Jonathan Campbell wrote:
I recently bought a s-h. Toyota Auris.

When taking delivery, I demanded a lesson on how to change a wheel, or
more correctly, where was the spare, jack, lock-nut key etc.

Surprise. No spare. Just an electric pump (which is good and which
I've always carried anyway, even in a car with a spare) and a bottle
of gunge.
Any comments on the effectiveness of this solution?

The lack of a spare has caused me some worry; but that having been
said, and rapidly touching wood, I haven't had to change a wheel in
maybe 20 years --- an electric pump or foot pump always being able to
temporarily remedy punctures due to nails or thorns. Plus, renewing
tyres well before they are beyond the 1.6-mm legal limit.

I'd guess the gunge would be ineffective for a puncture caused by
severe kerbing or hitting a large stone? And you wouldn't want to
ruin a tyre with it if just a small relatively slow puncture.

I suppose I could buy a spare; there is space for one if the container
for the pump and gunge was removed.

Not having a spare is no problem as long as (a) you have a can of gunge for
"normal" punctures, or (b) you're a member of a breakdown service for those
times when the sidewall gets sliced or other big problems. We had a Smart
car for 4 years (they don't have a spare) and now I've got a car that's been
converted to run on LPG so there's a 70-litre toroidal gas tank sitting in
the spare wheel well instead of the spare wheel.