Get Amped Tour: New York, 7/20- 7-/22

[brianman]

No, just making an observation as I was surprised there was a flat already.

Your original observation was...

flat every few hundred miles is worrying

...which said a lot more than you're saying now.

 

[jerry33]

First thought: it's a hypermiling trick! I've slightly overinflated (above std. recommendation) my tires and it really does make a difference. On such a heavy car I would imagine that a higher PSI would significantly decrease rolling resistance. I wonder if there is some Tesla-magic involved in keeping the car controllable and comfortable with such a high PSI.

Bear in mind that the vehicle placard information is a starting point. Temperature, speed, load, and how often you check the tires mean there are adjustments to the pressure. For instance for a recommended pressure of 42 psi on a 100F day you need to add about 5 psi to compensate (assuming that the tires are rated for at least 47 psi cold). Adjusting tire pressure for conditions is not over inflating. Whether you adjust the tires or not, on a hot they they will get up to the same pressure anyway--the only difference will be the amount of heat they generate getting there. Heat is what kills tires, not pressure.

Side note: in most of Europe 42 PSI would be 2.9 bar. Does any country actually use SI-proper 290 kPa as indicated on the Tesla sticker?

Canada does.

 

[jerry33]

This may be coming from a place of ignorance, but is the concern with the higher PSI control and specifically roll over risk. I remember when the Ford Explorers were all flipping it was linked, in part, to over inflated tires. Given the low center of gravity might that mitigate the risk of the high PSI?

No mention of too high an inflation pressure in Time's extensive article. As I recall, part of problem was that the tires weren't inflated enough and when the heat caused them to fail, the rollover happened.

With the Explorer's 1990 production date approaching, Ford engineers listed four options for improving the stability of the SUV: widening the chassis by 2 in.; lowering the engine; or lowering the tire pressure and stiffening the springs.Ford chose the latter two fixes and recommended a tire pressure of 26 p.s.i.—rather than the 30-to-35 p.s.i. that Firestone normally used in its tires—to produce a more road-gripping ride.

I'd say the problem was under-inflation.

 

[stephenpace]

I drove the Black Performance Model S towards the end of the day on Sunday. No rain, light traffic, not too many people around by that point. Not much to add:

1) I definitely had the Tesla grin as I punched it on the first straight away before Sharp. Just insanely fast. I think being the Tesla minder could be both fun and scary given how some people were driving the cars.
2) Brown looks very good, IMHO. So does Sunset Red. Of the four cars that were there, I would have rated green last after the black (I like green, but tend to like a darker British racing green better).
3) Someone on staff warned us that the cops were around earlier in the day. Apparently someone got stopped but did not get a ticket.
4) Is it October yet?

Thanks for the videos, @cinergi!

 

[Robert.Boston]

No, just making an observation as I was surprised there was a flat already.

Things happen. A piece of scrap metal on the road, or whatever, and you have a hole in the tire. Tesla didn't make the tires, so it's hardly fair to point to them as a weak spot.

 

[herbvdh]

I drove the Black Performance Model S towards the end of the day on Sunday. No rain, light traffic, not too many people around by that point. Not much to add:

1) I definitely had the Tesla grin as I punched it on the first straight away before Sharp. Just insanely fast. I think being the Tesla minder could be both fun and scary given how some people were driving the cars.
2) Brown looks very good, IMHO. So does Sunset Red. Of the four cars that were there, I would have rated green last after the black (I like green, but tend to like a darker British racing green better).
3) Someone on staff warned us that the cops were around earlier in the day. Apparently someone got stopped but did not get a ticket.
4) Is it October yet?

Thanks for the videos, @cinergi!

2) I love the Sunset Red.
3) Whoever it was consider yourself extremely lucky!!! I work in Mahwah. I also know one of there unmarked cruisers it is a beat up Hyundai.

 

[brianman]

3) Whoever it was consider yourself extremely lucky!!! I work in Mahwah. I also know one of there unmarked cruisers it is a beat up Hyundai.

That's a great idea (regarding inconspicous vehicles) though part of me would prefer it to be an old Ford or Chevy.

 

[Wattson]

cinergi... I just want to add to the chorus of thank-yous for all your effort and time posting so many detailed videos from the NYC test drive event. The videos taught me a lot about the features and capabilities of the car.

Cheers,
David

 

[cinergi]

Thanks all :smile:
I got to put my new camera to good use, and the quality is awesome (at least, when the lens was clean)!
When I finally get the car, I'll take plenty more video, too :tongue:

 

[brianman]

Not sure if I said it yet...

@cinergi - Thanks a bunch for your efforts. Great pictures and videos.

 

[artsci]

Another voice of appreciation for your posts, @cinergi. They were the most helpful of all the Get Amped post I've seen so far.

 

[weccman]

I, too, am avidly following all the Get Amped posts after my own test drive on June 23rd in Fremont, and the @cinergy videos are just awesome and help us while away the hours while waiting for October to come! I particularly liked the one that showed how an i-phone conversation could seamlessly continue as one was away from the car and then got in or vice versa. That is really slick.

 

[cinergi]

1080p isn't full screen for me

The fingerprints in your video remind me that I might want to use my gloves in warm weather as well.

:tongue:

I've found that I notice the fingerprints far more in photos and videos than in real person, for what it's worth.