Please fix the curb rash risk on Model Y !

[pdx_m3s]

That is disappointing. I thought SUV typically had bigger wheels than car counterpart.

Y is not an SUV.

 

[gilscales]

This thread is a joke. Maybe we should blame Tesla for windshield chips next?

Just making a joke, but seriously I consider myself one of the drivers that never has to worry about curb rash, my wife on the other hand curbed 3 out of 4 wheels on her 535d lease so I had to go to a place and pay about $400 to get them all looking as new before we turned in the lease, I always gave her a hard time for that stuff, fast forward to April 2018 and I, not her curbed the wheels twice in the first 1,000 miles, once when I was trying to parallel park in a big hurry because traffic was coming fast and it was a main street and the other time when I was turning into a driveway while someone was tailgating, I punched it then braked and turned into the driveway but the car was more responsive than I gave it credit for, I turned in just a hair early and the right rear tire jumped the edge of the driveway apron curb nicking the rim edge so even if you have skills sh!t can still happen.

I got the wheels powder coated because I wanted them black anyways and now looking like new I decided while I was at it to upgrade my rubber, I choose the Conti DWS06 in a 255/40/19, the car rides better from the slightly higher sidewalls and handles much better, yesterday I noticed for the first time in about 8,000 miles since the new rubber has been on that when my wife came home the sidewall of the right rear tire had been curbed but the wheel looks like new, I never even said anything as I do not want to anger the wheel rash gods!

BTW, I do not consider this a Tesla problem but the newer ( last 20 years in newer to me!) sporty sedans do not have the sidewall protection of the older cars I grew up with, they sure do handle better though!

 

[mtapes]

Showing the wheel bands from AO. Many color options. The only time I hit the curb (rear passenger wheel) the wheel band was damaged and saved the wheel from more severe damage. SO ugly or not (YMMV) I vote for the wheel bands, until the tire size changes.

 

[traxila]

I live in downtown Portland. Curbs are everywhere. Just tired of Tesla owners conflating general vehicle problems as Tesla-specific problems. It gets old.

With you on that. Really tired of seeing what seem to be Tesla specific attacks on issues that affect all cars. Like the fact that they do not work at times. Have put some nasty curb rash on my wheels in NYC. Pretty common that the curbs are uneven, even broken and jutting out at weird angles. In my eyes unavoidable. Part of having a car in the area. Having people tell me it is due to my driving skills - not very diplomatic. I have driven thirty years and never hit anyone or anything. The opposite has happened a few times. And my cars have been trashed a couple of times while parked. In fact, I have never owned a car that has not been hit while parked. So yeah, I hug the curbs. Get curb rash.

 

[CyberShy]

I live in downtown Portland. Curbs are everywhere. Just tired of Tesla owners conflating general vehicle problems as Tesla-specific problems. It gets old.

There are variables involved that increase likelihood of rim incidents. Design, driver skill, curbs, congestion, etc.

Note, I completely agree with the bolded statement above in general on these forums. Like the stone-chip one above.

Be careful out there.

 

[DanCar]

Y is not an SUV.

It is a CUV which is a subset of the class SUV according to Tesla and Wikipedia respectively.

 

[instigator]

@pdx Why are you here? ( besides trolling ) Have you ordered a Model Y ?

I am making a suggestion with a simple improvement that could improve the overall experience of owning ( and parking ) a Model Y, which I have ordered. Yes this risk does exist on other ( non SUV ) cars, But I consider Tesla better than other cars.

Perhaps you have not experienced curb rash ( yet ) but many others have and it's no reason for derogatory comments. I would like to think most Tesla owners are also a little better..

 

[pdx_m3s]

@pdx Why are you here? ( besides trolling ) Have you ordered a Model Y ?

I am making a suggestion with a simple improvement that could improve the overall experience of owning ( and parking ) a Model Y, which I have ordered. Yes this risk does exist on other ( non SUV ) cars, But I consider Tesla better than other cars.

Perhaps you have not experienced curb rash ( yet ) but many others have and it's no reason for derogatory comments. I would like to think most Tesla owners are also a little better..

Have not yet ordered Y yet, but it is in our future (to replace our Mini Countryman). I apologize for the tone in my comments. However, I don't believe I am "trolling". I was trying to point out and explain (what I believe to be) a baseless issue/complaint/feature-request. As I pointed out earlier, there are functionality (improved handling and steering response) and efficiency (the width selections cause a slanted sidewall that reduces drag on the leading edge of the tire) reasons behind Tesla's wheel and tire width combination. Those should come first before the ability to scrape curbs without damaging wheels, an issue that many vehicles have.

 

[instigator]

Debating curb rash risk vs. handling/aerodynamics is a fair discussion. My opinion is a small +/-1/4 in tire width ( or rim ) change will not significantly impact handling/aerodynamics. This does bring up the topic of appropriate standard Tires & Rims for the 3 vs. the Y.

Customers that value performance/handling over practicality( low risk ) can choose those performance wheels at purchase. I see lots of complaints from owners with low profile Tires ( Tesla & non-Tesla ) when they hit a pot hole or rough road and end up with flats and bent rims. With the Y positioned as a SUV(ish) there is an expectation that an owner could drive on a dirt road/driveway or survive a city pothole. Making appropriate tires standard on Model Y would make sense.

 

[instigator]

A related article.

https://jalopnik.com/low-profile-tires-are-ruining-modern-cars-1836309462

 

[CyberShy]

This thread is a joke. Maybe we should blame Tesla for windshield chips next?

Well, now that you mention it... some people here do seem to complain that their Teslas are getting stone chips more easily than all of the cars they have ever previously seen in their lifetimes. One would have to believe that Tesla sourced weaker, cheaper, thinner, lower quality, etc. automotive glass than the rest of the industry. That would be a bit of a stretch.

I have seen a high amount of stone chip complaints, but I chalk that up to owners of Teslas being hypersensitive to every non-perfection in their cars. I blame our increasingly crumbling infrastructure (USA).

That is disappointing. I thought SUV typically had bigger wheels than car counterpart.

LOL. They do. The X comes with 20” and 22” rims. However design details are the same. Tesla’s focus on performance and handling appears to lead them to use designs that have the rim extending out beyond the tire’s sidewall. This is to reduce lateral and axial movement of the rim related to the road. Less tire, better performance.

If one carefully reads the title of this thread, @instigator actually used the correct wording in his question. The used the word risk.

His request is perfectly cromulent. He doesn’t need all the grief everyone is giving him for asking. Why the vitriolic replies?

 

[Fiddler]

Eventually, Tesla will help the driver mitigate the curb rash risk by displaying the side cameras and providing an composite aerial view of the parking environment.

 

[pdx_m3s]

Eventually, Tesla will help the driver mitigate the curb rash risk by displaying the side cameras and providing an composite aerial view of the parking environment.

And you know this how?

 

[TT97]

That is disappointing. I thought SUV typically had bigger wheels than car counterpart.

Same rims doesn't mean same size. The Y at the unveiling rode on 255/45R19 (vs 235/40R19 on the 3). The difference would add 1.6" to the diameter (all in the sidewall) and .7" of width - both which will help curb rash. Assuming the 18" would be comparable (guessing 255/50R18).

Of course, these can change before going to production.

Twitter

 

[instigator]

@TT97 , good info.. do you or any have a different angle photo to see rim vs sidewall perspective ?

 

[TT97]

@TT97 , good info.. do you or any have a different angle photo to see rim vs sidewall perspective ?

Unfortunately, I don't. That picture was taken by Kim from Like Tesla at the unveiling event (I wasn't invited). There were also pictures circulating of the 20" from the other Y but the link I had for them was broken.

I am hoping they will have it at the LA Auto Show in November to get a better look at it.

 

[instigator]

From the Photos it looks like Model Y will have the same curb rash risk as 3 and S .. Rims wider than Tires..

But the SUV / Crossover competition Lexus RX and BMW X1-6 have tires wider than rims and therefore lower curb risk ( better parking along curbs experience )

 

[Loco_Nomad]

tesla can't make people drive and park properly

 

[TMThree]

You can fix this issue yourself without buying a whole new car. Get thinner rims or get wider tires.

The cost will be significantly less than the depreciation on trading in your 3.

 

[Atari2600]

The rims protect the tires when you run them into the curb. You don’t want to damage a sidewall because that is not repairable.