Model 3 has no spare tire

[TT97]

https://www.amazon.com/AY-Customs-A...&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=model+3+jack+pad&psc=1

These set of 4 are only $60. I'm going to get them for emergencies.

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/

 

[CarterStC]

No.

And if you'd like the long explanation: nope!

 

[dgpcolorado]

I will buy a complete spare.
I always keep a plug kit and compressor in my vehicles.
Nobody is coming to help me where I live.

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.

 

[Glamisduner]

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.

I think that would pretty much fill my trunk!

 

[dgpcolorado]

I think that would pretty much fill my trunk!

Spare tire aside, none of those things I listed takes up much space nor weighs much. Your trunk isn't all that small!

 

[Takumi]

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.

That's if your spare is good and not neglected.

 

[Dana1]

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.

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.

 

[Dana1]

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.

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.

 

[voip-ninja]

What's even more pathetic is you opening your stinky mouth... I just got the car a couple weeks ago, so I didn't know. Also, plan B was to call Tesla's miserable roadside service. It took them 3 and a half hours to get to me in the middle of a major city (the Bel Air part of LA), literally half a mile away from Elon Musk's house, and then they told me no one in town has a loaner tire, so they had to get a flatbed truck to tow the car overnight and I STILL don't have it... Next time you get a flat tire, let's see how well it works out for you, and then we'll be waiting for you to open your stinky piehole again.

You strike me as the kind of person who would starve to death if it wasn’t for fast food joints.

 

[SMAlset]

Guess you haven't checked out cars lately.

 

[jumper4000]

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.

 

[ricohman]

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.

 

[Dana1]

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.

*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.

 

[jumper4000]

I would have walked to his house, banged on the door, and demanded a loaner!

You said you were 15 minutes from home. In downtown LA. What's that, 1/4 mile? Leave the car and walk home...

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.

 

[jumper4000]

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.

 

[jumper4000]

*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.

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.

 

[SMAlset]

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.

 

[Trevor B]

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.

You are not spoiled. Just an ignoramus.

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.

So all that rant was for zilch?

 

[jumper4000]

You are not spoiled. Just an ignoramus.



So all that rant was for zilch?

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.

 

[jumper4000]

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.