19 vs 20 in wheels on model 3 non-performance version...

[qdog1028]

Hi,

I'm wondering how many folks on here have considered upgrading to the 4,000 20 inch wheel package on the non-performance version of the model 3 and what the pros and cons of it are? Also it says they make suspension changes when they install the 20 inch wheels but not sure what exactly those are. At the end of the day I want the look of the performance model without the 25k extra price tag.

Model 3 20" Sport Wheel and Tire Package

Chris

 

[JeffK]

Hi,

I'm wondering how many folks on here have considered upgrading to the 4,000 20 inch wheel package on the non-performance version of the model 3 and what the pros and cons of it are? Also it says they make suspension changes when they install the 20 inch wheels but not sure what exactly those are. At the end of the day I want the look of the performance model without the 25k extra price tag.

Model 3 20" Sport Wheel and Tire Package

Chris

You might check out this thread to see someone's experience:
Just got 20" performance wheels installed on my Model 3!

 

[ewoodrick]

I feel that the answer it pretty easy. Are you someone that always rips stuff off the car and replaces it? Do you have disposable income that you can throw at the car.

If not, I think that you will be enormously happy with the basic LR model. I know I am. Spend the money on the EAP and FSD instead.

 

[Knightshade]

I'd personally consider what you're wanting to do a downgrade, versus spending 1k to put the same times on the stock 18s.

But if you care more about looks than performance, go nuts.

 

[qdog1028]

I'd personally consider what you're wanting to do a downgrade, versus spending 1k to put the same times on the stock 18s.

But if you care more about looks than performance, go nuts.

How exactly is it a downgrade from a performance perspective? And yes I do care about looks...the aero 18 wheels are just hideous. I'm discussing 19 vs 20...18 aero not even in the picture for me. Gross...

 

[qdog1028]

I feel that the answer it pretty easy. Are you someone that always rips stuff off the car and replaces it? Do you have disposable income that you can throw at the car.

If not, I think that you will be enormously happy with the basic LR model. I know I am. Spend the money on the EAP and FSD instead.

What is EAP and FSD?

 

[qdog1028]

What is EAP and FSD?

- Oh I already have Enhanced Auto-pilot. No need for Full Self-driving since it's illegal right now and seems to be a waste of $$$ to me.

 

[Knightshade]

How exactly is it a downgrade from a performance perspective? And yes I do care about looks...the aero 18 wheels are just hideous. I'm discussing 19 vs 20...18 aero not even in the picture for me. Gross...

The aeros with the covers removed and the tesla cap kit look better than the 19s or 20s IMHO. YMMV of course.

It's a downgrade from a performance perspective because the 20s are much larger and heavier than the 18s, while providing 0 performance upside of any kind in exchange for all that useless weight and shorter sidewall.

Throw the same sport tires on the 18s and you should be better off in every measurable way compared to the 20s.

 

[spesler]

I would go with 19s at time of purchase over 20s afterwards every time. The subtle appearance change is not worth the cost.

If you must have 20” wheels, go aftermarket. They’ll probably be cheaper and lighter, plus you get more tire options.

 

[rdunniii]

I feel that the answer it pretty easy. Are you someone that always rips stuff off the car and replaces it? Do you have disposable income that you can throw at the car.

If not, I think that you will be enormously happy with the basic LR model. I know I am. Spend the money on the EAP and FSD instead.

I Choose the opposite. I think spending the money on fancy cruise control that doesn't even work yet is throwing todays disposable money.

I think Tesla's EAP/FSD is far behind the others. There were public video's 2 years ago of cars driving around city streets without driver intervention and EAP won't even engage in the same situations.

But the performance car is AWESOME.

 

[SoCalGuy]

To answer your Q, I really liked the look of the larger 20s but couldn’t justify having to pay $4K and dealing with hassle of selling the 18s or 19s since Tesla was only allowing it after delivery. If there was an option to do it in configurator so I wouldn’t have two sets of rims/tires, I prob would have been willing to shell out $1000 more than the 19s (esp if they had the red calipers).

In retrospect, it worked out fine with the 19s since I’m already getting about 5-10% less range than the 18s. If you read the efficiency reviews of people with the P3D+ (ie with the 20s), they’re seeing about 20-25% less range than the 18s on RWD. Not worth such a big range hit. I do wish Tesla or 3rd party did a lightweight forged 20 that looked nice like the turbine or current 20s with an optional aero cap that didn’t look so ugly. Who knows - maybe another third party will.

 

[Knightshade]

I Choose the opposite. I think spending the money on fancy cruise control that doesn't even work yet is throwing todays disposable money.

I think Tesla's EAP/FSD is far behind the others.

Then you're demonstrably incorrect.

In every objective comparison done EAP beats every other system out there, usually by a lot, with one exception- Caddy supercruise- but that system only works in about 10% of the places the Tesla system works, and it's only really "better" in that it uses a camera instead of wheel torque to check if the driver is paying attention (and it more clearly indicates when it's on/off compared to in a 3).

I
There were public video's 2 years ago of cars driving around city streets without driver intervention and EAP won't even engage in the same situations..

I saw a video of a giant robot turning into a semi truck 2 years ago... I can't buy that at any dealership either though.

EAP I can actually purchase and use and it works fantastically well on virtually any divided highway (less well on local roads where it limits it to 45 mph- but even then TACC works at higher speeds and is a lot better than similar systems I've tried on some Lexus, Infiniti, and GM cars at least).

 

[Eno Deb]

At the end of the day I want the look of the performance model without the 25k extra price tag.

Everyone who is even interested in the details will see immediately that you still have the small brakes and identify you as a poser.

Seriously, IMO this is a giant waste of money, and range and performance will suffer too. Get the 19s if you don't like the Aero wheels.

 

[dhu1]

Hi,

I'm wondering how many folks on here have considered upgrading to the 4,000 20 inch wheel package on the non-performance version of the model 3 and what the pros and cons of it are? Also it says they make suspension changes when they install the 20 inch wheels but not sure what exactly those are. At the end of the day I want the look of the performance model without the 25k extra price tag.

Model 3 20" Sport Wheel and Tire Package

Chris

Best way forward in this is simply to purchase 20 in from those who have shelled out for the P3D+ package, but want aftermarket rims. I did this on mine. My rationale for this was 1) I wanted to fill the wheel well more so the gap is minimized 2) the 19" that I had provided for a pretty rough ride. The rubber on the 20's actually proved to be a softer ride than the 19's. In combination with the MPP coilovers, the handling has been superb.

Many people would question my modifications, but having had many performance vehicles (BMW M3/5 and Audi R8) has taught me that the thrill of the 3-4 seconds to 60 mph is awesome, but after a few months what I value most is the ride and the handling. This is why I prefer to put my extra money on the ride/handling, not to mention the aesthetics of the vehicle.

 

[rdunniii]

Then you're demonstrably incorrect.

In every objective comparison done EAP beats every other system out there, usually by a lot, with one exception- Caddy supercruise- but that system only works in about 10% of the places the Tesla system works, and it's only really "better" in that it uses a camera instead of wheel torque to check if the driver is paying attention (and it more clearly indicates when it's on/off compared to in a 3).

As are you. There's this application called Youtube that has videos of Waymo cars driving themselves around and there is a video of a Bolt self driving itself around San Francisco for over 40 minutes without driver intervention. There are others, if you look. If there are public videos showing off Tesla's tech I would love to see them.

When I try EAP on freeways it gets very confused at on and off ramps when the right line veers out or in or when lanes merge or diverge and it decides to drive in the middle even if there is a another car also attempting to merge, especially if that car is in the blind spot which it ignores completely. If I engage EAP on the road leading in or out of my subdivision, where the speed limit is 35, it engages at 45 and accelerates to 45 much too fast for me to correct and is thusly, for me, unsafe.

But, each to their own. I can drive and enjoy the performance version today and I can add the EAP/FSD for $11K in the future if/when I choose . And you can spend a similar amount for the MPP upgrades, etal in the future if you choose.

 

[JeffK]

As are you. There's this application called Youtube that has videos of Waymo cars driving themselves around and there is a video of a Bolt self driving itself around San Francisco for over 40 minutes without driver intervention. There are others, if you look. If there are public videos showing off Tesla's tech I would love to see them.

When I try EAP on freeways it gets very confused at on and off ramps when the right line veers out or in or when lanes merge or diverge and it decides to drive in the middle even if there is a another car also attempting to merge, especially if that car is in the blind spot which it ignores completely. If I engage EAP on the road leading in or out of my subdivision, where the speed limit is 35, it engages at 45 and accelerates to 45 much too fast for me to correct and is thusly, for me, unsafe.

But, each to their own. I can drive and enjoy the performance version today and I can add the EAP/FSD for $11K in the future if/when I choose . And you can spend a similar amount for the MPP upgrades, etal in the future if you choose.

Reading the manual might come in handy right here. Just saying...

 

[timk225]

If you want the performance brakes, will they fit with 19s or do you have to get 20s?

 

[Shizzrock]

The aeros with the covers removed and the tesla cap kit look better than the 19s or 20s IMHO. YMMV of course.

nope

It's a downgrade from a performance perspective because the 20s are much larger and heavier than the 18s, while providing 0 performance upside of any kind in exchange for all that useless weight and shorter sidewall.

the difference between both wheel/tire combos is 3.5 pounds. The shorter sidewall improves handling with less deflection.

Throw the same sport tires on the 18s and you should be better off in every measurable way compared to the 20s.

you'll take the same efficiency hit, but you'll have a worse looking setup IMO.

 

[Knightshade]

As are you. There's this application called Youtube that has videos of Waymo cars driving themselves around and there is a video of a Bolt self driving itself around San Francisco for over 40 minutes without driver intervention. There are others, if you look.

Uh...you just verified what I told you

None of those cars with those features are actually for sale to the public

Teslas are.

Videos of cars you can't actually own are just as useful as videos of Autobots waging their battle to destroy the evil forces of...the decepticons. Except even less entertaining.

If there are public videos showing off Tesla's tech I would love to see them.

Here's one from a couple years ago.

Watch A Fully-Autonomous Tesla Drive Itself Around Town And Parallel Park Itself

Unlike the cars you mention, you can actually buy a car that does at least some of the self-driving things in the demo video too.

So when you say it's "way behind" on these features you'd need to give examples of better versions that you can actually own and drive.

So far, you haven't.

 

[Knightshade]

nope

Yup

The 19/20s look like a junk knockoff in the wrong shade of the much nicer Tsportline wheels.

The 18s without caps just look like decent dark split spokes.

the difference between both wheel/tire combos is 3.5 pounds.

Heavier, uglier, wheels with more unsprung weight and no extra width. That's a 3 time loser wheel

And that's from 18s->19s... from 18s->20s is 7 lbs per wheel.... 28 lbs more unspring weight.

The shorter sidewall improves handling with less deflection.

But more weight on each wheel... I'd be pretty surprised if there'd be a measurable difference in net performance between the two though.

There's a measurable difference in cost to replace the tires when the time comes though, plus the cost paid for the uglier wheels up front...

you'll take the same efficiency hit, but you'll have a worse looking setup IMO.

Exactly backward. The 18s will still be more efficient from less spinning mass and look better...and I can easily swap the aero covers back on for road trips too.