Lacking confidence at speed

[IvesSM]

DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!

UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCED WITH DRIVING A CAR OVER 120MPH DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF. THE PUCKER FACTOR ALONE CAN KILL YOU!

 

[EightBitWhit]

Comparing to a Panamera, 992 and a RR Sport. All tracking much tighter and no fidgeting. I'm not expecting it to be as composed as a 992, but this is not about a smooth ride, just confident and refined feel.

I have ride height set at low, but not the extra low. I'll try it at the extra low and the next level up (above low) and see how it feels. Alignment seems ok...it doesn't pull, just not composed.

This has been my exact impression of my 2023 MXP after driving it for ~2000 miles. Mine doesn't pull or vibrate in any way, but it's just not as composed as I had expected it to be... and it's definitely not confidence inspiring, as the vehicle feels a bit too "floaty" at speed for my liking. I've also noticed that the body of the vehicle tends to "pitch and roll" a good bit with the road imperfections, and I don't feel that at all when driving my wife's Model Y Performance (2022 model).

That being said, I'm bone stock with 20" wheels and the OE Continental tires (which I do not like in any way, shape or form). I drive in "Low" at all times.

My current plan is to install the N2itive rear camber arms + lowering links and get the car aligned to the specs provided by N2itive and then install the Unplugged Performance rear sway bar. I'm hopeful that by doing all of that, I'll notice better road-handling and driving composure. My next step would be to get different tires, but I'm in the research phase there at this time.

Did getting the car realigned (you noted that in later posts) help any that you could tell?

 

[EightBitWhit]

If you went with the 22” wheels with performance tires, it would be closer to what you want in handling. I went with the 20’s also since I was ok giving up some handling for comfort and the ability to use in colder weather.

I suppose this is purely due to the sidewall height of the 20" tires as composed to the 22"? I've got the 20" wheels with the Continentals and the tires look almost like wagon wheels. I'd love to find a lower-profile 20" tire that returned some of that "sport" feel to the driving experience... any suggestions?

 

[Leek4u]

I suppose this is purely due to the sidewall height of the 20" tires as composed to the 22"? I've got the 20" wheels with the Continentals and the tires look almost like wagon wheels. I'd love to find a lower-profile 20" tire that returned some of that "sport" feel to the driving experience... any suggestions?

Same boat with you and very tempted to switch to https://www.tirerack.com/tires/falken-azenis-fk460-a-s or https://www.tirerack.com/tires/pirelli-scorpion-zero-all-season-plus .

I am really starting to believe the main issue with the road feel is the Continental tires - or I hope at least. I have done both balancing multiple times, and alignment twice that did not help in anyway. The Falken are a steal BTW, $880 plus tax plus installation and they have great reviews. Have always been a Michelin guy but there is no Pilot Sport AS4 (and I want all seasons) for the 20" wheel size we have.

 

[EightBitWhit]

Same boat with you and very tempted to switch to https://www.tirerack.com/tires/falken-azenis-fk460-a-s or https://www.tirerack.com/tires/pirelli-scorpion-zero-all-season-plus .

I am really starting to believe the main issue with the road feel is the Continental tires - or I hope at least. I have done both balancing multiple times, and alignment twice that did not help in anyway. The Falken are a steal BTW, $880 plus tax plus installation and they have great reviews. Have always been a Michelin guy but there is no Pilot Sport AS4 (and I want all seasons) for the 20" wheel size we have.

I'm of the same mind as well re:the Continentals.

Here's what I will say - every vehicle that I've purchased that has had Continentals on them has worn horribly, performed poorly (as far as the tires go) and has generally turned me off the brand for good. I was gutted when I saw that the MXP came with them and was immediately sad knowing I'd have to ride them out for a bit just to make the economics of the new car purchase more bearable.

Now with all that being said, I'm slowing coming to the point where I'll just pull the trigger out of frustration and be done with them, but I do want to do the other mods first just to ensure that when I do switch tires, I'm not eating them up due to the bad camber issues that the N2itive arms will correct - and I can pinpoint with accuracy the solution to the problem.

I'm a "Michelin man" myself and not having a suitable Pilot Sport option due to our wheel sizes, I was looking into the Michelin CrossClimate2's but will give the Pirelli's some serious consideration.

If you do go with either the Pirelli or the Falken you noted, I'd love to hear your thoughts on if they made a difference.

When I do get different tires - and if they solve for the issues I've noted - then I'm going to personally boycott Continental tires for the rest of my life and petition Tesla to not saddle us with these horrible tires.

 

[EightBitWhit]

I don’t have summer tires but have had my XP up to 165 with 20’s– though it briefly charged hard up to 167 before easing back down to 165. Straight line of course. It would be interesting if they made the track package available for the Model X Plaid. I’d go for it.

I'm patiently awaiting the track pack for the X... it can't come soon enough, IMHO. I want it mainly for the brake package, but the rest of it would be nice to have, no doubt.

 

[Leek4u]

I'm of the same mind as well re:the Continentals.

Here's what I will say - every vehicle that I've purchased that has had Continentals on them has worn horribly, performed poorly (as far as the tires go) and has generally turned me off the brand for good. I was gutted when I saw that the MXP came with them and was immediately sad knowing I'd have to ride them out for a bit just to make the economics of the new car purchase more bearable.

Now with all that being said, I'm slowing coming to the point where I'll just pull the trigger out of frustration and be done with them, but I do want to do the other mods first just to ensure that when I do switch tires, I'm not eating them up due to the bad camber issues that the N2itive arms will correct - and I can pinpoint with accuracy the solution to the problem.

I'm a "Michelin man" myself and not having a suitable Pilot Sport option due to our wheel sizes, I was looking into the Michelin CrossClimate2's but will give the Pirelli's some serious consideration.

If you do go with either the Pirelli or the Falken you noted, I'd love to hear your thoughts on if they made a difference.

When I do get different tires - and if they solve for the issues I've noted - then I'm going to personally boycott Continental tires for the rest of my life and petition Tesla to not saddle us with these horrible tires.

Just a quick note about the Tire Rack search - you will want to select the 265/45 fronts instead of the 255 ones, which is what we currently have.

 

[Leek4u]

Went ahead and ordered a set of the Falkens just to try. With installation they will be just over $1k - small price to pay to see if the OEM tires are really that bad. I only have a bit over 1000 miles on the Continentals so if the Falkens don't work I can just put them back. Will report in about a week when they are installed!

 

[bhzmark]

I'm patiently awaiting the track pack for the X... it can't come soon enough, IMHO. I want it mainly for the brake package, but the rest of it would be nice to have, no doubt.

Have you ever experienced the brake temp warning light on the X?

 

[EightBitWhit]

Went ahead and ordered a set of the Falkens just to try. With installation they will be just over $1k - small price to pay to see if the OEM tires are really that bad. I only have a bit over 1000 miles on the Continentals so if the Falkens don't work I can just put them back. Will report in about a week when they are installed!

Fantastic - am very anxious to hear what you find out! Thanks for doing this and helping to potentially sort this out.

 

[EightBitWhit]

Just a quick note about the Tire Rack search - you will want to select the 265/45 fronts instead of the 255 ones, which is what we currently have.

Good call out there - thank you... noted.

 

[EightBitWhit]

Have you ever experienced the brake temp warning light on the X?

Not yet, and I'm hoping we get the Track Pack available before I do. I've seen several Facebook posts of people torching their OEM rotors and pads with just 2-3 spirited driving sessions, and I see no reason to put the OEM setup back on if it is of such low durability.

 

[Leek4u]

Fantastic - am very anxious to hear what you find out! Thanks for doing this and helping to potentially sort this out.

I posted my opinion so far in this thread!

 

[bhzmark]

Not yet, and I'm hoping we get the Track Pack available before I do. I've seen several Facebook posts of people torching their OEM rotors and pads with just 2-3 spirited driving sessions, and I see no reason to put the OEM setup back on if it is of such low durability.

If your driving hasn’t triggered the brake warning light then I dont see what benefit you might get from the track brakes which have a higher *hot* operating temp range in exchange for a possibly also higher *cold* operating temp range. That is they may not work as well when stone cold which will be most of the time since we rarely use our brakes for most street driving.

Links to Facebook posts?

By the way, I have experienced the brake warning light on both S and X plaid and it was only under repeated in quick succession braking from triple digit speeds that would never occur in regular street driving.

And even when the brake lights came on I noticed no brake fade or other performance degradation at all. But I also heeded the warning.

I understand the the brake light is triggered by conservative calculations of estimated (but not actually measured) brake temps. So the light should come one before any actual fade is present.

 

[ewoodrick]

Not yet, and I'm hoping we get the Track Pack available before I do. I've seen several Facebook posts of people torching their OEM rotors and pads with just 2-3 spirited driving sessions, and I see no reason to put the OEM setup back on if it is of such low durability.

A) Don't trust a couple of posts to the representative of anything, especially on Facebook. Remember, these people do things to create clicks and views, they care very little about reality.
B) Low durability? Brake failures, AFAIK, are pretty low in the X or most any of Tesla's vehicles in normal use.

 

[ngng]

Not yet, and I'm hoping we get the Track Pack available before I do. I've seen several Facebook posts of people torching their OEM rotors and pads with just 2-3 spirited driving sessions, and I see no reason to put the OEM setup back on if it is of such low durability.

If you're overheating your brake system on the street you should reconsider your driving style. I'd love to see these "torched" rotors and pads.

 

[EightBitWhit]

If you're overheating your brake system on the street you should reconsider your driving style. I'd love to see these "torched" rotors and pads.

Totally agreed on the driving style comment.

I don't have a picture of the pads, but the following rotor pic (attached) would leave one to believe the pads suffered an equally-bad fate.

@bhzmark - Here's the thread on Facebook where the above came from and has been discussed - Tesla Plaid Performance | Time to update the brake rotors (again)....23' mXP ~600miles | Facebook

 

[ngng]

Totally agreed on the driving style comment.

I don't have a picture of the pads, but the following rotor pic (attached) would leave one to believe the pads suffered an equally-bad fate.

View attachment 972074

@bhzmark - Here's the thread on Facebook where the above came from and has been discussed - Tesla Plaid Performance | Time to update the brake rotors (again)....23' mXP ~600miles | Facebook

I can't see that post but it looks like the pad overheated. If that were me, my first step which is substantially less than 15k would be to replace the brake pads with a better compound, use a quality, high temp brake fluid. The caveat here is there is literally zero reason this should happen from street driving.

 

[EbS-P]

Back to the OPs original thread. I just had an alignment done. The difference at speed a very noticeable. I can feel the painted stripes at lower speeds. Slightest nudge of the the wheel and the car changes direction. Cross climate SUV with with 12k miles on the inflates to 48 psi.

What effect does changing steering mode have? Is it just changing the power steering assist or more?

 

[NJturtlePower]

My current plan is to install the N2itive rear camber arms + lowering links and get the car aligned to the specs provided by N2itive and then install the Unplugged Performance rear sway bar. I'm hopeful that by doing all of that, I'll notice better road-handling and driving composure. My next step would be to get different tires, but I'm in the research phase there at this time.

Any update on the N2ITIVE parts? I'm considering the same "Alignment 1 Kit" from them for my soon to be Model X LR.

ALIGNMENT KIT 1 TESLA S/X

Tesla Model S & X Acceleration Shudder and Inner Tire Wear Camber Kit. Save your half-shafts (CV joints) and tires from premature wear!

n2itive.me