MYP: 20" or 19" All Season/Weather to replace Uberturbines for about the same price?

[lurgid]

I've read through quite a few of the other tire/wheel posts here, but they're making me even more confused. I ordered a MYP instead of LR, mainly to receive it sooner. I'm in Middle Tennessee, and it drops below 45 degrees for a couple months of the year. I'm more interested in ride comfort, noise, and range, as well as minimizing maintenance costs. Before I ordered, I knew the 21s made for a little bumpier ride, and the other downsides of thin walled tires like pot-holes, etc., but didn't realize the tires were only summer tires, different back to front, so little tread life, and how much they actually cost to replace.

So, I'm thinking I just want to sell the Ubers with the TPMS and tires, for about $2,500-$3000, which seems to be the going rate, and get aftermarket 19" or 20." Is there a combination of aftermarket wheel, tire, and TPMS that would come in at about that price? The wheels alone that seem to be most recommended tend to be about that price. T-Sportline, Martian, etc. Also heard that some rims may not fit because of the performance brakes? I'm also confused about some of the other tire dimension pieces as to what might work or not. Namely the ZR vs R, the offset, and the 103Y, 100H, etc speed rating. Also, what's the deal with foam or not, and which tires have it? What is the minimum load rating needed, too?

I'm not looking to blaze new ground, or anything, so what combination of year-round wheel & tire have people gone with for about $3000 out the door, that provides about 40k miles of tread, so I don't have to even think about tires again for another four years or so? Also, how much does a set of TPMS run from Tesla? And does the TPMS from TireRack work ($440)?

Would the best replacement option be something like Enkei Vulcans 19x8 25mm Offset (24.95 lbs) with TPMS kit, with Vredsten Quatrac Pros 255/45/R19 104Y XL or Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 155/45ZR 104Y XL from TireRack be a good option? The combo with Michelins would be about $2,700, and since that's the mounted and balanced price with TPMS, I think I could handle installing those myself.

 

[jcanoe]

The OE Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) tire has no rating for Winter/Snow performance but it you are diligent about not driving in inclement winter weather (maybe you have another vehicle or can just stay home) you can make it through the winter in TN.

If you decide to change the OE tires for all-season tires know that by the end of November '21 Michelin should be shipping the Pilot Sport AS4 all-season tire in the front and rear tire size for the Performance Model Y. That will save you the cost of changing wheels, buying TPMS sensors.

If you decide to purchase replacement wheels you will find that there is a wider selection of all-season, winter tires for the 19" wheel/tire specification than for the 20" wheel/tire specification. The 19" wheel/tire combo with about 1/2 inch more sidewall will theoretically survive encounters with pot holes better than the 20" wheel/tire combo.

The Tesla Model Y comes with tires with a load rating of Extra Load (XL). XL tires are designed to be inflated to 41/42 PSI to meet their load rating. You should only use XL tires on the Model Y.

Tires also have a load index number (the maximum weight that an individual tire is designed to support.) For the Model Y the OE tires come with the following load index: 19" - 104 (1984 lbs), 20" - 101 (1819 lbs), 21" Front - 98 (1653 lbs), 21" Rear - 103 (1929 lbs). Most tire sellers/installers will only install a tire with the same or higher load index value as the manufacturer's OE tires.

Tires have a speed rating: For the Performance Model Y the OE Pirelli tires have a speed rating of W (168 MPH) For safety, whenever possible, you should only install a tire with the same or higher speed rating as the OE tire. A tire with a lower speed rating may not handle as well due to it having a less stiff softer sidewall.

You can read the Tesla Model Y wheel specification here: The Tesla Model Y Wheel Guide

You can read about tire specs here: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35

 

[lurgid]

The OE Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) tire has no rating for Winter/Snow performance but it you are diligent about not driving in inclement winter weather (maybe you have another vehicle or can just stay home) you can make it through the winter in TN.

If you decide to change the OE tires for all-season tires know that by the end of November '21 Michelin should be shipping the Pilot Sport AS4 all-season tire in the front and rear tire size for the Performance Model Y. That will save you the cost of changing wheels, buying TPMS sensors.

The Tesla Model Y comes with tires with a load rating of Extra Load (XL). XL tires are designed to be inflated to 41/42 PSI to meet their load rating. You should only use XL tires on the Model Y.

Tires also have a load index number (the maximum weight that an individual tire is designed to support.) For the Model Y the OE tires come with the following load index: 19" (104), 20" (101), 21" Front (98), 21" Rear (103). Most tire sellers/installers will only install a tire with the same or higher load index value as the manufacturer's OE tires.

Tires have a speed rating: For the Performance Model Y the OE Pirelli tires have a speed rating of W (168 MPH) For safety, whenever possible, you should only install a tire with the same or higher speed rating as the OE tire. A tire with a lower speed rating may not handle as well due to it having a less stiff softer sidewall.

You can read the Tesla Model Y wheel specification here: The Tesla Model Y Wheel Guide

You can read about tire specs here: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35

Thanks for all that. However, as far as using them year-round, I saw people say that's it's less about snow performance, and more about temperature, as the rubber when it's below 45 degrees or so is what causes issues?

Also, I see my estimate for the price I may be able to get for UTs is probably a little high.

Is ride comfort, noise, more risk of blowout exaggerated on the 21s? I'm looking for comfort, price, longevity, all-around ness for road-trips.

 

[Ev_Fan]

Thank you for all this information.

“If you decide to change the OE tires for all-season tires know that by the end of November '21 Michelin should be shipping the Pilot Sport AS4 all-season tire in the front and rear tire size for the Performance Model Y. That will save you the cost of changing wheels, buying TPMS sensors.”

This is interesting. If that is the case, I may wait to order 21” Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 all-season tires to be shipped.

 

[Terpslax]

Thank you for all this information.

“If you decide to change the OE tires for all-season tires know that by the end of November '21 Michelin should be shipping the Pilot Sport AS4 all-season tire in the front and rear tire size for the Performance Model Y. That will save you the cost of changing wheels, buying TPMS sensors.”

This is interesting. If that is the case, I may wait to order 21” Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 all-season tires to be shipped.

You can also get the Michelin AS in 265/35/21 XL front and 275/35/21 Xl rears. Works great on MYP.

 

[jcanoe]

Thanks for all that. However, as far as using them year-round, I saw people say that's it's less about snow performance, and more about temperature, as the rubber when it's below 45 degrees or so is what causes issues?

Also, I see my estimate for the price I may be able to get for UTs is probably a little high.

Is ride comfort, noise, more risk of blowout exaggerated on the 21s? I'm looking for comfort, price, longevity, all-around ness for road-trips.

Unless you are pushing the Performance Model Y hard in the corners, accelerating similarly hard I doubt you would notice the difference on dry roads at 45F with the OE summer tires. I would not expect the same level of grip and handling at close to 32F or below but if 45F is as cold as it generally gets in your area then test out the OE tires this winter and see for yourself how the tires perform at lower but not particularly low temperatures.

Ride comfort is subjective, some prefer the ride of the 21" wheels with the OE tires. I have not read that the 21" tires are noisier than other tires. All season tires with more aggressive tread are probably louder than the summer performance tires. There is more risk of a sidewall failure if you encounter a pothole with the 21" wheels/tires.

 

[Ev_Fan]

You can also get the Michelin AS in 265/35/21 XL front and 275/35/21 Xl rears. Works great on MYP.

Where did you order these tires from? How did you manage to be installed? Do I have to ship these tires to Tesla syosset service center? Is it okay to ship these to my house? Would any tire store install tires and setup sensors?

 

[Young Phenom]

Where did you order these tires from? How did you manage to be installed? Do I have to ship these tires to Tesla syosset service center? Is it okay to ship these to my house? Would any tire store install tires and setup sensors?

That's a lot of questions lol

Just buy the tires and ship them to your house or local tire shop they will install them

 

[lurgid]

Unless you are pushing the Performance Model Y hard in the corners, accelerating similarly hard I doubt you would notice the difference on dry roads at 45F with the OE summer tires. I would not expect the same level of grip and handling at close to 32F or below but if 45F is as cold as it generally gets in your area then test out the OE tires this winter and see for yourself how the tires perform at lower but not particularly low temperatures.

Ride comfort is subjective, some prefer the ride of the 21" wheels with the OE tires. I have not read that the 21" tires are noisier than other tires. All season tires with more aggressive tread are probably louder than the summer performance tires. There is more risk of a sidewall failure if you encounter a pothole with the 21" wheels/tires.

January is our coldest month, with an average temp of 48 high, 29 low. When we get a little bit of snow or ice, the whole place shuts down for like a week. In actual inclement weather, we'd drive my truck instead of the Tesla. I was under the impression that colder weather was harmful to the summer tires.

I think I'll probably kick the can down the road, and just figure out new tires/rims when it comes time to replace the P-Zeros.

 

[Vaildriver]

January is our coldest month, with an average temp of 48 high, 29 low. When we get a little bit of snow or ice, the whole place shuts down for like a week. In actual inclement weather, we'd drive my truck instead of the Tesla. I was under the impression that colder weather was harmful to the summer tires.

I think I'll probably kick the can down the road, and just figure out new tires/rims when it comes time to replace the P-Zeros.

It's not harmful to your tires. The rubber gets hard and your grip goes way down. Snow traction is non-existent.

 

[lurgid]

It's not harmful to your tires. The rubber gets hard and your grip goes way down. Snow traction is non-existent.

I guess harmful might have been the wrong word. If I'm "normal" driving (say keeping it in chill mode, and not pulling Gs on corners) on dry pavement when it's 25F, are there any safety concerns?

 

[jcanoe]

I guess harmful might have been the wrong word. If I'm "normal" driving (say keeping it in chill mode, and not pulling Gs on corners) on dry pavement when it's 25F, are there any safety concerns?

Some have written that at colder temperatures (below 32F) the rubber used in the summer performance tires can crack. Fortunately tires can't read. I have never seen an example of a summer performance tire that cracked due to being used in cold weather.

 

[AikenSugarbush]

I plan on immediately swapping out of the Uberturbines and their performance tires and into aftermarket wheels with ultra performance all-seasons (either Michelin or Contis). Personally I don't like the look of the Uberturbines. If anything, they basically hide the nice red calipers. Also, I live in the midwest and once tried making in through on performance treads. Cold temps made for brittle rubber lacking grip and they were completely worthless in any type of snow.

 

[lurgid]

Some have written that at colder temperatures (below 32F) the rubber used in the summer performance tires can crack. Fortunately tires can't read. I have never seen an example of a summer performance tire that cracked due to being used in cold weather.

"The OE summer performance tires are only safe down to ~50F before the rubber gets so hard the tires lose their grip." This is the type of quote I've seen that I'm worried about. Not necessarily catastrophic failure.

 

[jcanoe]

"The OE summer performance tires are only safe down to ~50F before the rubber gets so hard the tires lose their grip." This is the type of quote I've seen that I'm worried about. Not necessarily catastrophic failure.

I owned a Mazda 626 Touring Sedan Turbo that came fitted with performance summer tires. No one warned me that the OE tires were not suitable for driving in snow. I learned quickly that the OE performance tires were practically useless in even the least bit of snow. Somehow I made it home that day, unscathed. I never again drove the Mazda in snow conditions until I replaced the OE tires with all-season tires. The rest of the time I never noticed any difference in traction, handling or braking in winter temperatures. Driving the OE summer performance tires in snow was suicidal. I live in the DC Metro area.

 

[lurgid]

So, forgetting about snow, since I would drive my truck on the day or two of snow we get here, can I drive summer tires safely when it's just "cold?" What would the cutoff point be? Say in the 20-32F range, which is what tends to be the coldest here.

 

[jcanoe]

So, forgetting about snow, since I would drive my truck on the day or two of snow we get here, can I drive summer tires safely when it's just "cold?" What would the cutoff point be? Say in the 20-32F range, which is what tends to be the coldest here.

There is no cutoff. Unless you drive like you are racing and pushing the Tesla in the curves etc. you won't notice any difference on dry roads. The tire pressure will drop with the temperature so do maintain the recommended tire pressure. On days when there is a chance of snow or sleet just use the truck. That is good advice anyway. Why risk an accident when the other drivers may have no skill or experience with winter driving. I remember one winter in Atlanta when the drivers had no experience with winter driving. Slow down; why would they need to do that just because of a little freezing rain?

 

[lurgid]

Oh, I know. I came to TN from MI. This is just my first time with a performance vehicle and tires. When you stated in a different thread that temps under 50F are unsafe with the MYP tires due to loss of grip, I got worried.

 

[jcanoe]

Oh, I know. I came to TN from MI. This is just my first time with a performance vehicle and tires. When you stated in a different thread that temps under 50F are unsafe with the MYP tires due to loss of grip, I got worried.

Just so drivers are aware that the summer performance tires are not suited to winter driving. The tire rubber compounds getting harder as the temperature drops is not like when water turns to ice in an instant as can happen when there is freezing rain. In freezing rain conditions where the road surface has not been pre-treated one minute everything is fine and the next minute vehicles are sliding in all directions without any traction.

Reasons to stay off the roads in winter when there is a chance of snow, sleet or icy conditions:

You don't have the proper tires, either all-season or winter tires
Your vehicle is new, no need to expose it to road salt, etc. when you have a second vehicle you can drive
The other drivers are probably your greatest risk of being in an accident

In the A.M. if there is a chance of ice on the road, wait a couple of hours before attempting to drive. As the sun comes up it will warm the road surface and melt the ice on the road. Also, if road surface has been treated once any slight accumulation of snow, ice starts to melt it will be safer to drive.

In this video an owner of a Performance Model Y with the 21" wheels, Pirelli performance summer tires goes for a drive in deep snow. Just to show that you can drive the performance tires in the snow. Braking and steering is not good but they don't get stuck slide out of control (just a bit of fish tailing). The owner of the Performance Model Y in the video clearly knows how to drive in the snow. They kept the Model Y's speed to under or no more than 20 MPH.

 

[Ev_Fan]

That's a lot of questions lol

Just buy the tires and ship them to your house or local tire shop they will install them

Thanks. I ordered tires today.