How many will go for roof rack and/or roof box?

[Yev000]

So bored waiting for anything new happening on my Tesla account thought I'd make a little poll.

Seeing as Model 3 capacity is pretty low for family vacations and such, how many people will get a roof rack and/or roof box to fit all that extra stuff you need when long distance driving with the family.

I think the roof box kills range by about 1/4. So SR+ will have range of about 180 miles, still ok.

I personally have a VW Sharan, but the thought of driving that after the Model 3 fills me with dread.

 

[MrBadger]

Add a tow hitch and ill vote...

Remember, there is a weight limit as well as physical space. Looks to be 400kg on 18", 375kg on 19" based on that, I would think that 20" will be even less - a couple of fatties and a takeaway may have a problem in a p3d... (I'm a bit of a fattie myself so can get away with saying that...)

 

[Yev000]

Add a tow hitch and ill vote...

Done

 

[davidmc]

Might get one of these as i have a black M3!

 

[WannabeOwner]

a couple of fatties and a takeaway may have a problem in a p3d

They'll have to use the Eat In rather than the Drive Through

 

[Yev000]

Well suitcases are around 20kg on the heavy side. So myself + missus. Kids suit cases are probably 10kg each. Then probably around another 20k worth of random stuff

20 * 2 (suitcases) + 10 * 2 (kids suitcases) + 90 + 60 (me and missus) + 20 + 15 (kids) +20 (random stuff) = 265

I got 18" so still have around 100kg playing room.

And honestly i doubt id get 3 big suitcases + 2 kiddie ones in the back of the Model 3. I also need room for grocery shopping as we usually stop in AirBnB.

Hard to estimate without having a car... Was going to try for my August holiday, but no joy.

 

[Yev000]

Just a random thought, but model Y better have a bigger loading limit....

 

[MrBadger]

Maybe not. Its all on the weight specification of the tyres vs weight of the car. So I guess battery size may make a difference as well as tyres. If you have a tyre load rating 96 which is 710kg each tyre so 2840kg, but car weight is 2305kg, that leaves 535kg, so not really sure why Tesla says 375kg is the limit (safety margin?) - example based on EUR spec car with 19" wheels.

Whats on a Model X? Build weight, occupant and cargo weight and tyre rating? I know it can tow 5000kg iirc (Model X is limited to 920kg with 92kg tongue weight; the down weight on the hitch which comes off the cargo weight) but not sure of its tongue weight.

I think some tyre manufacturers are designing tyres specific to EV's. Maybe allowing more weight (to allow for heavier battery) and less rolling resistance.

 

[Peteski]

I personally have a VW Sharan, but the thought of driving that after the Model 3 fills me with dread.

Swap the VW for a Model X and then your dilemma will simply go away.

 

[Yev000]

but car weight is 2305kg

Tesla Model 3 kerb weight is 1,726 to 1,847 kg

Its probably to do with handling based on the amount of grip those tyres can provide. The tyre can physically withstand more weight, but breaking distances and grip will be dangerous beyond that weight.

To get more weight safely you would need wider tyres

 

[Yev000]

Swap the VW for a Model X and then your dilemma will simply go away.

That's stage 3 of my master plan. Stage 1 was to convince the missus we need to spend the money, Stage 2 would be to convince the missus that Teslas are better than any other car (this one should be easy), Stage 3 is to convince the missus she needs an X.

Stage 4 is that I need a roadster.....

 

[MrBadger]

Tesla Model 3 kerb weight is 1,726 to 1,847 kg

Its probably to do with handling based on the amount of grip those tyres can provide. The tyre can physically withstand more weight, but breaking distances and grip will be dangerous beyond that weight.

To get more weight safely you would need wider tyres

My bad. I was looking at the gross weight (GVWR) from the EUR drivers door sticker.

Which makes it even more strange that the occupancy and cargo weight is so low - max weight of occupants and cargo is still 375kg (for EUR 19" model) or 400kg as per @Dalphaon images of his 18" wheel UK model.

I've just gone through the gross and kerb weights from the EU manual and I am confused where the numbers from the official sticker come from. Diff between Gross and kerb weight:

SR+ 2060 - 1611 = 449
LR AWD 2265 - 1847 = 418kg
Performance 20" 2301 - 1860 = 441kg

But the door stickers I have seen are either 375 or 400kg. Interesting to see that LR AWD is less capable of the models. So I wonder if extra torque of performance is providing some benefit? Not that LW AWD will be lacking.

By the time I put 70kg of greenpower electric car batteries, ebike & carrier on tow hitch, large case, tools and older family occupants, its getting closer than I would like. But bike rack is new thing so probably wouldn't transport bike and greenpower electric car kit.

Or simply a type in the manual - would explain a lot. I guess I will worry about it if it ever becomes a problem.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Might get one of these as i have a black M3!

Cool.. alas they'd be illegal here.

Wiring up the speaker and making the swooshing noise would be cool though..

 

[Peteski]

By the time I put 70kg of greenpower electric car batteries, ebike & carrier on tow hitch, large case, tools and older family occupants, its getting closer than I would like. But bike rack is new thing so probably wouldn't transport bike and greenpower electric car kit.

You have to be very careful with loading up bike racks. The Model X trailer tongue weight is rated at 500 lbs, but only 120 lbs for bike/ski racks due to the unsupported torque they put on the towbar. That 120 lbs (54 kg) includes the weight of the rack too! You should be okay with a single e-bike on the rack, but my setup is very marginal when carrying 3 or 4 mountain bikes (pedal power only!). I'm not sure what the rack load rating will be for Model 3, but I would check carefully before carrying any hefty bikes on it.

 

[Peteski]

That's stage 3 of my master plan. Stage 1 was to convince the missus we need to spend the money, Stage 2 would be to convince the missus that Teslas are better than any other car (this one should be easy), Stage 3 is to convince the missus she needs an X.

Stage 4 is that I need a roadster.....

Worked the other way round for us. Bought the X to replace our family hauler and then it was very easy to convince the boss to buy an M3 and already thinking about a Roadster - not stupid enough to put a deposit down though!

 

[Avendit]

Couldn't vote it, but all of the above for me! I'll see if I can find a pic later, but first have to start loading the current car and roof box for summer hols.

Hopefully use the roof box less with the 3 (it has way more storage than the current Leon) but most family trips with have dinghies or bikes on the tow bar.

 

[interbear]

I’ve purposely chosen the M3 to downsize and NOT carry so much stuff around. On occasions I may regret this but overall not. I’ve realised that however big a car I have, I’ll fill it up regardless. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy of sorts. Time to stop the supersizing trend.

I did consider the LR AWD with towbar for a bit but then realised that I had a towbar on a Disco Sport for a couple of years, for a bike rack mainly, and used it precisely 3 times in that period. At £900 for the towbar and £450 for the bike rack, that was not a sensible purchase and I decided not to make the same mistake again. So my conclusion was P- with no tow hitch (don’t know why it’s not an option though as it was on the LR AWD, which I thought were identical other than software) and no roof box (is that even possible on a M3?).

 

[Yev000]

no roof box (is that even possible on a M3?).

Model 3 Roof Rack

No idea how to get them in UK though

 

[interbear]

Model 3 Roof Rack

No idea how to get them in UK though

Interesting, thanks, had no idea that existed.

 

[MrBadger]

Until the tow hitch option came along, I was thinking about that. Its one thing trying to put a bike on a roof of a car with a metal roof, but another thing doing it on a glass roof, especially one with not such a good track record - hopefully what caused those problems is now resolved. So tow hitch option removed that angst, only to add the one about how do you supercharge with a couple of bikes on the back... I digress as usual.

Other than that, apparently its a good unit that, rack only, does not noticeably reduce range, unlike when you put a box on it. Which is good as, by the sounds of it, its not a straight forward job like fitting a set of roof bars to most other cars,

I'm sure these things will become freely available, much like their cars.