donut put on it. The Dunlop has an outer diameter of 28.5", which is close enough to the 29" of the all terrain tires that the van now wears. The total weight of the spare wheel with tire is 33 lbs.

 

The spare tire sticky thread discusses the use of an inflatable spare. Does anyone know where a Vredestein space master spare (185/75/17) mounted on a rim can be purchased? Are used ones on ebay the only option other than going to a Merc dealer's parts dept? Is that even an option these days? Thanks in advance.

 

I know Vredestein won't sell to customers directly (I asked) so you would probably have to try Mercedes (or other luxury brands that use the same wheel/tire) if you wanted a new one. I think they still use them and assume they would sell you one, although it would probably cost quite a lot. I was lucky and got my unused condition one off ebay for a nice price but it'll take a while looking on ebay, but you could probably get one if you are patient. Used quality ones are easier to find on ebay of course but some are quite shabby (I sent one back due to poor condition).

 

My other car is also AWD on a platform that originally wasn’t designed for AWD so like the Sienna it didn’t come from the factory with a spare.

Only a month after buying it I hit a big pothole on a remote mountain road, got a blowout, and the fix-a-flat just poured out the hole in the sidewall. I had to hike to get cell reception and then there were no tow trucks available for hours because I was so remote. I was very late for work and had to leave the car overnight.

That is to say I love AWD but I also understand the value of a spare. I put a full-time spare in my other vehicle and plan to do the same on my new (used) Sienna AWD. Now I just have to read through all the other threads and find a solution that works for us. I like the idea of a full size spare on a roof basket because I want to make a sort of adventurevan. But that will probably cause wind noise and will hurt mileage... There were some slick looking options where it was hung behind the third row, so maybe I’ll go that route.


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LDBirdhouse,

How'd this turn out? I too live in Alberta. Here in Lethbridge AWD isn't needed much. We couldn't find what we were looking for in FWD, somwe opted for an 2007 AWD. LOVE IT. We did swap to regular tires and a compact spare. We throw it in on road trips. Either behind the second row ratcheted down or flat behind the 3rd row when we need those seats. Knock on wood, we've never needed it.

 

We bought a Limited AWD. Put Nokian winter tires on it the next day. No way I would have been happy with FWD this past winter.

What did you do for a compact spare?

 

Just this morning I purchased a like new 18 inch oem rim from eBay for 150 which is a steal since they are 500 new. This is not a reconditioned rim. There are about 8 left for anyone interested. I have a 13 limited AWD. We are keeping run flats but want to throw a full size spare in the van for the big trips. I have blown a tire on a pothole on a ski trip in the past and I really don’t want to be without a spare in these situations. It is not always a slow leak with tires- sometimes they explode!

 

I ended up buying a full height spare tire off eBay. It was within about 1/8-1/4". What area of Alberta are you in?

 

What vehicle did it come from? Some members here have gotten a Mustang spare but it is pretty far off if you do the calculations.

 

I bought a'17 AWD Limited as we live in Canada, and my wife won't drive a vehicle in the winter without AWD and winter tires (with good reason I might add). I bought a set of Nokia Hakkapelitta runflat winter tires on steel rims. That thing is a tank in the winter. Nothing stops it. So glad we did it that way!! No spare tire in the vehicle and TPMS sensors on the winter rims, so no warning light on the dash.

 

Anyone retrofit the spare tire winch and a spare under the vehicle on an AWD Limited?


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Not possible. No cutout for the spare underneath and there's a driveshaft running through where part of the spare fits.

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I found the tire bag on Bavarian Autosport. I like the bag cause it keeps the tire smell in the bag.

 

I honestly don't know. It was for the Sienna.

 

I just set up a spare so I’ll post my solution:
I bought a 155/90/R17 spare “Kenda” spare from a Honda CRV on eBay. Upside is that they are relatively cheap (less than $100), thin donut size, but basically the exact diameter of the stock wheels so that it shouldn’t hurt the AWD system. The major downside is that it doesn’t clear the front brake calipers. It fits and rolls fine on the rear. So if I get a flat up front I’ll need to swap a rear tire onto the front and put the donut on the rear.

I asked my wife if she wanted me to rig up a hanging bag behind the rear seats like others have done, but she said she would prefer to mount it on top. Fine with me as it gives an adventurey look.

I looked around at roof baskets and settled on the Curt because I wanted a short (length) basket that would fit between the rear sunroof and the rear liftgate. By mounting it behind the sunroof I can stand out the sunroof and load/unload the basket easily. The downside is that the rear of the basket isn’t well supported so I have to keep heavy items in the front of the basket.

I did a lot of sealing work to prevent rust, and I rigged up a mounting system for the tire using some aluminum square tube and a stainless steel carriage bolt. Here are pics:

 

I just set up a spare so I’ll post my solution:
I bought a 155/90/R17 spare “Kenda” spare from a Honda CRV on eBay. Upside is that they are relatively cheap (less than $100), thin donut size, but basically the exact diameter of the stock wheels so that it shouldn’t hurt the AWD system. The major downside is that it doesn’t clear the front brake calipers. It fits and rolls fine on the rear. So if I get a flat up front I’ll need to swap a rear tire onto the front and put the donut on the rear.

If you got the Kenda spare idea from me (I don't think anyone else posted about that specific spare from the CRV), I'm sorry it didn't work out. I never actually put it on the car as I haven't gotten a flat yet (and actually mine is sitting in my garage for the past 4+ years).

I wonder why it doesn't work though, since the donut tire is narrower than the stock wheels. Guess I don't understand exactly how the wheel fits with relation to the brake calipers. I think it's usually recommended anyway to not use spare wheels/tires on the front anyway though, at least for a FWD (or AWD that mostly runs FWD like the Sienna).

The Curt solution you came up with looks cool. I've looked into something similar in the past -- I think either Yakima or Thule had a spare tire attachment for their roof baskets, although not sure if it's still made anymore. It's a good workaround if you don't mind the safari look. :wink:

 

Spare tire placement update, decided to move my spare from behind the 60%rear seat to a new location. Got tired of moving it to fold down the seat for large loads. Since I never use the 40% seat i am leaving it stowed and mounting the spare on top of it. It's much easier to access and move when needed.

 

how is it held there? what is the thing in the middle of the tire?


i'd like to do this method

 

The spare issue was a deal breaker for us. It was unfortunate as we're located in snow country and we travel all over the west to different ski areas on a regular basis. We've had a FWD Honda van prior to our recent Sienna acquisition. I was excited about the AWD option as we've always owned an AWD vehicle or two(Subaru) and a Toyota truck of one form or another. Ultimately, we couldn't come to a good solution to the spare tire issue for us. We need all the space inside to haul gear. We were not willing to have a spare mounted outside or in a cargo box on top. I lost 3mpg in the Subaru when I have the box on top and I hate what it does to the handling of the car. Run flats are not something I'm willing to deal with as the cost is higher for a ride that is diminished. That and we're often in places with freezing temps and more than 100 miles from a place that would have similar tires to replace the blown tire. Finding myself on the side of the road in -2F temps in BFE Wyoming dealing with a tire that has a sidewall gash in my AWD car is not something I'm willing to chance without a spare.

Our needs are probably different than most but that's why we stuck with the FWD option. The need for space, gas mileage, and not finding ourselves stranded without a spare in the middle of nowhere were factors in our decision. That and our Honda van rips through snow covered roads just fine with good studded tires. We also have the Tundra should the forecast call for something a little more burly. That said, we were really bummed to find out about the lack of a spare tire on the Sienna. I was 24 hours from getting on a plane and flying to Illinois to pick one up at a price we could not get in the PNW. Where we live the Toyota dealer doesn't even stock the FWD Sienna and the AWD model sells as fast as they can get them in.

 

You made the right choice with the FWD. We have a FWD Sienna and our friends bought the AWD. We have each ridden quite a bit in each others vans and have had a good opportunity to compare them. Both are good vans. The FWD is less expensive as well as having all the advantages you listed. They are also less expensive to own and maintain. The FWD has a much better and quieter ride. Our friends have often mentioned they regretted not buying the FWD model. In the 14 years we have owned our FWD I have never felt the need for a AWD model. We have traveled extensively and live in an are that experiences all four seasons. Our experience and our friends who own an AWD Sienna would confirm you made the right decision.

 

Having owned a number of Subarus in the last 20 years, I know you can't beat AWD and studs in the worst of the worst conditions. It just wasn't worth it knowing what what we've done and where we've been in our Honda Odyssey. FWD with with studs will get you through 98% of driving we do and that's thousands of miles annually on snow covered roads. We have the Tundra and we'll be picking up another Subi soon enough for the other 2%(Ugh-hard to beat in the snow but not the most reliable car I've ever owned) Zero doubt the FWD Sienna was the right choice for us. Now I need to figure out a winter wheel setup for the Sienna. I need to lurk around this forum and see what others have done for a second set of winter wheels.

 

@Camper Van Someren can you tell me if your stock rims fit inside the Curt basket? I'm planning to use one of my stock rims as a spare after I buy aftermarket rims. Thanks.

 

What a business opportunity! There should be a specialist in spare tire sales/retrofitting. SO many cars no longer come with them (AWD or not) to save weight and increase mpg.... but SO many customers aren't having it. A one-stop seller of "the right" spare for your vehicle would likely find many customers. I briefly considered a Pacifica Hybrid, which also has no spare and no place to put one. For certain, I would have been shopping for a spare. Same story with a Volvo V60 and BMW X1, we considered but ultimately, I wasn't willing to risk rural living with an expensive, vulnerable runflat.