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Model 3 has no spare tire

Discussion in 'Model 3' started by jumper4000, Jan 15, 2019.

  1. jumper4000

    jumper4000 Member

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    It’s pretty pathetic that the Model 3 doesn’t have a spare tire. We just got simple flat tire in pouring rain and have been sitting here waiting for the past 40 minutes for roadside service to call us back and then who knows how much longer for them to get here. I mean who sells a car w no spare tire? If this freakin car had a spare tire, I would have been long gone on way home already. It’s pathetic if you ask me.
     
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  2. brkaus

    brkaus Well-Known Member

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    Sorry you had a flat tire.

    It’s pretty common for new cars these days to not have a spare.

    It’s a lot of weight to carry around and some don’t use a spare in their lifetime.

    You can get tire patching kit and/or slime and an air compressor.
     
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  3. kbecks13

    kbecks13 Active Member

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    About 1/3rd of new cars today: Some Newer Cars Are Missing a Spare Tire

    Sorry about your incident though, that definitely sucks. Tesla does sell a tire repair kit that comes with a handy 12V inflator so you never need to visit a gas station again though.

    Model S/X/3 Tire Repair Kit
     
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  4. Az_Rael

    Az_Rael Supporting Member

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    Sorry about your flat.

    The last two vehicles I owned didn’t have spare tires. It is pretty common nowadays. AAA membership is what I do instead.
     
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  5. Garlan Garner

    Garlan Garner Banned

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    There are a ton of cars out there that don't come with a spare tire.
     
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  6. Darscot

    Darscot Member

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    The vast majority of drivers in this price point will not change a flat. They certainly will not do it in the pouring rain. I found it odd at first but I understand the logic. Lots of space to fit a repair kit if you want or buy run flats.
     
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  7. Garlan Garner

    Garlan Garner Banned

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    OMG PLEASE PLEASE don't buy one of those things. They are garbage. I had Tesla replace 4 of them....to which I finally gave up and got a refund.

    ALSO...

    A spark kit is pretty useless on the P3D+ Model 3 because of the foam insert that is inside of the tire. The foam won't let the tire clog goop to get to the hole that is in the tire.
    I learned this the hard way. Tire inflator sealers are useless. Just call Tesla Service. Tesla gets a better response from their tow truck transport vehicles in Chicago than my insurance company.
     
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  8. Tam

    Tam Well-Known Member

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  9. Az_Rael

    Az_Rael Supporting Member

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    Agree. In my emergency frunk kit, I keep a tire plug kit and a standard portable compressor.
     
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  10. jumper4000

    jumper4000 Member

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    To give you guys an update, we’ve been waiting for just about 2 hours now. Still no one has called us, so we called them again, and have been on hold for almost an hour now. We’re in the middle of Los Angeles mind you, so imagine if you were stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We even went down the street and bought some of those fix a flat sprays, but it didn’t work cuz the hole is on the side. I guess we’ll just have to wait. I have a Mercedes too, which has a spare tire and Mercedes roadside service is enormously better. This is the first time I had to call Tesla and service is awful so far.
     
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  11. boriszima

    boriszima Member

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    I feel you, i am in Los Angeles and it been raining here hard. I also got AAA in case Tesla cant get to me. During rain i assume it takes longer. good luck i hope all works out. If hole is on the side, likely a new tire for you.
     
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  12. TT97

    TT97 Active Member

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    This is the bigger issue than not having a spare. It's fine not having a spare but we need to have much, much faster response for roadside assistance.
     
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  13. EVnut

    EVnut DARΞLL

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    #13 EVnut, Jan 15, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2019
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  14. gilscales

    gilscales Active Member

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    I have a tire plug kit and compressor, I would even offer to come and help get you back on the road as i'm only 20 or 30 min from Los Angeles but I don't think that plugs will work on the side of a tire?
     
  15. jumper4000

    jumper4000 Member

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    So after THREE AND A HALF hours they finally towed the car to a service center. They supposedly called around and couldn’t find a loaner tire so they took the car in, and tomorrow I probably have to take half a day off from work to deal w getting it replaced. We were only about 15 mins away from our house. I can’t imagine what would happen if I got a flat tire on the way to Vegas or something. A super simple flat tire that usually takes 20 minutes to deal with can ruin the entire trip if they have to tow the car and u have to find alternate transportation both ways and who knows what else. Tesla’s service is beyond horrible so far based on my first experience dealing w them and I’m definitely getting spare tire. I don’t care about 20 or 30 extra pounds.
     
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  16. jumper4000

    jumper4000 Member

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    Thanks man. I really appreciate it, we wouldn’t have wanted u going through that trouble. Our house wasn’t too far at all. Thanks again for the offer though.
     
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  17. jumper4000

    jumper4000 Member

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    Exactly!! I have never seen a roadside assistance that takes three and a half hours to get to you. And I was in the middle of a major city. Imagine how long it could take if you’re on a long road trip in the middle of nowhere or your wife kids are driving somewhere far and they get a flat. For something so super basic and so common, they ended up towing the car overnight because they couldn’t find a loaner in all of LA.
     
  18. jumper4000

    jumper4000 Member

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    It’s either getting a spare tire and changing it yourself or dealing w Tesla’s absolutely miserable roadside service. I was in the middle of a major city and it took them 3 and a half hours to get to me. And then they tell me they couldn’t find a loaner tire so they have to find a flatbed truck and tow the car over night. All for a flat tire . I’m buying a spare tire and next time changing it myself in 20 minutes no matter what the price point of the car is.
     
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  19. Glamisduner

    Glamisduner Active Member

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    Someone must have been dumping nails on the highway again. I also got a flat in the rain yesterday.

    I pulled over to a gas station, no mobile loaner wheels available. Got it towed to tesla service where they did find me a spare wheel. Taking the flat in to discount tomorrow to have it patched.

    Good thing I still have the stock wheels or this could have been a much bigger ordeal.

    A full-size spare, jack lug-nut wrench etc is going to take up most of the trunk. No to mention there is no way to secure it from sliding around back there. It sucked having my wheel in the back all day, it would slide with the slightest turn...

    Still wondering what people do that do not have the stock wheels installed. Will tesla still give you a loaner wheel? is it safe to drive on it if you other wheels have different offsets etc?
     
  20. RedModel3

    RedModel3 Member

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    Hmmm. I had just the opposite experience, or at least I framed it a bit differently. Ran over a nail, tire wouldn't hold any pressure, so I couldn't drive it. Tesla service answered quickly. No, they didn't have a loaner tire, but I had my car towed within about an hour and a half of my call. I had some minor surgery yesterday, and I was grateful for the service. Also, this is the third car I've had that doesn't have a spare tire. The last car that did - an Acura TL - was also the last time I had a flat, in the middle of East Texas. In that case, I was glad that the Texas Rangers (the REAL rangers, not Tesla's!) changed it for me.

    Flats are fact of life. You learn to deal with it.
     
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