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18" or 19" wheels

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I wonder if Tesla would buy back the 18s at delivery if you ordered the 20s.
Suggest it to Elon. Do they do deliveries at showrooms or at service centers? Because if they're at the service center, it seems like they could just replace them there. But if they deliver at showrooms, then unless the showroom is also a service center, that would complicate the delivery system. But still better than slowing down the production line by adding more complexity. :)
 
My M3 is 19 and my wife's M3 is a 18. Definitely softer ride on the 18. I actually did a comparison on the ride back from the factory and confirmed that indeed the 18 has better efficiency by about 10%. I posted the details/results in another thread. The 19 are definitely sportier and you definitely feel the road. I am looking to add new springs on my 19. The 18in are perfect for in town driving. Hope this helps.

is this 10% delta with the 18 inch with aero covers or without?
 
Here is clear review between the two wheel sizes. Given that I have one M3 on 18 and another on 19, I very much agree with the handling aspect of the review. The 18s are definitely a smoother/softer ride vs the 19. My belief is that the 19 on UP lowering springs will be the perfect combination.


The Edmunds video said the ride with the 19s was softer, due to lower tire pressure compared to the 18s. Is that true?
 
The Edmunds video said the ride with the 19s was softer, due to lower tire pressure compared to the 18s. Is that true?

Well, 'ride' is a subjective term. Apparently Tesla has now revised the 18" pressure recommendation. The current manual suggests the same tire pressure for both wheel options.

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I was so conflicted until I watched the Edmunds video. Thank you to dhu1of Bezerkly for posting that.

I was conflicted because I wanted the 19" instead of 18" because they look cooler, but wanted the 18" over the 19" because they are more efficient.

The reason I drive Tesla is for efficiency. Motor is like 90% efficient instead of 13 or 17% efficient vis-à-vis gasoline, as you all already know ... Save the planet-- don't spew poison gas out when you drive-- I get that ...

So how do I justify buying 19" wheels when 18" have been shown to be more efficient?

Thanks to Dan Edmunds for showing all of us that the 19" are better.

I can order them without guilt! Thanks Dan.

We have an S90D for long trips. This upcoming Model 3 will be for short trips. Standard battery, 19" wheels, AWD.
 
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I was so conflicted until I watched the Edmunds video. Thank you to dhu1of Bezerkly for posting that.

I was conflicted because I wanted the 19" instead of 18" because they look cooler, but wanted the 18" over the 19" because they are more efficient.

The reason I drive Tesla is for efficiency. Motor is like 90% efficient instead of 13 or 17% efficient vis-à-vis gasoline, as you all already know ... Save the planet-- don't spew poison gas out when you drive-- I get that ...

So how do I justify buying 19" wheels when 18" have been shown to be more efficient?

Thanks to Dan Edmunds for showing all of us that the 19" are better.

that video shows no such thing.

First- they don't measure "efficiency" in any sense. Just performance.

What it shows is two completely different tires perform differently (Which isn't much revelation), and that the contis that they put on the 19s are less crappy than the MXM4s they put on the 18s

They'd need to test the same tire in both sizes to produce any useful info.

But I promise you- put better tires on the 18s and it'll beat the "stock" 19" contis in every single measurement. And cost less too.

Personally I'm planning on getting the 18s and having Michelin PS4s swapped on there first thing after getting the car, it'll cost about 500 bucks less than getting the mediocre 19" tires and perform a lot better (and be more "efficient" too).

Not to mention with equal tire pressure the 18s should feel better as well with more sidewall.
 
Personally I'm planning on getting the 18s and having Michelin PS4s swapped on there first thing after getting the car, it'll cost about 500 bucks less than getting the mediocre 19" tires and perform a lot better (and be more "efficient" too).

Not to mention with equal tire pressure the 18s should feel better as well with more sidewall.

I was torn between the 18s and 19s. Today, I saw the 18" wheels without the aero covers in person. Wow! They sure do look good. That sealed the deal for me. The aero covers will live in the garage unless I go on a long drive.
 
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I know it's a silly question but... 19's for an 80-mile daily commute. I'm I asking for trouble?

If it’s a smooth road, 19s are fine (in the end, the difference isn’t that extreme). The 18s will get better efficiency if that is a concern with the long commute (rough to estimate but possibly 5-10% difference).

If your commute has a lot of potholes, the 19” are more susceptible to damage.
 
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At freeway speeds, the difference in efficiency between the 19" and 18" wheels will be negligible.
Actually, I think it is the other way around. At highway speeds you will see more of a difference. The aerodynamics of the aero wheels come more into play at higher speeds.

Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it. I think you'll still get the rated 310 miles on 19's. I think you just loose out on the added miles on the 18's. I drive on 19's and they are just fine.
 
Seems simple; if you want better performance, get better tires, not bigger wheels. You're not going to see a measurable difference in performance from a very small sidewall height change, but you'll definitely notice a ride compromise on the 19s, and a subjective improvement in turn-in sharpness.

My Golf came with hideous 19s from the factory. I had new wheels and tires ready and waiting when the car arrived at the dealer. Put on aftermarket 18s that were much lighter, tires that were much better, and sold the factory boat anchors on eBay for very close to what it cost to get a GOOD set of wheels and tires. With a lighter wheel and tire package I ended up with a better ride, better performance, better handling, and better subjective looks!

The Aeros are fairly ugly but I think we'll probably go that route and possibly just ditch the covers.
 
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Cornering ability with the 18-inch tires has been amazing, and also a complete surprise to me. I did not know non-performance tires could grip this well. I can pull off cornering stunts that I would not attempt in any other Tesla (including the Roadster).
 
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When u lose range due to larger wheel size, is it because of the diameter of the wheel and rotation ? The rotational mass due to the heavier wheel/tires? Would having lighter and larger wheels improve this range loss?