Expensive tires!

[182RG]

I'm looking to get 21's. Why not 21's? Is it the rougher or louder ride?

More wheel, less tire. Very short sidewall, that offers very limited damage defense due to no cushion compared to 19s and smaller. Potholes, and other road hazards can bend a rim in an instant. That is the penalty of ultra-low profile tire/wheel combinations.

I had the same experience as the OP with and Infiniti G35 Coupe 6MT. A pothole took out right front/rear rims and both tires. A pothole that a normal sized wheel/tire combination probably would have bounced out of undamaged. Rims $900 each, and tires $250 each. I'll never go larger than 19 again on any vehicle. I don't care what it looks like.

 

[sorka]

I feel your pain, D.
My first thought would be to claim this damage from your car insurance. Probably you'll end up paying higher costs for years and years, though.

This will be counted under comprehensive and cannot raise your rates.

I bought all 4 of my factory 21" (dark gray) on ebay for $235 each + free shipping.

 

[sorka]

I'm looking to get 21's. Why not 21's? Is it the rougher or louder ride?

I have both 19s and 21s which I swap back and fourth regularly. The ride is slightly firmer from a suspension travel standpoint so road irregularities that cause suspension travel are ever so slightly stiffer, but it's a very tiny difference. On the other hand rough textured roads are actually a little smoother due to the softer summer compound on my Extreme Contact DW tires vs the all season Primacies on the 19s. The 21" Contis are actually quite a bit cheaper than the 19" Primacies but the longer tread life of the Primacies them just about an even cost per mile. And I say even assuming that you have a square 21" setup otherwise without tire rotation you're going to get half of the miles you could get with regular rotation.

It turns out there is no mileage / efficiency penalty for going to 21" wheels. I get the same wh / mile I did on my 260 mile round trip commutes that I get on the 19s.

 

[electrish]

I have a 21" staggered wheel setup with Michelin PS2s and was also charged in the mid $500s to replace a rear tire punctured by a razor blade.
I believe this higher price is Tesla's way to recoup the "free" towing.

As an aside, I also have Michelin X-ice winter tires on t-sportline 19" rims, and one of these rims actually got bent by a pothole, not my 21"!. Go figure.
It has been my experience that it is up to the individual service center to decide whether to mount these aftermarket rims for you or not. My SC in Cincinnati did (thank you!).

 

[HankLloydRight]

I run the 21" wheels all spring/summer/fall in the greater NYC metro area. Sure, there are potholes and hazards, you just have to watch out for them. For tires, I dumped the PS2s almost immediately due to the price (two tires developed sidewall bulges weeks after delivery and Tesla told me to go contact Michelin for warranty.. got nowhere with that either).

So now I'm running Hankook Ventus V12 evo2s (245/35/21), which are great tires at half the price. In the winter, I put on 19" Sportline TSTs and Hankook Noble S12s all-season.

Also, if you're looking for ebay wheels, right now someone is selling several slightly scratched 21" grey rims for $150 each. At that price, it's a great deal even if you have to have them refinished or any bends removed.

edit to add: There's nothing special about Tesla rims or tires, you do NOT need to go to the SC for tire maintenance. Any reputable tire shop can do it. Just make sure they know how to jack up the car.

 

[eye.surgeon]

I'm looking to get 21's. Why not 21's? Is it the rougher or louder ride?

Yes.

 

[wlciii]

Yes....that's exactly where this happened...on Lovers....
Why in the name of everything that is holy would you have those smack in the middle of the lane!!!
Has mankind not invented better ways to segment lanes better ?

Call up University Park. They are small and might actually work with you if a misplaced hemisphere caused the damage -- especially if you're a resident. A lot better chance than if it were half a block west on the other side of tollway in "real" Dallas.

 

[jcaspar]

Why do people go to the dealer for tires? Would never even consider that...

 

[DDotJ]

Tesla Service will price match tires, as long as they are in stock and the shop you are price matching isn't Costco. I had this done at my Service Center a few months ago and knocked down the price from tirerack.com. They also have to be OEM tires. From the service invoice:

Concern: Customer states: Replace all 4 tires-Michelin 19'. Price match with tirerack.com

pricing as of 3/17/16 $276.90+tax and install.

Corrections: Tires - Vehicle - Set

Replaced all tires- mount and balanced.

Parts Replaced or Added

Part Quantity Unit Price

TIRE P245/45R19 MICH. PRIMACY MXM4,

SRVC (1065205-00-A)

4 276.90 1,107.60

Total Parts 1,107.60

Why do people go to the dealer for tires? Would never even consider that...

Interestingly I called a bunch of my local tire shops to get new tires for my Model S. Tesla Service was the cheapest after price matching because nobody seemed to be able to beat their labor rates. And I got a free car wash too

 

[beero-rad]

that's fantastic news to hear! i literally just developed a bulge in the sidewall of my tire yesterday and had tesla take it to service center...anxiously awaiting quote (wheel looks ok, but who knows). this is great to know. if that's the case, then tesla would be the place to go...can't forget that free car wash either!

 

[beero-rad]

Tesla Service will price match tires, as long as they are in stock and the shop you are price matching isn't Costco. I had this done at my Service Center a few months ago and knocked down the price from tirerack.com. They also have to be OEM tires. From the service invoice:



Interestingly I called a bunch of my local tire shops to get new tires for my Model S. Tesla Service was the cheapest after price matching because nobody seemed to be able to beat their labor rates. And I got a free car wash too

so i got my tire replaced and no price match

anyone else aware of this policy?

 

[NikeWings]

I run the 21" wheels all spring/summer/fall in the greater NYC metro area. Sure, there are potholes and hazards, you just have to watch out for them. For tires, I dumped the PS2s almost immediately due to the price (two tires developed sidewall bulges weeks after delivery and Tesla told me to go contact Michelin for warranty.. got nowhere with that either).

So now I'm running Hankook Ventus V12 evo2s (245/35/21), which are great tires at half the price. In the winter, I put on 19" Sportline TSTs and Hankook Noble S12s all-season.

HLR, how do you like the Hankooks? Do they have foam? I noticed a significantly quieter ride with the ContiSilents than the Michelin PS, so I am reluctant to venture away.

 

[DDotJ]

so i got my tire replaced and no price match

anyone else aware of this policy?

Hmm odd. Maybe only at certain SvCs? I heard it on Reddit and it worked at Costa Mesa.

 

[HankLloydRight]

HLR, how do you like the Hankooks? Do they have foam? I noticed a significantly quieter ride with the ContiSilents than the Michelin PS, so I am reluctant to venture away.

I like them a lot. They do not have foam, they are regular tires. 99% of the time I'm driving with the music going, so I've never worried about how loud or quiet tires are -- I never really hear "road noise". That said, I don't find them noisy at all when I don't have the music going.

If you have tires you like, then stick with them.

 

[beero-rad]

Hmm odd. Maybe only at certain SvCs? I heard it on Reddit and it worked at Costa Mesa.

Thanks I may revisit this at another time...

 

[Model S M.D.]

Anybody running a staggered setup with the Hankooks? I believe the 275/30s have been used before by some folks...

 

[scottm]

You could, or get your insurance to, make a claim against the owner of the road. City, university, whoever...

Yes, cities have funds to pay out claims to drivers who hit obstacles on the streets they are providing.

Open manhole cover. Around here, lots of pot holes... can take out suspensions.

Photo document these orbs on the road, suggest the combination of their bad placement and overly aggressive design (obviously) damages cars badly. Find examples of similar rumble strips or speed bumps or whatever... in the same jurisdiction and ask "why not these for that location?"

Your wheels are not extreme, they are quite common these days. The are sold as original equipment from the manufacturer. Modern streets need to support modern means of transportation. Cobblestones were OK for horse and buggy... times have changed.

You will not be the first car making a similar claim on those devices, I bet.

Enough claims and the city / owner will pick new devices and install them. Or delete them altogether ..

 

[Granpajohn]

And one more account... 4K on the 19" tires, picked up a razor blade... $248 for new tire installed at SC, no road hazard.
and ya can't forget that free car wash ;-)

 

[auger]

Yes, as long as the replacement tire matches exactly one of the OEM variants past or present, Tesla will mount and balance ($50 each or $125 for the set), and rotate for free thereafter. People have had sets delivered from Tire Rack to an SvC. . . .
QUOTE]

All tires on tirerack.com have road hazard warranty included. I've had to make a claim, and it was super easy and covers full replacement.
Service center will install tirerack.com tires as long as they are stock tires normally used by tesla. You can even have tirerack.com deliver them to the service center.

FYI . . .

Earlier this month, I asked the Dania Beach service center if they sold the staggered Michelin PSS tires that are currently being delivered on cars and Tire Rack is selling. They said no.

Since I was doing an annual service, I asked if I could buy the Tesla-spec PSS tires from Tire Rack and have them delivered so the service center could put them on. They said they didn't to that.

 

[AMPd]

Just hit a pot hole, both left tires got a nice bulge in them.
Had to get all 4 tires replaced, 1700 bucks.

Damn.

Luckily, these tires will have road hazard protection.
So no more worries about road damage.