Is there anything those do, that a $4 hockey puck couldn't do? What is the diameter/depth of the hole? For an extra $9, you can screw these on to the pucks. https://smile.amazon.com/Pack-Rubber-Screw-Bumpers-Cabinets/dp/B07GBFD3SH/
Much the same for me where I live and drive. Can't call for roadside assistance if there is no cell phone reception, even if I wanted to wait! For long road trips I usually carry a spare (a snow tire). The rest of the time I carry the usual: 12V compressor/light, plug kit, long-nose pliers, pressure gauge, scissors jack, hockey puck, breaker bar, torque wrench, cross-type tire iron, lug nut cap tool, gloves, ground cloth. I just keep that stuff in my lower trunk where it is out of the way, so I can't forget it. Only had one flat so far but it was slow enough that I made it home after pumping up the tire a couple of times; then I changed to the spare in my garage to take the flat to the tire store for patching.
Spare tire aside, none of those things I listed takes up much space nor weighs much. Your trunk isn't all that small!
Buy the repair kit sold by Tesla. Presumably you knew there was no spare tire because you read your owners manual and got to know your car. There are also threads on the forum about spares that fit the 3. I haven’t had a spare come on a car for probably eight years.
Haha, you’ve never dealt with AAA then...probably the largest roadside service organization. Google articles on AAA and you’ll hear similar rants. Keep the tools and material you need in your trunk and sub trunk so you can patch, inflate, or change yourself or play pole position while waiting. Order a pizza. I feel bad you were in the rain but honestly you sound spoiled. I’m female and manage to change flats...my own and for people who look less capable than me (grandmothers, etc, not spoiled drivers, lol). I’d recommend you keep your UMC, a commercial grade extension cord, a small tool kit, charging cables, basic first aid kit, and road flares in the sub trunk. They are great cars but they’re not magical.
How am I spoiled if my main complaint is that the car doesn't have a spare tire so I could change it myself (even at night in the rain), instead of waiting for the tow truck to show up? If anything, I'm the complete opposite of spoiled in this context.
For what it's worth all cars (of this type anyway) should come with at least a donut spare. Why wait when you can change it yourself in 10 minutes? But the jacking system on the Model 3 is not conventional. And that may be one of the reasons why. Either way. It should have some sort of spare.
*shrug*. Buy a spare and be prepared. But choosing inaction and crying later is spoiled, lol. I have the repair kit and will repair or inflate if possible. I’ve accepted the risk that a really bad, unrepairable/uninflatable flat might occur and I’ll be on the side of the road. I’ve invested $12 a year in USAA’s roadside program so I have two chances for a tow truck to SC or Discount Tire. It’s all about risk. Insure the risk by having a spare or accept the consequences.
LOL, next time for sure I'm showing up to his house. My uncle lives in the same gated community as him... Also, I wasn't stranded or anything. After 2 hours of waiting, we took an Uber down the street, ate, then went home and got the other car. By the time we went back, the tow truck had finally arrived. It all would have been a whole lot more horrible if we were on a long road trip and this happened.
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. Aside from a few smart ass bozos here, you've all been very helpful. I ended up buying these for now till I figure out the spare tire situation - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G252DCC https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GQQX6L2 You guys should all get something similar too, cuz you could end up being eaten up by wolves or freeze to death if you count on Tesla to come help you.
Thanks for all the advice, mom. But, I just got the car very recently and it's the first car I've had that doesn't have run-flat tires or a spare. I'll be better prepared next time.
Most people, and the vast majority of car owners in general don't have a spare in their car and who get flat tires don't throw a fit and just deal with it. Sure it's not fun and a guaranteed wait in pouring rain in the largest city in California. Don't know what it's like in LA but up here in the SF Bay Area, where it's pouring right now too, very windy and thunder and lightning expected later as well, there are countless accidents all over the area with Tesla and other roadside assistance companies trying to get to all the calls. Sure OP wasn't the only call for roadside assistance that Tesla was trying to get to. LA is a driving disaster even without rain. Really feel for all those roadside assistance folks that have to answer those calls. We have had a few flat tires. The most memorable one was during a huge rainstorm at night where our car hit a huge pothole that was filled with water and no way to judge what we were about to drive over. Blew out both right side tires and damaged the rim on one of the tires. Very expensive night. Waited a really long time for AAA to come and tow the car. At one point we needed to use the restroom of a nearby business and found out from the owner that there were multiple blowouts right at that spot all day long since it had started raining. Shop owner said she knew that it had been called in earlier that day to the city for street repair but nothing done. Not even cones or warning devices/signage to block of the area. Thanks to that kind shop keeper's info we were able with some persistence to get the city to pay for both tires and the rim as it had been a known issue for them and hours had gone by without any action taken. They said they were caught off guard by the rain storm and all their workers were hours behind calls for road repairs. We fought back with well they could have at least put up some kind of warning device or blocked off that part of the road, so they ended up agreeing to the replacement cost. AAA said they were so late to come due to all the calls for assistance. Sure everyone who had a flat that night was equally as annoyed and having to wait for a long time for a tow, but it's something people just grin and bear without all the drama.
The rant was for - A - Tesla not having a spare tire B - Waiting 3.5 hours for them to get to me right down the street from their CEO’s house C - For Tesla not being prepared to deal w a super basic flat tire D - Them having to tow my car overnight. E - Having to summarize everything, cuz u don’t know how to read. F - Having to deal w ppl like u cuz u don’t know how to change ur own flat tire so manufacturers decided not to provide spares. There u go. I hope u’re satisfied.
I also have another rant to add. I’m FINALLY at the Tesla Service Center to pickup the car and there are several people waiting in line to do whatever they need to do. This is definitely the worst experience I’ve had dealing w a ridiculously simple flat tire. I can’t believe how so many of you are defending this sort of service and treatment. I’ve never experienced something like this w Mercedes and Tesla is trying to compete in the same category. Obviously, w so many of you defending this sort of treatment, they will never change their ways and this will become the norm.