Accident/flat tires and placement of the car jack

[Dan5]

I wonder how the Model S will handle tire changes either from an accident or a routine tire replacement.

Will a special jack be provided to disperse the load more evenly?

Will normal car jacks or the car lifts at tire places damage the car or the battery?

I don't think it will, but I want to make sure and search for places for tires that have the appropriate equipment (Those 21's aren't high wear tires so I would be replacing them every year)

 

[Mycroft]

We won't know until the RC cars are out.

 

[Doug_G]

I'm sure it will be just like the Roadster; they will tell you where the safe jack points are:

In fact the Roadster has markings on the underside showing where those jack points are.

 

[Trnsl8r]

I was told by a Santana Row rep that Model S will not include a spare, but rather one of those tire-in-a-tube thingies (I forget what they're called).

 

[Doug_G]

I was told by a Santana Row rep that Model S will not include a spare, but rather one of those tire-in-a-tube thingies (I forget what they're called).

Same thing with the Roadster; the manual calls it a "tire sealant aerosol". I would only use it if desperate; it will destroy the tire pressure monitor.

 

[Mycroft]

Yep. That stuff is to be used only when AAA is not available.

 

[dsm363]

Same thing with the Roadster; the manual calls it a "tire sealant aerosol". I would only use it if desperate; it will destroy the tire pressure monitor.

Didn't know that. Thanks. They should put that warning on the can if it's not already there. It's probably in the manual though.

 

[zdre]

Same thing with the Roadster; the manual calls it a "tire sealant aerosol". I would only use it if desperate; it will destroy the tire pressure monitor.

Some new cars have TPMS without use of in-wheel sensors. The system monitors the difference in rotation of the wheels when the steering wheel is straight and reports a warning when a wheel is spinning faster than others. I wonder how Tesla will implement it in the Model S?

 

[MitchL]

I was told that there would be in-wheel sensors for TPMS when I asked...

/Mitch.

 

[mnx]

Wouldn't run-flats be a much better option?

I was told by a Santana Row rep that Model S will not include a spare, but rather one of those tire-in-a-tube thingies (I forget what they're called).

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Wouldn't run-flats be a much better option?

The dreaded run-flats They have given me nothing but grief on a BMW 3 and a Mini. If one's busted (say, due to a nail or whatever), the pair of them would have to be replaced together and they aren't cheap at all! Not sure they are really worth it; if ever I get a flat, I'd pay for AAA service and a tow with traditional tires - assuming no spare (donut or otherwise) - rather than pay upfront for run-flats.

 

[mnx]

busted, as in not repairable? BMW told me they can't be repaired, but the tire shop i went to (who would love to sell me tires) said otherwise...

The dreaded run-flats They have given me nothing but grief on a BMW 3 and a Mini. If one's busted (say, due to a nail or whatever), the pair of them would have to be replaced together and they aren't cheap at all! Not sure they are really worth it; if ever I get a flat, I'd pay for AAA service and a tow with traditional tires - assuming no spare (donut or otherwise) - rather than pay upfront for run-flats.

 

[ElSupreme]

The dreaded run-flats They have given me nothing but grief on a BMW 3 and a Mini. If one's busted (say, due to a nail or whatever), the pair of them would have to be replaced together and they aren't cheap at all! Not sure they are really worth it; if ever I get a flat, I'd pay for AAA service and a tow with traditional tires - assuming no spare (donut or otherwise) - rather than pay upfront for run-flats.

My moms Z4 had them. Never flatted but they were not very grippy at all. I would take discount sport tires over $$$ run flats any day.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

busted, as in not repairable? BMW told me they can't be repaired, but the tire shop i went to (who would love to sell me tires) said otherwise...

Tire shops (Big O' and Costco) told me that they were not repairable :-( Ordered slightly cheaper ones from Tire Rack...

 

[Doug_G]

Wouldn't run-flats be a much better option?

Sure, if you like crappy tires.

 

[Sig698]

I've repaired a run flat on my Audi before, I think it depends on the particular type of run flat. However, they all give a much harsher ride and I have yet to find a decent performing one of the bunch.

 

[AustinPowers]

Honestly, how many flat tires have you all had in the last few years? I mean this isn't the sixties or seventies anymore. In the seventeen years that I have driven cars I never had a "regular" flat, just one as a result of an accident, but that wasn't the fault of the tire.

Nevertheless, changing the tires twice a year (winter/summer - summer/winter) happens here as well. In former times I did that myself at home, but as changing 18 inch tires isn't much fun (much less larger ones still) I now have them changed and stored at my local BMW dealer and I would use such a service with a Model S as well.

 

[mnx]

I've had 3 flat tires in the course of my driving career of 14 years... One of them was road debris (a rather large chunk of metal), another the tires were probably worn down too much and the third was a weird one. I was driving my motorcycle on the highway when the back end started sliding back and forth very gently. I slowed down, it got worse, I slowed down some more it got worse etc. When I reached the speed limit :redface: I finally decided to pull over. The tire had 4 holes the size of my thumb in it.

Honestly, how many flat tires have you all had in the last few years? I mean this isn't the sixties or seventies anymore. In the seventeen years that I have driven cars I never had a "regular" flat, just one as a result of an accident, but that wasn't the fault of the tire.

Nevertheless, changing the tires twice a year (winter/summer - summer/winter) happens here as well. In former times I did that myself at home, but as changing 18 inch tires isn't much fun (much less larger ones still) I now have them changed and stored at my local BMW dealer and I would use such a service with a Model S as well.

 

[Dan5]

Honestly, how many flat tires have you all had in the last few years? I mean this isn't the sixties or seventies anymore. In the seventeen years that I have driven cars I never had a "regular" flat, just one as a result of an accident, but that wasn't the fault of the tire.

So far in 12 years, 4 flat tires. Mostly from road debris, but one from a pothole. It's not fun jacking up a car in the work parking or a food store parking lot in the snow because you have places to go and don't have the time to wait for AAA.

 

[ElSupreme]

Honestly, how many flat tires have you all had in the last few years? I mean this isn't the sixties or seventies anymore. In the seventeen years that I have driven cars I never had a "regular" flat, just one as a result of an accident, but that wasn't the fault of the tire.

Nevertheless, changing the tires twice a year (winter/summer - summer/winter) happens here as well. In former times I did that myself at home, but as changing 18 inch tires isn't much fun (much less larger ones still) I now have them changed and stored at my local BMW dealer and I would use such a service with a Model S as well.

I have had 3 in 7 years. Granted 2 of them didn't necessitate a spare. They were slow leaks that required about 2 inflates / 24 hours. Both times I limped along for 2-3 days for my tires to get to the shop.

Granted 2 of those were from construction sites. But because of my work avoiding those isn't all that easy. I always seem to have to park in 'contractor' parking when visiting plants.