Am I missing something here? What’s the issue with getting a flat tyre? Why’s it such a concern? Can you not just get AA out with replacement tyre?
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Flat tyre (am I missing something?)
- Thread starter JAR897
- Start date
No. Either you use an emergency call out service or you make your own arrangements. People frequently carry plastic/rubber jacking pads so the car can be jacked up without risking damage to the battery. Even a "space saver" type wheel/tyre takes up a large amount of boot space ... and you need a jack and a pump of course ... so only tend to carry occasionally. Often punctures can be fairly close to home so in those circumstances you could get a spare brought out to you if you have one in the garage.
Honestly, I don't know - it's not majorly different than any other car that doesn't have spare wheels (other than the jacking issue)... unless you get a flat in some remote area where it might take a long time for anyone to get to you, your options are;
1. Call Tesla Assistance - yes you'll be charged but they'll come and give you a loaner tyre (assuming they have them) - if not arrange to take you to somewhere
2. Call your breakdown service (I got the most basic option that comes with my insurance which will take me to a garage which is like £2 a month) - they come and lift your car and take you to a garage (or I guess there's the possibility they can provide a loaner/spare - although I think that's probably very wishful thinking)
3. Carry the Tesla Repair Kit (or other similar product) - if there's no other option and its small damage to the right place at least it'll allow you to get to your destination or a garage - although your tyre will be a right off - people seem to be making a fuss over this and the tyre type - but honestly it's no different than my previous mx-5 which had the kit instead of a spare; you can use it but your tyre is a write-off. I finally got it when it came back in stock - purely because I regularly go up to the highlands but I don't expect to ever need to use it.
4. Carry a spare tyre/emergency tyre - I would say that unless you're going to be in remote locations regularly this is probably not a major concern for most people with the car.
Of course, each to their own but getting a puncture isn't a major concern for me.
Coincidently - don't try searching for Tyre in the cars manual - they've spelt it the American way
kelvin 660
White SR+ with LFP battery
Maybe don't rely on Tesla, unless you want a long wait and pay £2-350 for the tire.
It may be worth investing in a spare wheel kit from ebay at ~£200, if you know how to change a wheel...
It may be worth investing in a spare wheel kit from ebay at ~£200, if you know how to change a wheel...
I have first hand experience of this from an episode yesterday. Travelling back from Wales to Doncaster. Low pressure warning light came on whilst on the M62, initially thought it might be a sensor fault or a slow puncture. Red flashing and warning next! Rapidly dropping pressure. Managed to just get off the motorway to a safe place.
Inspecting the tyre I could actually hear the air gushing out, so not a slow puncture. I have the Tesla inflator and gunk, but didn’t try this as the tyres have the acoustic foam in anyway, so unlikely to help.
I was 85 miles from home at 4:45pm. Called Tesla assistance who only recover you 50 miles or to a tyre fitter to get it changed. By the time recovery would have arrived all tyre fitters would be shut! No offer of anyone coming to swap the wheel/tyre at the roadside.
Thankfully I also have Green Flag cover. 3hrs later I got recovered to a local services, another hour and then the car and passengers were loaded onto a truck. 7 hours in total to get home. I’m so glad I took out extra cover though. I simply wouldn’t have been able to continue my journey or get home with Tesla’s cover.
We also have an Audi A5 which has no spare. There might have been a fighting chance with the gunk, but no guarantees. Not sure if the Audi cover is better than Tesla though.
Inspecting the tyre I could actually hear the air gushing out, so not a slow puncture. I have the Tesla inflator and gunk, but didn’t try this as the tyres have the acoustic foam in anyway, so unlikely to help.
I was 85 miles from home at 4:45pm. Called Tesla assistance who only recover you 50 miles or to a tyre fitter to get it changed. By the time recovery would have arrived all tyre fitters would be shut! No offer of anyone coming to swap the wheel/tyre at the roadside.
Thankfully I also have Green Flag cover. 3hrs later I got recovered to a local services, another hour and then the car and passengers were loaded onto a truck. 7 hours in total to get home. I’m so glad I took out extra cover though. I simply wouldn’t have been able to continue my journey or get home with Tesla’s cover.
We also have an Audi A5 which has no spare. There might have been a fighting chance with the gunk, but no guarantees. Not sure if the Audi cover is better than Tesla though.
The thing I don't understand is not shipping a spare when there is an under-boot space surely big enough for one (shape would need to change but doable).
And for cost saving, a space saver steel wheel can't cost that much, surely?
Has anyone done a noise test with acoustic vs non-acoustic foam tyres? And maybe runflats too?
And for cost saving, a space saver steel wheel can't cost that much, surely?
Has anyone done a noise test with acoustic vs non-acoustic foam tyres? And maybe runflats too?
Hopefully it won't happen, but I've gone with all options to be sure. I have AA cover, a tyre inflator, the repair sealant and I have a space saver spare tyre. Probably overkill, but having had punctures in the middle of the darkest nowhere where I vowed to always plan ahead.
You think there's loads of space* ... you put a wheel/tyre in the boot and you see there's really not ... modern wheel sizes are huge. Even the "space saver" alternatives take up a surprising amount of space .. I know I've got one and I don't routinely carry it for that reason. It lives in the garage for call out purposes when within striking distance of home (which is where all the punctures I have ever had took place).
*they could give you room if you could manage without the rear motor
Can we make this a sticky? The faux outrage and resolutions haven't changed a lot since 2019
It’s just potentially a hassle. Carrying a spare wheel is OTT but breakdown cover should be considered essential. If it happens the 7h experience above seems a likely scenario if you don’t want your car (f) cooked.
- OEM tyres are acoustic (foam lined) means gunk unlikely to be effective.
- Not everyone wants to plug their own tyres. Not all holes/damage can be plugged.
- Very rare someone to bring a tyre and charge roadside. Even less likely if you want a matching tyre.
- Car needs to go on a flat bed = extra wait. Recovery are not likely they’ll put your rear wheels on skates.
- Tesla recovery is limited. Loaner wheels are by no means guaranteed.
Spare tyre = weight = less efficient car
Also i have new tyres on without acoustic foam. No difference and different tyres will give a different noise profile depending on the tread. I have the Vredestein Quatrac Pro and they do sound quieter/lower rumble sound (Although i have noticed they are worse on wh/mile)
Wol747
Active Member
I bit the bullet and bought a spare from ModernSpare - cost a small fortune but here in Oz you can easily be several hundred miles from anywhere with a flat, and even if you can find a tyre place they are probably still geared up to fit the hoops on wagon wheels. Only joking.
I had a flat tyre last Christmas, it took 7 days for anyone close enough for me to get to to have one in stock - I know that was due to the holiday closure but it was lucky we had an alternative car to run. I did try the Tesla callout number, I was on hold for 2 hours (yes, that is not a typo!) and then all they could offer was to get me to the nearest garage, that were, you guessed it, all closed by that time - I had managed to limp the car home by then so I declined. I have had a slow puncture since, that was much easier as it was repairable, and the garage said they could get a replacement next day if they could not repair so the first experience is clearly not typical and mostly just bad timing.
Just don't get a flat in France on a Sunday. It's like 52 Christmas weekends a year. V glad to have had a RoadHero on board. 50mph is better than stationary.
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