Anybody have trouble with vehicle warranty with aftermarket wheels?

[WillB]

Hi Folks,

I am in the Orlando area, and I very impressed with this community and forum. I see that there are Tesla Motors Clubs all over, and will definitely be joining the one in Florida! I am looking forward to meeting some of you in person!

The reason why I am posting is because I recently purchased a used Tesla Model X 75D with 22 inch turbine wheels. It was less than a year old and had less than 4000 miles. I really like the vehicle, except for the ride. It rides like a sports car... While that may be fun for some people, it's not all that fun for me being an old guy who likes softer rides ;-) In looking into this, the consensus that I've gathered is that the ride (in terms of cushiness) is improved and also wh/mile is improved with 20 inch wheels compared with 22s.

Right now, Tesla has limited options for 20 inch wheels, but then I remembered T-Sportline and found these on their website: https://tsportline.com/collections/20-inch-tesla-wheels-model-x/products...

I remember seeing T-Sportline mentioned quite a bit in these forums, and when my wife and I went to the Tesla retail center in Santa Monica and looked at the Model 3 and asked about white seats, they just said "you can get them from T-Sportline". So T-Sportline seems to be a favorite among Tesla.

But before putting these on, I wanted to get the opinions and experiences from all of you. I wouldn't want Tesla to refuse warranty on the grounds that I installed these wheels. Regarding Tesla warranty, I found this on the T-Sportline website:
https://tsportline.com/blogs/owners-guide/will-installing-aftermarket-pa...

By the way, my Tesla service center tells me that they can install the tires and TPMS on these rims as long as a "sign an authorization for them to do work on my wheels". They told me that this paper was new as of February 2018, and that in the past, they wouldn't have even been able to do this.

Anyway, I figure there must be plenty of folks here on this forum who have T-Sportline wheels and who have needed warranty service, who can comment about their experiences.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Bill

PS: This is my first post, and I have made a similar post on the Tesla forum (that other Tesla website) -- just trying to gather as much input as quickly as possible. I hope by making a similar post in two forums that I have not committed a faux pas... If I have, please let me know and I'll make sure it never happens again...

 

[HugoBoss]

Rims will not void your warranty. Tsportline are nice. They use the stock hardware. Even Tesla centre caps if you would like. I have the 20" Tst in metallic grey on my silver X. Uses stock 20" tires. Just make sure when you get them mounted that they put the wider rims at the back. They will rub on the front. Its 1" wider rim at the rear.
Here is my referral for $100 off

T Sportline - Tesla Model S, X & 3 Aftermarket Accessories

 

[WillB]

Hi HugoBoss,

Thanks for the reply. I wound up purchasing the 20-inch TSTs, unfortunately shortly before seeing your post. I wish I would have waited, so that I could have received the $100 off. But perhaps you could pull some strings for me and get them to throw in a bit of touch-up paint. When the Tesla service center was mounting them, they actually scratched the center (near the cap)...

In any event, I can give some initial feedback. I actually used a sound meter to characterize the DB with the 22-inch wheels (stock Tesla Pirelli), so I could subjectively quantify the difference between the new 20-inch wheels (with stock Tesla Continental). As discussed in other sections of the forum, the 20-inch is definitely quieter (only by a few DB, but definitely quieter), and MUCH MUCH softer (no more feeling every pebble), and has increased range by around 20% (went from 420 wh/mi at 70MPH to 350 wh/mi).

Bill

 

[skilly]

voiding a warranty due to aftermarket parts, simply because they are aftermarket sourced, is illegal - reference the Magnusson Moss Warranty Act to learn the details. To summarize though, the burden of proof is on the warranty issuer to prove that the aftermarket part had a direct and indisputable connection to the failing part. If they cant prove this beyond doubt, they cant void a warranty claim on this basis.

The extended warranty for Tesla is different though....they have essentially modified it into an extended service contract, where they have allowed themselves much more restriction in the servicing of that contract - they require service records etc, and it suggests that they can deny claims based on their perception of neglect...where in a pure extended warranty, that too is also not permitted. It will be interesting to see if anyone comes up against this issue and challenges the framework that Tesla created - they promote it as an extended warranty but the details contradict the framework of a warranty.

 

[WillB]

AHA, yes, I had learned that. And yes, I saw that Tesla calls it their "Extended Service Agreement" (ESA). As the owner of a high-tech company myself, I must say I at least understand everything they're doing, and agree with most of it. I'd probably agree with all, if given the chance to walk a mile in their shoes...

 

[skilly]

AHA, yes, I had learned that. And yes, I saw that Tesla calls it their "Extended Service Agreement" (ESA). As the owner of a high-tech company myself, I must say I at least understand everything they're doing, and agree with most of it. I'd probably agree with all, if given the chance to walk a mile in their shoes...

Its cheesy. Bad form and way too much room for interpretation at the individual level. If they feel like it, they can deny your claim, or if they feel like it, they can accept your claim. For the money that you fork out, Im not sure how that is a fair practice; especially since the design of the contract is some tricky wording to avoid the law. My guess is that someone challenges it in court....remember, its not just for aftermarket parts, its really to force you into a service contract which can only be fulfilled by them. Again, illegal via Magnusson Moss Act.