Since I bought this M3 Performance I have spent over 3k fixing or replacing tires and wheels!! Any time I drive over a pot hole I either need to replace or repair either the tire, the wheel or both! We spend a lot of money to get a high end modern car and it comes with low quality wheels! Any suggestions??
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I destroy my wheels when I drove over potholes!
- Thread starter Jneukirchen
- Start date
zoomer0056
Active Member
E90alex
Active Member
You’re supposed to avoid the potholes, not drive over them.
Any low profile wheel and tire will easily sustain pothole damage, it’s not just a Tesla problem. You can’t just drive over potholes like you can in a Camry with 16” wheels, thick tire sidewalls, and soft suspension and expect no damage.
Sounds like you need to get some 19” or 18” wheels for the car instead.
Any low profile wheel and tire will easily sustain pothole damage, it’s not just a Tesla problem. You can’t just drive over potholes like you can in a Camry with 16” wheels, thick tire sidewalls, and soft suspension and expect no damage.
Sounds like you need to get some 19” or 18” wheels for the car instead.
Buy a set of 18 or 19in. Sell the 20in. Ive hit some really bad holes with my 19in wheels and never had an issue.
It's not the wheels. It's the lack of sidewalls that are causing damage. I always thought the 20" wheels were a bit silly for this reason.
As far as downsizing options, the smallest you can go on the Performance model are 18" wheels. (You have to buy the ones that can specifically accommodate the larger M3P brakes) I believe T-Sportline makes a few.
As far as downsizing options, the smallest you can go on the Performance model are 18" wheels. (You have to buy the ones that can specifically accommodate the larger M3P brakes) I believe T-Sportline makes a few.
Buy a jeep or Bronco and this problem will go away. You can get 35” just to be extra safe.
I went with 18 inch wheels. Benefits are that you gain pothole protection, better ride quality, slightly better range, and cheaper cost to buy. You lose looks and a tiny bit of handling precision due to more sidewall (not noticeable in daily driving).
Birdsfan
Member
I've had many BMW's previous to my M3P and they generally ran low profile RFT's. Including my M3P. I've had to replace just one tire and I've had two rims fixed but they were both self inflicted curb rash. Philly is close enough to Mass with regards to weather and road conditions.
drpheta
Member
MA resident here with 20s and 19s riding through the greater Boston area all the time. Get plus sized tires (255/35/20 and set your wheels in the car settings to the track package wheels -your speedometer will still be accurate) or downsize to 19s to gain more sidewall.
I ditched the stock Ubers and got forged wheels as well.
I ditched the stock Ubers and got forged wheels as well.
zoomer0056
Active Member
Get these wheels. You may just glide right over the pothole and not even notice.
Replace the cheap-o Tesla wheels!
20" Tesla wheels are particularly problematic - extra-heavy, and extra soft.
Sadly, that is the only permanent fix.
BTDT - I've been fixing major and minor bends in my 20" OEM Tesla wheels at the rate of ~2/year for the past 4+ years. Until I bought replacements and threw them out.
MA->NJ->PA - roads generally deteriorate faster when you live in a climate that repeatedly goes through thaw<->freeze cycles. Totally different landscape in comparison to SoCal.
I've had performance cars with low-profile tires (30-40% sidewall) for decades, and had only once previously sustained damage to tire sidewall (a bubble) from put hole impacts. Never the wheels itself.
Totally different world of pain with Tesla 20" wheels, due to their cheap, flimsy, and heavy alloy material. You just have to junk them and upgrade the wheels.
Forged wheels work best, but cost a few extra grand.
Sadly, Tesla's own 18" aerowheels will not clear TM3-Performance brakes and rotor lip.
This is the #1 complaint for our M3P clients.
Like some have mentioned already - downsizing to a 18" or 19" setup with a taller and wider sidewall will address this issue.
Typically an aftermarket 18/19" wheel will be lighter and stronger than the factory 20" wheels.
We have options in a various price ranges. Feel free to message us if you have any questions. Happy to assist!
-Danny
Like some have mentioned already - downsizing to a 18" or 19" setup with a taller and wider sidewall will address this issue.
Typically an aftermarket 18/19" wheel will be lighter and stronger than the factory 20" wheels.
We have options in a various price ranges. Feel free to message us if you have any questions. Happy to assist!
-Danny
The larger wheels with staggered tires that you couldn't rotate. That was the thing that drove me away from the MYP (and the fact that it didn't qualify for the tax credit at the time). I thought of getting it and downgrading to 19s but again, the tax credit. ATL has some bad roads, but as someone who lived in NYC for decades, I'm not complaining. So far the plastic hubcaps haven't fallen off yet. 
NOT steel!
Forged are the strongest and the lightest, but also more expensive.
Simple alloy wheels will be an improvement. Smaller diameter wheels that support tires with taller sidewall will also add protection at the expense of some handling vagueness.
HTH,
a
This OP created an account, created this thread (with an inflammatory thread title that I changed to the current one since that is what they were complaining about ), and then logged out, all within the span of less than 30 minutes. They have not logged in to even look at the responses, so they obviously didnt care.
Its not like the particular topic here is that controversial (its pretty accepted at this point that the OEM Tesla 20 inch wheels are more prone to damage from potholes that some may be used to), but I really am not a fan of "drop in, post, then never login again".
Its not like the particular topic here is that controversial (its pretty accepted at this point that the OEM Tesla 20 inch wheels are more prone to damage from potholes that some may be used to), but I really am not a fan of "drop in, post, then never login again".
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