Nowadays, newer cars are doing away with spare tires, lug wrenches, and jacks. Without these things, a car loses about 50 lbs of weight. This makes a huge difference in terms of fuel efficiency.

While tire blowouts and flats rarely happen, it can still occur at the worst times. The last thing you want to do on your long road trip is to waste a lot of time dealing with a leaking tire. You can try to avoid getting a flat tire, or you can use one of the following methods if you are stuck with no spare tire.

Buy a new or used wheel and tire

To get a spare tire for your vehicle, check with the dealership that sold you the car. You can often get another full-size wheel to keep on hand. Expect it to cost you, though, because you will need one to match the same brand and style of tire that’s already on the car. Buying an inexpensive one might work, but if you drive too long with it on, it could harm your other tires or ruin your axles.

Another option is to find a used one from eBay, Craigslist, or a local salvage yard. Used tires may not be the safest option, though. You don’t know what driving conditions it’s been in. But in an emergency, it could get you a short distance to a tire shop to get a new tire put on.

Install run-flat tires on your car

Run-flat tires are built to keep the car on the road after a puncture occurs. It allows you to drive straight to a tire shop to replace the tire or have it repaired. This way you don’t have to worry about stopping on a busy highway or in an unsafe area to change a flat.

A lot of newer cars are using run-flat tires as standard options nowadays. If your vehicle doesn’t currently have them, consider purchasing a set for yourself. It just might keep your mind at ease, knowing you and your family are safe even when you experience a flat.

Emergency tire kits

These kits are easier to use than going through the hassle of changing a tire on your vehicle. An emergency roadside kit for repairing tires will enable you to fix the flat on the go so you can drive somewhere to get it fixed properly or have it replaced.

If you don’t want to purchase a ready-made kit, you can always create one of your own. All you need is a tire sealant and a tire inflator. As long as you can seal the puncture and pump up the tire you’re good to go to the tire shop destination.

Call a roadside service

If you own a new vehicle, you may already have a roadside service that you can use when something goes wrong with the car. If not, there are plenty of options to purchase a subscription from. This would be a great idea if you are the type of person who doesn’t want to mess around doing anything to a tire.

Simply call your service’s number and wait for a tow truck to come out and take care of the car. The downside to this, however, is that you may end up waiting longer than you expected. These services tend to use tow trucks under their contract, so they may come from quite a distance to get to you.

Finding yourself without a spare tire in your car or truck is not the end of the world. There are ways to still get you to a repair shop without spending too much money to do it. No matter which route you choose to go, you will get back up and running again in no time as long as you take the time to prepare.