Hit a pothole and got 2 flats on my Model 3 Performance

[Gauss Guzzler]

Yes, by OEM I mean the exact TO-spec tires directly from the Tesla production line, not identical replacements from a service center or tire shop. This could actually be a factor since the new-condition Michelins were a year old when I installed them and tires do degrade a little in storage. But even so, if year-old Michelins seem like a downgrade to be compared to fresh Pirellis, it still suggests that they are very close performers in my experience.

So why is there a TO-spec tire anyway? It's not just because they threw a few foam blocks in there. Michelin would just offer it's own "Acoustic-spec" tire to everyone if that were the case. Plus, what's the difference between the Tesla acoustic foam spec and the Porsche acoustic foam spec? How about the Mercedes version?
The reality is that Tesla wants to advertise their cars with PS4S tires, but they also want to advertise with 300 miles of range - so they sign a contract to buy a million custom low rolling resistance Michelins with some "PS4S" labeling.
Then they do the same with Pirelli and now it's not really fair to *subjectively* compare a standard 18" PS4S to a standard 18" PZ4 and assume that the custom 20" low rolling resistance versions of those tires will follow the same trend.

 

[ElectricIAC]

The OE spec tires may already be pre-scrubbed as well.

 

[augkuo]

I want a quad motor STI/Evo style rally-bred EV. That is a car I would sell my M3P for.

On the smaller wheel suggestions front, I'm starting with Titan7 T-S5 in 18x8.5, satin titanium finish. Fully forged and direct M3P fitment just over $2000/set. They also have 19x9 for close to $2900/set. I haven't mounted my 18s up yet, will do in a week or so, but the hub machining looks correct for the step. The finish is nice, nothing cheap looking or feeling about them despite the low price (for fully forged). Haven't put them on a scale yet but they're on the light side. I'm not super picky about the weight to be honest, I want forged mostly for strength, less likely to crack.

I'll note that these 18x8.5 will probably become my winter wheels eventually. I'm going to run through one set of 245/45R18 summer tires on them first though, to see how I feel about the size and width, then I'll pick out a separate set of summer wheels either 18" or 19", maybe wider than 8.5" if I feel like I want more grip.

I've had 7 tire punctures and 3 bent wheels before I switched to the Titan7 T-S5 18" wheels. So far no problems!

 

[JimShaw]

Apologies for the late response. I didn't see any of this until just this morning. Road noise is more about tread and tread design and therefore tire brand and type than it is about wheel diameter. Bigger Wheels do increase your impact vulnerability but we have had very good luck with forged & Barrel rolled Wheels in terms of only one somewhat bent wheel in 65000 miles of driving a fair amount of that on crappy roads. If you enjoy the extra zip and we certainly do there's no reason not to get a performance model 3. I would set some money aside for forged wheels. I do not like the new Uber turbines which are even heavier than the stock OEM. It's unclear whether there are any stronger but they are now over 30 lb 9a piece. This actually increases your vulnerability to impact damage because unsprung weight is harder to move out of the way. It also does not help your acceleration or handling for that matter. Additionally I don't like the Pirelli p-zero tire that they went to as it is distinctly inferior in both handling and other aspects of performance like braking compared to the original OEM Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in a Tesla spec. That's another swap out you can do at some point after your Pirellis are worn down.

dfwatt

I thank you and appreciate your info. I will keep the info for when the sad comes that I have to purchase new tires

 

[SteelClouds]

After reading all this, makes me much happier with my 19 inch rims I had concerns about the 20s after hearing some real horror stories about other cars with 20s, 21s and the lack of durability in the real world. I wonder if this is one of the reasons my 19s came with the XL tires. I found this when I was researching just what the XL rating was all about since I've never had tires with it before. I would guess the tire is heavier due to the more robust construction and I can live with that given some of the crap I've manage to hit on the road :/.

"Extra Load tires have capabilities to reinforced internal structure against a maximum pressure of 41 PSI. XL tyres have a higher load capacity than standard load tires. These tires can be used in a situation that requires higher load capacity tires. XL Tires are long-lasting load tires, XL best tires for heavy loads. Extra Load tires have better damage resistance."

 

[enemji]

Yesterday I drove over a small defect in the roadway at about 35-40 MPH with my 2021 M3P that has 20" rims with Pirelli tires. It was a small rectangular section of roadway about 6" x 8" and maybe 3/4" or less deep that the asphalt was missing from an incomplete road repair. The sidewall on both tires got pinched and cut and the car had to be towed away. Despite this happening in one of the most populous and affluent areas of Southern California, the Tesla roadside service did not have loaner rims so they towed the car to the Tesla service center which was already closed, so I'm waiting until Monday to get new tires.

I was concerned over the very low profile M3P tires and this has just reinforced it more getting stranded within 3 months of ownership. (Have never had a pothole flat in 40 years driving a lot of miles.) The anxiety now comes from the fact that a few times per year I take a road trip where there are significant remote sections with no cell service. Before this happened I purchased a 12V air pump and a tire patch kit that I keep in the trunk. However, if you get a flat from a pinched sidewall you are screwed as you can't patch that. Get two flats at once and you are double screwed.

Short term the next step is that I'm going to look for the smallest space saver spare I can find to take with me on remote trips. But if I get 2 flats from a pothole I will still be screwed. Longer term when the existing tires need replacement I'm likely to get a new set of 19" rims so I don't need to run such aggressive sidewalls.

Curious if I just had very bad luck, or if this is not that uncommon of an occurrence, getting 2 flat tires by hitting a pothole. I've gone over potholes before with low profile performance tires with other cars and never had a single flat, much less 2. But how easily both tires went flat on the M3P, I'm thinking maybe this is not that uncommon? BTW, the rims look fine and do not appear to have bent.

I have never been happy with Pirelli tires in any respect- esp NVH, comfort. Stay with Michelin tires. I have never had a rim damaged even in the harshest condition.

 

[ElectricIAC]

Oddly enough, I’ve had the best luck overall with bridgestone tires personally..

 

[tm1v2]

I'm a little surprised at the level of hate on the Pirellis. After putting some miles on them, I think the only real issue is the size Tesla spec'd. They're too narrow for the 9" wide wheel and of course the sidewall is too short with the 20s.

Certainly outright grip is nothing to write home about, but I think that's to be expected for 280-300tw 235s carrying 4000 lbs of EV. Grip still seems totally fine for street use (even if I do kind of want more ). Just as importantly they seem well-mannered. When I get up towards their limits they give off a nice soft I'm-starting-to-slide or I'm-about-to-slide noise that's useful but not too loud or offensive. And then recovery is quick and easy, they *don't* just slide way out and give up all grip.

Noise level on decent pavement seems good for a performance tire. I've had noisier performance tires. Ride quality...no tire is going to ride well in 235/35 stretched onto 9" wide wheels. Not the tire's fault.

No issues in the wet or rain either so far. I never really drive super hard in the rain, but the Pirellis had no problem maintaining a decent pace.

I believe you all that the PS4S are better but I think the main issue with the Pirellis is the Tesla-spec'd size, including how it's mismatched for the new 9" wide wheels. Next up for me though is 245/45R18 Potenza Sports on my new 18x8.5 wheels, getting mounted later this week. I would've tried the PS4S but they were on backorder everywhere and I didn't have patience to wait months to switch out my wheels. I don't like going over gravel waves and road imperfections taller than these stupid skinny stretched sidewalls...

 

[tm1v2]

I got my 18" wheels mounted on my 2021 M3P last week. 245/45R18 Bridgestone Potenza Sport on 18x8.5" Titan7 T-S5 in Satin Titanium. So far I'm super happy with the setup compared to the stock Uberturbines + rubberband-spec Pirellis.

I'm running the Potenza Sports at about 42 PSI cold for now. The tire shop actually pumped them up to 45 PSI, so I tried that briefly, but it felt excessively high unless all I cared about was rolling efficiency.

The good:

• No longer afraid of every pothole!
• No longer afraid of driving on dirt and gravel!
• Ride is smoother over textured roads and small imperfections / small potholes.
• Harsh impacts don't feel quite as harsh.
• I can feel while driving that this setup is lighter than stock. The power steering doesn't feel like it's struggling so much, turning feels easier, and the car feels slightly more nimble. It's not transformational but it is noticeable.
• Aesthetics weren't my top priority but I'm liking the look.

The same:

• I can't tell any difference in steering responsiveness. The stock M3P steering delay is still there, but if the taller sidewalls made it worse I can't tell, I think these tires have pretty stiff sidewalls.
• The overall feel of the ride is still very much Model 3, it hasn't transformed into something else. It's a bit smoother but not THAT different, the car still feels like itself, this isn't a substitute for suspension or bushing changes if you want a big change. (From experience, mushy comfort-focused tires with sidewalls this size WILL ride a lot smoother, but of course will give up lots of responsiveness and grip. Not what I want at all for an M3P.)

The bad:

• Highway road noise is slightly louder. Or at least that was my impression on the drive home from the tire shop, I didn't take sound measurements. The difference is small (subjectively) and I've had louder performance tires on past cars. However if quietness is your top priority, these probably aren't the tires for you.
  • Note it might be the foam insert in Tesla-spec tires that makes the difference here. All the comparisons I'm making here are only valid against the OE Tesla-spec 235/35R20 PZ4, not other PZ4 sizes/specs.

The unknown (so far):

• Absolute grip level. I've only put a few miles on these tires and they're still in the greasy new tire phase. I did have more fun than expected sliding the back out in track mode later the day I got them mounted. Thankfully I still have some driving instincts left from what feels like a lifetime ago...and the 3's quick steering is helpful too!
• Performance and feel in the wet. I don't drive hard in the rain these days, but I want to know if my tires can handle it, so I will test this out carefully.
• Efficiency comparison - I'll never know. I put less than 1000 miles on the stock setup and haven't had a consistent driving routine with this car yet. Also I don't really care how efficient the stock setup was, because I couldn't keep using it anyways for fear of potholes.
  • Next time I'm looking at different tires or wheels I might make a serious attempt to compare efficiency. Especially if I go wider, which I might someday and then turn these into winter wheels.

I've since put some super cheap $9 plastic caps from Amazon over the open-ended stock lug nuts. Holding them in your hand they look and feel just as cheap as their price, but unless you're getting personal with my wheels the gray color blends in nicely, and they should keep road grime from working into the threads.

Amazon.com

 

[dfwatt]

I got my 18" wheels mounted on my 2021 M3P last week. 245/45R18 Bridgestone Potenza Sport on 18x8.5" Titan7 T-S5 in Satin Titanium. So far I'm super happy with the setup compared to the stock Uberturbines + rubberband-spec Pirellis.

I'm running the Potenza Sports at about 42 PSI cold for now. The tire shop actually pumped them up to 45 PSI, so I tried that briefly, but it felt excessively high unless all I cared about was rolling efficiency.

The good:

• No longer afraid of every pothole!
• No longer afraid of driving on dirt and gravel!
• Ride is smoother over textured roads and small imperfections / small potholes.
• Harsh impacts don't feel quite as harsh.
• I can feel while driving that this setup is lighter than stock. The power steering doesn't feel like it's struggling so much, turning feels easier, and the car feels slightly more nimble. It's not transformational but it is noticeable.
• Aesthetics weren't my top priority but I'm liking the look.

The same:

• I can't tell any difference in steering responsiveness. The stock M3P steering delay is still there, but if the taller sidewalls made it worse I can't tell, I think these tires have pretty stiff sidewalls.
• The overall feel of the ride is still very much Model 3, it hasn't transformed into something else. It's a bit smoother but not THAT different, the car still feels like itself, this isn't a substitute for suspension or bushing changes if you want a big change. (From experience, mushy comfort-focused tires with sidewalls this size WILL ride a lot smoother, but of course will give up lots of responsiveness and grip. Not what I want at all for an M3P.)

The bad:

• Highway road noise is slightlylouder. Or at least that was my impression on the drive home from the tire shop, I didn't take sound measurements. The difference is small (subjectively) and I've had louder performance tires on past cars. However if quietness is your top priority, these probably aren't the tires for you.
  • Note it might be the foam insert in Tesla-spec tires that makes the difference here. All the comparisons I'm making here are only valid against the OE Tesla-spec 235/35R20 PZ4, not other PZ4 sizes/specs.

The unknown (so far):

• Absolute grip level. I've only put a few miles on these tires and they're still in the greasy new tire phase. I did have more fun than expected sliding the back out in track mode later the day I got them mounted. Thankfully I still have some driving instincts left from what feels like a lifetime ago...and the 3's quick steering is helpful too!
• Performance and feel in the wet. I don't drive hard in the rain these days, but I want to know if my tires can handle it, so I will test this out carefully.
• Efficiency comparison - I'll never know. I put less than 1000 miles on the stock setup and haven't had a consistent driving routine with this car yet. Also I don't really care how efficient the stock setup was, because I couldn't keep using it anyways for fear of potholes.
  • Next time I'm looking at different tires or wheels I might make a serious attempt to compare efficiency. Especially if I go wider, which I might someday and then turn these into winter wheels.

View attachment 746884

I've since put some super cheap $9 plastic caps from Amazon over the open-ended stock lug nuts. Holding them in your hand they look and feel just as cheap as their price, but unless you're getting personal with my wheels the gray color blends in nicely, and they should keep road grime from working into the threads.

Amazon.com

The Bridgestone Potenza Sports should give you pretty good handling and responsiveness despite the taller sidewall particularly compared to the Pirellis. What might help your steering feel is the Mountain Pass front lower control arm bushing. It really makes the whole setup feel more direct and more linear and removes that slightly rubbery and delayed quality. It will also improve interestingly enough your emergency braking as you will get less toe change and camber change on heavy braking as the bushing no longer deflects under load. Last but not least if you track the car the stock lower control arm bushings really don't hold up on the front and tend to tear – the spherical bushing from Mountain Pass does not of course. We think it's actually the best bang-for-the-buck handling Improvement even over the coilovers which of course are a lot more money. The coilovers probably make a bigger difference overall but the steering bushing for minimal money is a great value, if you're interested in trying to get handling feel improved. Even my wife agrees that the handling is better and she is no Car Junkie unlike her husband.

 

[tm1v2]

@dfwatt I have the MPP FLCA bushings here ready to install, thanks in large part to your useful descriptions of them. I also got the MPP compression rod inserts, because why not.

I'm waiting for my coilovers to arrive so I can install them together. I ordered Redwood Motorsports Öhlins DFV back when I first ordered my M3P. ETA for the coilovers is around EoY / early January now, Öhlins has had their share of pandemic related delays. I went with "Performance Sport" level, and added the spherical bearing top hats to my order after consulting with friends who've used spherical top hats (not on Model 3) and really liked them, even on the street.

I'm not lowering the car at all and not tracking it, so I'm holding off on any more control arm upgrades. Got to cut things off somewhere before I end up even $$$deeper with solid bushings everywhere on a family car shared with my wife. I'll reevaluate if I want to go further once I have some good driving time on the FLCA bushings and coilovers.

We should probably refocus this thread back to wheels and tires...

 

[tm1v2]

I went out in the rain on the Potenza Sports last night. All good! It was raining pretty hard for my area (not like tropical heavy rain tho). I drove through some pretty wet sections, and gave it some juice here and there, no hydroplaning or traction issues. I pushed a little hard around one ramp with room for recovery, with 50/50 handling balance and 0 stability control, and everything felt good. I got a hint of slip and then backed off slightly, no issues with big sudden sliding or anything like that.

So my verdict is these tires are perfectly good in the rain. Again I don't go nuts in the rain these days, I can't tell you if my tires have the ultimate wet grip / wet lap times, I just care that they handle wet roads with good grip and traction and no bad behaviors. These definitely meet that bar.

I'm also going to say these Potenza Sports are better in every way (in dry and wet) than the old S-04 Pole Positions that I used in 245/45R19 for a bit on my S P85 years ago. A lot better in fact. Granted different car, years ago, so not a super direct comparison, but I was never really that impressed with the S-04, they were smooth and quiet but I remember feeling just a little disappointed in their grip and dynamics. Well I'm liking these Potenza Sports much much more!

(The S-04 may have been a little quieter and smoother, but it's hard to compare because the S air suspension is much smoother and that car filters out road noise a bit better. In terms of handling and grip I'm very certain these Potenza Sports are a big, big step up from the S-04.)

Originally the S had 245/35R21 Michelin somethings - PS2 or PSS I think. (Definitely the PS4S didn't exist yet.) The 21" S cast wheels and resulting rubberband tire size was just as bad as the 20" M3P setup, but those Michelins were very good summer tires for street use. (I never tracked the S of course.) When I swapped for 19" S wheels and went to the S-04 in 245/45R19, because the Michelins weren't made in that size, it was a bit of a downgrade in grip and feel. (Big improvement in ride quality though!) That's why I was worried about doing the same 2" downsizing on the M3P. Not a problem with these Potenza Sports! They're very sharp and fun even with 245/45 sidewalls. Really awesome tires at least for street use.

Now compared to the Bridgestone RE-11 I ran ~ 10 years ago on my STI for street+track...that's probably not a fair comparison. Damn those were fine tires. Loved those tires. Amazing tires for street and track days. Very sad Bridgestone isn't making a tire like that anymore. Did I mention they were great tires? They gripped and gripped and gripped, with great feel and feedback, and they were amazingly consistent across temperature ranges (above freezing of course), from cold street use to hot track laps. They weren't quiet tires of course, but they weren't that loud either for a street/track dual use tire, perfectly street friendly for someone more into performance driving than luxury cruising. I didn't use them in the rain much but had no issues when I did.

Going even further back, the Dunlop summer tires that STI came with were hot garbage, for sure these Potenza Sports are better than those old Dunlops. Grip on those Dunlops wasn't bad, but they were awful loud on the street, and got greasy & overheated too easily on the track. Kind of the worst of both worlds. The RE-11 were better in every single way and every single situation. Most likely these Potenza Sports are too (though they're not really meant for track use of course).

Continuing on back, I ran some Goodyear summer tires, I think the F1 asymmetric, on an older Subaru that were perfectly good, but were a class down from tires like the Potenza Sport, PS4S/PSS/PS2, Conti ECS, etc - or two classes down from the RE-11. Those Goodyears were good, and very street-friendly in terms of noise & comfort & wear. They suited the car I was using them on well (less sporty than STI or M3P), probably tires in that class would suit a Model S well too, but on the M3P I'm definitely sticking with more aggressive "max performance" tires, or maybe I'll try some "extreme performance" tires on the M3P someday (the RE-11 tire class).

I hope these comparisons help. I've been running all-seasons on the S P85 in recent years so I don't have as many fresh comparisons to make as I'd like. (Wife and I got rid of our ICE cars when we got our S.) I bet the Michelin PS4S are awesome too, in fact I was going to get them for the M3P but they were on back order everywhere with no real ETA when my wheels arrived. So I glanced through the latest tire comparisons, saw good things about the Potenza Sports, and now I'm super happy I ended up with them.

 

[tm1v2]

With some more miles on the Potenza Sports and that new tire greasiness starting to go away, I could swear these things are already gripping in the wet as good or better than the stock Pirellis in the dry. Great quick recovery from a little slippage too. Currently "wet" is now a drizzle, roads are still completely damp, but no heavy rain or standing water anymore.

Okay, I guess the stock Pirellis really are lacking in grip compared to the better tires in this class. Maybe going to 245 width helps too, even on the narrower wheels. I didn't hate the Pirellis, I still think they were fine besides the stupid Tesla wheel+tire sizing, but now I'm pretty sure these Potenza Sports will be a nice step up in the dry once the weather here clears up. I might even be happy staying with 245s on 8.5" wheels for my summer setup and not feel a need to go wider...

 

[Motion122]

Anyone here hit a pothole and and was successful in filing a claim against the city, county or the federal government?

 

[tm1v2]

Anyone here hit a pothole and and was successful in filing a claim against the city, county or the federal government?

Years ago I was successful in getting Tesla to cover my first cracked S 21" wheel. They called it "goodwill." I said either the wheel was defective or it was a defective design because I'm pretty sure none of the other cars driving down that (admittedly terrible) road came away with a cracked wheel. They tried to claim it was the road's fault, I said sure but road conditions here are nothing new, the car needs to be designed for them. I wasn't walking out of there without a replacement wheel on them.

The next damage 21" wheel was from an accident soon after, covered by the other party's insurance (not our fault). (Soon after that finally switched to 19s on the S.)

I'm about to file a city claim for a ~ $5,500 repair bill to a loaner S. I'll let you know how it goes. No obvious wheel damage (it was wearing 245/45R19 ), but it had metal ripped off the front bash plate and subframe / something, lots of damage in that area. This one I'm not blaming on Tesla at all, I absolutely blame the city for not maintaining the road. Paved roads should not be capable of doing that to a car. Wife was driving it, happened at night in the dark, street lights not very good at that spot either. She showed me where it happened later, the median is littered with underbody car parts. Big gouge in the road followed by abandoned, unmarked old railroad tracks. I think the car lifted up from the messed up road then slammed down on the exposed rail. Or maybe the damage was from debris from another car that had just been damaged by this bit of road. Either way, I consider it the city's fault. We watched some cars go by, the locals know to slow way the f*** down, and most cars avoided that lane. One minivan went over it at full speed and OUCH that was a painful sound! (And that was with taller sidewalls than any Tesla comes with!)

 

[Motion122]

Years ago I was successful in getting Tesla to cover my first cracked S 21" wheel. They called it "goodwill." I said either the wheel was defective or it was a defective design because I'm pretty sure none of the other cars driving down that (admittedly terrible) road came away with a cracked wheel. They tried to claim it was the road's fault, I said sure but road conditions here are nothing new, the car needs to be designed for them. I wasn't walking out of there without a replacement wheel on them.

The next damage 21" wheel was from an accident soon after, covered by the other party's insurance (not our fault). (Soon after that finally switched to 19s on the S.)

I'm about to file a city claim for a ~ $5,500 repair bill to a loaner S. I'll let you know how it goes. No obvious wheel damage (it was wearing 245/45R19 ), but it had metal ripped off the front bash plate and subframe / something, lots of damage in that area. This one I'm not blaming on Tesla at all, I absolutely blame the city for not maintaining the road. Paved roads should not be capable of doing that to a car. Wife was driving it, happened at night in the dark, street lights not very good at that spot either. She showed me where it happened later, the median is littered with underbody car parts. Big gouge in the road followed by abandoned, unmarked old railroad tracks. I think the car lifted up from the messed up road then slammed down on the exposed rail. Or maybe the damage was from debris from another car that had just been damaged by this bit of road. Either way, I consider it the city's fault. We watched some cars go by, the locals know to slow way the f*** down, and most cars avoided that lane. One minivan went over it at full speed and OUCH that was a painful sound! (And that was with taller sidewalls than any Tesla comes with!)

Sucks when that happens. The least they can do is put some signs up to warn drivers.

 

[FlatSix911]

FWIW: I've never heard of "loaner rims". Does anyone do this? Does Tesla elsewhere?
I mean, this isn't a $200k Mercedes with a gold-plated roadside service plan. You broke down and got a tow like the rest of us.

Incorrect information - Tesla Roadside service provides loaner tires and wheels when needed. I have used the service plan myself on occasion.

 

[tm1v2]

Last update for this thread on my new wheels and tires:

I think I'm past the greasy new tire phase now...and holy crap this setup blows the stock Uberturbines + PZ4 out of the water! I did not expect this level of grip and handling improvement.

The road: Enough twists and sharp turns to make a funnel cake proud.

The conditions: Damp, overcast, drizzling on and off. No heavy rain.

The grip and feel of these Potenza Sports is next level from the OE PZ4. If the OE PS4S setup felt this good too, now I get all the frustration over Tesla's wheel+tire switch for 2021!

I did a trip on this road in the stock setup in the dry, and I'm telling you these Potenza Sports on lightweight forged wheels absolutely outgripped the stock setup today...even damp vs dry! Not only that, the new setup just plain feels and even sounds better. Where the OE Pirellis would be whining and starting to slip, this setup just quietly grips. When I push this setup hard enough to get close to its limits there's a real gentle, quiet, but still easy to discern warning. Furthermore the car feels lighter and more nimble in tight back-and-forth turns. And of course this setup feels better when the pavement gets rough.

Somehow the car feels like it understeers less and rotates easier too, but I'm guessing that's more to do with me getting used to the car and how to help it rotate with a little power. (But not too much power, I don't want any power sliding on a road like this!)

Boat anchors is right. If you're a driving enthusiast who loves tearing up twisty knotted roads this is a major change over the stock 2021 M3P setup. So. Much. Fun. And I'm still on the stock suspension!

 

[Soap]

Did Tesla opt not to increase the width of the tire to match the extra 1/2" width of the Uberturbine rims to avoid further decrease in range and extra tire cost?

I like these 19x8.5 in the wheel guide you linked. About 7 lbs lighter than the Uber rims and practical sidewall too.

View attachment 738498

I ordered the 18" versions of these last month but they are backordered until next month per an update I got earlier this week.

 

[MikesM3p]

Yesterday I drove over a small defect in the roadway at about 35-40 MPH with my 2021 M3P that has 20" rims with Pirelli tires. It was a small rectangular section of roadway about 6" x 8" and maybe 3/4" or less deep that the asphalt was missing from an incomplete road repair. The sidewall on both tires got pinched and cut and the car had to be towed away. Despite this happening in one of the most populous and affluent areas of Southern California, the Tesla roadside service did not have loaner rims so they towed the car to the Tesla service center which was already closed, so I'm waiting until Monday to get new tires.

I was concerned over the very low profile M3P tires and this has just reinforced it more getting stranded within 3 months of ownership. (Have never had a pothole flat in 40 years driving a lot of miles.) The anxiety now comes from the fact that a few times per year I take a road trip where there are significant remote sections with no cell service. Before this happened I purchased a 12V air pump and a tire patch kit that I keep in the trunk. However, if you get a flat from a pinched sidewall you are screwed as you can't patch that. Get two flats at once and you are double screwed.

Short term the next step is that I'm going to look for the smallest space saver spare I can find to take with me on remote trips. But if I get 2 flats from a pothole I will still be screwed. Longer term when the existing tires need replacement I'm likely to get a new set of 19" rims so I don't need to run such aggressive sidewalls.

Curious if I just had very bad luck, or if this is not that uncommon of an occurrence, getting 2 flat tires by hitting a pothole. I've gone over potholes before with low profile performance tires with other cars and never had a single flat, much less 2. But how easily both tires went flat on the M3P, I'm thinking maybe this is not that uncommon? BTW, the rims look fine and do not appear to have bent.

Same thing happened to me in august except I had 2 flat tires and one destroyed rim ($750 from Tesla since I didn't have time to find a used one). Based on the forums I don't think this is uncommon the car is heavy and the tires are pretty low profile. Just gotta keep your head on a swivel and I agree that a real spare is not a bad idea if you are on the road a lot. I was happy with the roadside assistance but it did take 2hrs to get to me and I was in a metro area, no telling what the wait could be out in the sticks somewhere.

I also have the M3P, I scared myself just yesterday when I hit a small pot hole. I had no damage, but it felt and sounded like I did some damage. I did pull over to look. I was doing over 45 on my way up to the 55mph speed limit on the rural road I was on. It sounds to me ( with absolutely no auto mechanical experience) you just got unlucky and hit it just wrong enough to pinch both tires off the rims.