Pros and Cons to removing the Aero Caps?

[scottman71]

What are the pros & cons to removing the aero cap (other than it looks better)? Significant mileage loss? Is curb rash reduced?

 

[nvx1977]

edge of the rim is just as vulnerable to curb rash, as the aero covers don't cover that part.

 

[Thomas Edison]

What are the pros & cons to removing the aero cap (other than it looks better)? Significant mileage loss? Is curb rash reduced?

If memory is correct it's 5% less range

 

[Zaxxon]

I can unfortunately confirm that the covers do nothing to prevent curb rash.

 

[Thunder7ga]

I have had mine for 2 weeks (1,755 miles as of today). I drove the first week with the Aero's ON.....then the second with the OFF. I drive 150 miles a day for my commute to/from work. I have noticed NO difference in efficiency. I absolutely LOVE the look of them off...it will remain that way. I might think about putting them back on for a long trip.

 

[dhrivnak]

Several tests have shown about 15 miles less range. And they have surprisingly grown on me.

 

[Scrutmonkey]

I met another owner who said their's were making rattling noises.

They asked the SC and Tesla opted for them to just take them of and use a center-cap kit.

 

[Terthen]

I have had mine for 2 weeks (1,755 miles as of today). I drove the first week with the Aero's ON.....then the second with the OFF. I drive 150 miles a day for my commute to/from work. I have noticed NO difference in efficiency. I absolutely LOVE the look of them off...it will remain that way. I might think about putting them back on for a long trip.

I love the look of them off too. Looks better to me in real life than in pictures. At first I planned to keep aero caps on, but then in another thread someone mentioned they look like hub caps and after that that's all I could think about when I looked at them so I had to take them off. Now I'm in the camp that the best deal is to get the aero wheels but then remove the caps.

 

[eli_]

Yeah I had some rattling on a couple wheels at low speeds, but removing them and re-seating them seemed to get rid of it. I think it's locking around the center ring that causes that.

 

[chronopc]

Besides looks, the main reason I don't use them everyday is because I know some jerk is going to steal them or just steal one and really piss me off.

 

[Jedi2155]

270 Wh/mi Aero
282 Wh/mi Non Aero

 

[jamnmon66]

Several tests have shown about 15 miles less range. And they have surprisingly grown on me.

They look better in person than in pics. But I like them off more.

 

[suwaneedad]

I removed mine and haven't thought once of putting them back on. Initially I thought I'd install them for road trips, but once I realized that 5% range improvement isn't going to be relevant to me on my road trips, and if I get short on juice I can make up 5% just by slowing down a bit, AND now I realize that the navigation screen tells me when I'm at risk for running out of juice on a road trip if I don't slow down to X speed, I can't foresee a day when I put the hubcaps back on my car. It looks to me that they're merely a gimmick to maximize listed range, when in the end Tesla advertises 310 (not 343) anyway so as not to up-end the Model S range. I'm getting 280 miles of range at 80mph in the Southeast, routinely, with uncovered Aeros. Amazing. In my garage they remain.

 

[irwiny]

After doing fine the first month with the covers off and adding the kit, I curbed it twice in a few days.

Just added the two piece type wheel bans with 3M adhesive ordered directly from China.

 

[Dr. J]

What are the pros & cons to removing the aero cap (other than it looks better)? Significant mileage loss? Is curb rash reduced?

You'll take a range hit in high speed driving, like on a road trip. That's the only downside.

 

[liuping]

If memory is correct it's 5% less range

It depends a lot on your average speed.

If you do mostly around town/city driving or live in LA traffic, there is virtually no difference.

If you do a lot of high speed highway driving, it's about 4-5% less efficient.

 

[Thomas Edison]

It depends a lot on your average speed.

If you do mostly around town/city driving or live in LA traffic, there is virtually no difference.

If you do a lot of high speed highway driving, it's about 4-5% less efficient.

I thought that went without saying, but yeah.

 

[C141medic]

After doing fine the first month with the covers off and adding the kit, I curbed it twice in a few days.

Just added the two piece type wheel bans with 3M adhesive ordered directly from China.

Do those things actually help with curb rash?

 

[irwiny]

Do those things actually help with curb rash?

Only on for 4 days.. The cost was less than $20 bucks a set, so if it helps its worth it. They are installed on the lip where I scratched both front rims. For sure looks 100x better than having scratched rims and I don't plan on going to any car wash shops.

Irwin

 

[voip-ninja]

I love the look of them off too. Looks better to me in real life than in pictures. At first I planned to keep aero caps on, but then in another thread someone mentioned they look like hub caps and after that that's all I could think about when I looked at them so I had to take them off. Now I'm in the camp that the best deal is to get the aero wheels but then remove the caps.

Also, if you live in a cooler climate a good strategy, rather than paying Tesla an extra $1500 for 19" rims, is to get the standard aeros, turn those into your snow tire rims, and then spend the $1500 you would have spent going to 19" Tesla wheels to just get an entire 2nd set of rims/tires.

That's what I will probably do.