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Model 3 has no spare tire
- Thread starter jumper4000
- Start date
This car already rides harsh without run flats, so I am really glad they didn't come with them. I always remove run flats from any car I buy because they are horrible.
Plus run flats can't be repaired, and there's plenty of situations that you still won't be able to drive the car, and you won't be able to drive it far. Most tire problems are slow leaks, so putting a small $30 air compressor in the trunk will get you where you need to go.
I still bought a ModernSpare to leave in the garage for catastrophic failures when I am local, and to take with us on long trips. I can Uber to get the spare when it's local. I also have a patch kit to go with the compressor, and all the tools to change a tire stay in the car.
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
Most of the time you will need a new tire but those are not very common, so a new tire need to be ordered.
And often Tesla service centers don't have a spare, and they are closed on weekend.
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
There is a beam in middle of the trunk between the two wheel housing.
If the beam was a little bit rounded, it would have then been easy
to put a spare tire flat on the bottom of the trunk without loosing too much space.
I understand that removing a spare tire save weight, and as long you drive close to majors cities, you can easily get road assistance.
But Tesla also sale cars in rural areas with sparse population like Canada, Russia, Australia...
I think it would have been fair for those customers to allow them to carry a spare tire.
If you look at others EVs, most of them are derived from a fossil car with a spare tire location.
Those EVs might also not carry a spare tire, however it would be easier to add a spare tire in this location.
Even though, in US, if you get a flat while visiting any national park and get a flat there,
it would take a full day to get a tow truck with a flat bed to come over to take your car to a Tesla Service Center.
If you plan to spend your weekend in remote areas, I would strongly recommend to carry a spare then.
Candleflame
Active Member
i disagree with that and unlike many here I have do drive my 3 in the middle of nowhere on a semiregular basis.
a blowout just doesnt happen with tires in good condition. at least not with proper sidewalls.
a blowout just doesnt happen with tires in good condition. at least not with proper sidewalls.
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
Candleflame
Active Member
you dont mount 20" tires when going in the middle of nowhere. they are not fit for purpose.
I don't think Manhattan counts as "middle of nowhere."
TexasTezla
Member
Modern Spare in my trunk. Large Golfing Umbrella too! Also a Plug kit if its just a small nail or something. Any journey for me over 200 miles (AAA will sort me out up to 200 miles from my home) the Modern Spare is put in trunk. Luckily never had a puncture in my M3 but am well prepared for when it happens. The Modern Spare takes up some trunk space for sure but I can still easily pack in clothes etc for 2 for a week away, no problems.
Candleflame
Active Member
I realize you’re on the other side of the globe, but the roads in and out of NYC make Botswana’s highway system look like the 8th wonder of the world.
The last time I was in NYC, I had a run in with a pothole on I95 somewhere around New Rochelle that was big enough to swallow a VW Beetle. It bubbled the sidewalls on both passenger-side tires.
Candleflame
Active Member
Xambler
Member
Just got word that my modern spare is on the way. I’ll still carry my tire repair kit and air pump but on long trips up in the mountains I like the idea of having a spare along. Wife will just have to cut the number of shoes she takes along in half and we won’t even notice the loss of storage 
. Btw, covid has had an impact on modern spare getting tires so expect a significant delay...they mentioned Problems with ships getting into ports.
. Btw, covid has had an impact on modern spare getting tires so expect a significant delay...they mentioned Problems with ships getting into ports.
Accentcreate
Member
No "Modern Spare" available in Australia that I can find, or any alternative. My last blowout was a sidewall tear (from a seashell!) Luckily I was able to roll into a nearby town, spend the night in a hotel and buy a replacement tyre in the morning. Not the Tesla mind you.
Comment from Tesla users group in Western Australia:
"What about a space saver spare?
For country roads these are crap, I can’t see the point of driving at slow speed for up to 300kms to the next town only to spend the next 3 days hanging around waiting for a replacement tyre to be transported in, best to carry a full size spare with plenty of remaining tread that will allow you to enjoy a stress free journey."
Sounds about right to me.
They don't call it the urban jungle for no reason.
People stop bringing back dead threads...
My most recent flat was circa 2004-5 in the Prius. That was the last car I owned that had any kind of spare. But tires have gotten better since I began driving and flats are less common. Still, if I had not left the mainland I'd be upset that my Model 3 has no spare at all.
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