18 vs 19 inch wheels? Help please

[TT97]

I’m confused
In this video

shows the opposite that most people say on this thread. He says that the 19” have better

Ride comfort because of lower tyre pressure
Grip in corners
Stopping distance
Faster acceleration time

So does that mean the only advantage the 18” is range?

Tire pressure should be 42 psi for either size. Not sure what pressure they set each wheel.

Weather and tire have a big effect on all the categories. As they did not test on the same day, the weather variable is an unknown. The tires do seem better on the 19" vs the 18" but that can be fixed.

Having all the variables equal (other than size), 18" will have better ride comfort, 19" will handle better, stopping distance and acceleration will not have a significant difference (although the 18" are slightly lighter that will get a minor advantage).

 

[Adman2298]

I’m confused
In this video

shows the opposite that most people say on this thread. He says that the 19” have better

Ride comfort because of lower tyre pressure
Grip in corners
Stopping distance
Faster acceleration time

So does that mean the only advantage the 18” is range?

Yes, and that is only in long range freeway situations. I am seeing the same range in short commuter and city runs in my 19" staggered setup. 40-45 miles.

 

[Whisky]

shows the opposite that most people say on this thread. He says that the 19” have better

Ride comfort because of lower tyre pressure
Grip in corners
Stopping distance
Faster acceleration time

So does that mean the only advantage the 18” is range?[/QUOTE]

The assumptions most people are making are true, but the 19" rims have a different type of tire that can mitigate those factors. Sounds like Tesla picked a great combo, and that makes this decision all the harder.

 

[outdoors]

shows the opposite that most people say on this thread. He says that the 19” have better

Ride comfort because of lower tyre pressure
Grip in corners
Stopping distance
Faster acceleration time

So does that mean the only advantage the 18” is range?

Not really sure this is an apples to apples comparison. One might say it would be if they equipped the 18's with performance tires as well. Would also like to see the SOC of the car when both were done etc...

I would not be basing my decision on either 18's or 19's that come from Tesla based on the Edmunds test.

I agree great combo for the 19's, and I don't ever see them offering a different tire on the 18's. Plan on burning up the stock 18's and trading in for some higher performance rubber.

 

[TT97]

I agree great combo for the 19's, and I don't ever see them offering a different tire on the 18's. Plan on burning up the stock 18's and trading in for some higher performance rubber.

The Owner’s Manual also references Michelin Pilot Sport 4 as OEM for the 18” but not holding my breath for those. Once I burn off my 18” (or get fed up), I will be replacing with summer performance tires - in SoCal, those are 4 season tires.

 

[Sandiegodoug]

I love the Aeros because so easy to keep
clean. Takes me a long time to detail my wife’s x wheels.

 

[Adman2298]

The Owner’s Manual also references Michelin Pilot Sport 4 as OEM for the 18” but not holding my breath for those. Once I burn off my 18” (or get fed up), I will be replacing with summer performance tires - in SoCal, those are 4 season tires.

Those are only mentioned on the website as the option for the 20" wheels. I live in SoCal and you don't want those type of tires unless you enjoy buying tires every 20K miles. The ride will be awful, they will hum like a cicada, they are way more expensive than other tires and unless you really just want to tell everyone that what's on your car, they generally have no other benefit. If you are riding 20" rims, absolutely get them, as they have a thicker sidewall so as to avoid the pothole blowout, but that's not a guarantee, especially in LA on their terrible roads!!

 

[TT97]

Those are only mentioned on the website as the option for the 20" wheels. I live in SoCal and you don't want those type of tires unless you enjoy buying tires every 20K miles. The ride will be awful, they will hum like a cicada, they are way more expensive than other tires and unless you really just want to tell everyone that what's on your car, they generally have no other benefit. If you are riding 20" rims, absolutely get them, as they have a thicker sidewall so as to avoid the pothole blowout, but that's not a guarantee, especially in LA on their terrible roads!!

I have Pirelli P Zeros now and actually would be thrilled with them lasting 20k . I drive less than 10,000 miles a year so end up replacing less often (also means it will be a while before I burn through the starter set). My current car is a 3-year lease coming due in two weeks and I have 25k miles on it.

 

[Adman2298]

shows the opposite that most people say on this thread. He says that the 19” have better

Ride comfort because of lower tyre pressure
Grip in corners
Stopping distance
Faster acceleration time

So does that mean the only advantage the 18” is range?

The assumptions most people are making are true, but the 19" rims have a different type of tire that can mitigate those factors. Sounds like Tesla picked a great combo, and that makes this decision all the harder.[/QUOTE]
Tesla recommends 42 psi for the tires. Absolutely makes no sense that the ride comfort would be better! Performance wise, they will absolutely be better, but if you are going to pay extra, why not get something way cooler that weigh less, look nicer, and give you all the same benefits? My 19" staggered setup weigh the same as the 18" aeros, have the same range in town (less on the fwy but so do the factory 19") and look way more sporty!

 

[Adman2298]

I have Pirelli P Zeros now and actually would be thrilled with them lasting 20k . I drive less than 10,000 miles a year so end up replacing less often (also means it will be a while before I burn through the starter set). My current car is a 3-year lease coming due in two weeks and I have 25k miles on it.

My P Zero setup on my staggered setup are all season plus. They have a 50,000 treadlife and are specifically designed to be quieter and much better in water for those nasty LA rain storms we get a few times a year. I drive 20,000 miles per year, so these are a much better option for me!

 

[Whisky]

My 19" staggered setup weigh the same as the 18" aeros, have the same range in town (less on the fwy but so do the factory 19") and look way more sporty!
View attachment 298700 View attachment 298701

Nice!

 

[Adman2298]

Nice!

245/40 on the front and 275/35 on the rear. Looks super nice and the wheels weigh 22lbs/23lbs respectively. The 245 front weighs 49lbs and 275 rear weigh 50lbs. The stock 18" aero's weigh 49lbs with the tire on. We weighed them! I've lost nothing in my 44 mile commute everyday and they look way nicer (as far as range loss). We went to Vegas this past weekend and made it the entire way on 1 charge with this setup...you have to get the right type of wheels, not the heavy cast ones that weigh 30lbs+.

 

[rcarpen22]

It's probably been said, but in a realistic weighted decision matrix, by far (and I mean like 95% of the decision) the most important factor is which one you prefer (from a looks and cost standpoint). The real world performance differences will vary so much more by choice of tire (and how diligent you are at maintaining the proper pressure) that the inherent characteristics of the 1" difference in wheel size will be negligible. Personally, I prefer the 19s, but the 18s (sans covers) are growing on me. I do not like the aero covers at all.

 

[Adman2298]

It's probably been said, but in a realistic weighted decision matrix, by far (and I mean like 95% of the decision) the most important factor is which one you prefer (from a looks and cost standpoint). The real world performance differences will vary so much more by choice of tire (and how diligent you are at maintaining the proper pressure) that the inherent characteristics of the 1" difference in wheel size will be negligible. Personally, I prefer the 19s, but the 18s (sans covers) are growing on me. I do not like the aero covers at all.

Couldn't agree more. I did not like the 19" square option at all and they weigh a lot. I didn't want the same issues as the MS with the 21" turbines and blowouts so going 20's wasn't even an option for me. The 19's do everything the 20's do and give me that peace of mind that I won't hit a pothole and blow out a tire or bend a rim. They cost double the factory option but people are banging my door down to get my old 18's as backups. Once I confirm the setup, they are gone! It's only been 2 weeks on this combo and they are working great. Just finalizing the lowering setup with Unplugged here in LA. It appears the new 2018 M3 has a different rear suspension setup than the 2017...hummmmm. So the springs actually lower the car MORE than originally engineered...work in progress. Car goes back Monday for engineering. Update you later on that one...

 

[Whisky]

It's probably been said, but in a realistic weighted decision matrix, by far (and I mean like 95% of the decision) the most important factor is which one you prefer (from a looks and cost standpoint). The real world performance differences will vary so much more by choice of tire (and how diligent you are at maintaining the proper pressure) that the inherent characteristics of the 1" difference in wheel size will be negligible. Personally, I prefer the 19s, but the 18s (sans covers) are growing on me. I do not like the aero covers at all.

Well said.

 

[Steve_TS]

I went 19" staggered with aftermarket AG M621's. The entire package weighs the same as the 18" aero wheels (the rear is 1 pound more due to the tire being much larger) but I don't think 2 lbs is going to make much of a difference. I am going to check range this weekend as I am heading to Vegas. I'll let you know how it goes...

I'll cool and sporty with functionality any day of the week and these look so much better than either of the Tesla options. BTW, I kept them as a 19" setup.

Here are some pics...

View attachment 296930 View attachment 296931 View attachment 296932 View attachment 296933

I placed my order on Thursday night for a silver car with base tires.. (hopefully I can still change that)

My reasoning for regular tires is the following:
- 10 percent better range
- I don't want summer tires because they are more fragile, more expensive to replace and need to be replaced at a far more frequency

Now I did a bit more research and here's what I came across:
- 19 inch wheels come with all season tires as well. Mileage rating is around the same as base Michelin tires.
- cost of tires is about $50 more per tires. So I am looking at a $200 price premium after 50k miles which seems negligible on a $55k car
- testing so far indicates a 4 percent range loss by switching from the 18 inch wheels with ugly aero covers (which I wasn't planning to use) to 19 inch wheels.
- braking distance from 60 to stop seems to go from 133 feet (which seems high) with 18 inch wheels to 119 feet with 19 inch wheels

Is the above correct? What are your thoughts on this? Note that I live in socal... I don't want two set of tires. Also third party options (like tsportline) are more expensive than $1,500 usually...

Thoughts?
Thanks all

I have a 2018 M3 with 18” wheels. Just today I took a rim to rim diameter measure of the wheel and the reading was 19.5 inches. Am I wrong? Have any 19” wheel M3 owners measured yours? If the rim diameter measure does not show much of a difference then it would really come down to tire selection I suspect. If that theory holds then the “19 inch wheels” from Tesla really gives you an option of style. However this is just an assumption until the real measurement comes in.

 

[Adman2298]

I have a 2018 M3 with 18” wheels. Just today I took a rim to rim diameter measure of the wheel and the reading was 19.5 inches. Am I wrong? Have any 19” wheel M3 owners measured yours? If the rim diameter measure does not show much of a difference then it would really come down to tire selection I suspect. If that theory holds then the “19 inch wheels” from Tesla really gives you an option of style. However this is just an assumption until the real measurement comes in.

Rim diameter is not as important as the tire diameter. Contrary to most, tires are actually different, even in similar rim sizes. A lot of folks like the summer sport tires but I chose the all season P Zero for a reason...quietness, mileage and tread life! I know that my setup for wheels and tires are 26.6 and 26.7. Only affects speedo by 1 mph or less. And it shows on the screen BTW. But the Tesla 19" wheels are supposed to be 23lbs but nobody has weighed them with tires on? I would like to know that number if anyone has it...As to your option of style...they are still the same rim, what option do you really have and at what cost?

 

[Steve_TS]

I just wonder what the rim to rim diameter is for 19” wheels

 

[Adman2298]

The Owner’s Manual also references Michelin Pilot Sport 4 as OEM for the 18” but not holding my breath for those. Once I burn off my 18” (or get fed up), I will be replacing with summer performance tires - in SoCal, those are 4 season tires.

Pilot S4 is only for the 20" model. Not the 18".

 

[Adman2298]

By the way, I have info from the engineers at Tesla direct that they do not recommend 20" wheels for this model. Although they are now offering one, you need their upper control forearm links and they don't sell them alone. They approved my 19" setup of 245/40 and 275/35.

Just an FYI.