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Rhode Island Law - Tire repair kit must be included

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Looking for a shop to install my winter tires here RI and I came across this law:

31-4-11. Sale of automobiles – Required equipment.

(a) No automobile shall be sold, whether new or used, by a dealer, at wholesale or retail, unless the automobile is equipped with a spare tire and a jack, both of which must be functional and operational. The provisions of this section shall not apply:

(1) To an automobile equipped with tires that without any tire air inflation permit vehicle operation for at least fifty (50) miles at speeds up to at least fifty-five (55) miles per hour; or

(2) An automobile equipped with a factory installed tire repair and inflation system.

(b) A violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1985, ch. 82, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 257, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 286, § 1.)


Guess I’ll be calling for my FREE tire repair kit.
 
Looking for a shop to install my winter tires here RI and I came across this law:

31-4-11. Sale of automobiles – Required equipment.

(a) No automobile shall be sold, whether new or used, by a dealer, at wholesale or retail, unless the automobile is equipped with a spare tire and a jack, both of which must be functional and operational. The provisions of this section shall not apply:

(1) To an automobile equipped with tires that without any tire air inflation permit vehicle operation for at least fifty (50) miles at speeds up to at least fifty-five (55) miles per hour; or

(2) An automobile equipped with a factory installed tire repair and inflation system.

(b) A violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1985, ch. 82, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 257, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 286, § 1.)


Guess I’ll be calling for my FREE tire repair kit.
You are so smart or cheap. Glad I can afford to buy a tire repair kit on my own. How long have you waited for one?
 
Wow. RI native here, but not lived there for a long time. This is a recent law as you can see. I didn’t know any USA states had this, thought the discussion/accessory option for this was for mostly overseas.

Learn something every day!

Edit: and this technically means all Teslas sold in RI need run flats or whatever an ‘inflation system’. An air bottle?

(Yes, yes, no ‘dealers’, doubt that will pass legal muster.)
 
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Tesla doesn’t have a store in Rhode Island yet, so they haven’t “sold” any cars there. Sales to Rhode Island residents are occurring elsewhere.

It doesn’t matter if they have a store or not. They do not fall under the moniker of “car dealer” so all of this is moot if you just read the quoted text of the law.

OP isn’t getting that repair kit.
 
It doesn’t matter if they have a store or not. They do not fall under the moniker of “car dealer” so all of this is moot if you just read the quoted text of the law.

OP isn’t getting that repair kit.
You may know more than I do, but I don't think that we can just discount that under RI law, that Tesla does not qualify for one of the listed categories. Very possibly, but its a lawyer thing.
 
You may know more than I do, but I don't think that we can just discount that under RI law, that Tesla does not qualify for one of the listed categories. Very possibly, but its a lawyer thing.

I do know that Tesla does not have a “dealership” anywhere in the US.

I also know the RI law, as written, applies to dealers.

This isn’t a difficult one to figure out and is not a “lawyer thing”.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: neroden and MP3Mike
Let me see... I bought a plug kit for less than $20, bought a 12v. air pump for about $20. But the good old boys in RI say I must have a spare tire. They make 'em for Teslas. Probably won't fit in the frunk .

You know how many flats I've had in the last 30 years? NONE. I had a slow leak on my Model S which I fixed with a T handle and a piece of sticky rope (from my tire repair kit) in my driveway without taking the tire off. That's what usually happens: hit a nail, a week later Tesla dash notes I have <35 psi in my right front. Sure enough, a screw.

I'm retired, but it looks like you guys have way more time than I do. Thankful I don't live under the backwards aegis of RI lawmakers.
 
I don't think it's about poor, rich smart or other. I think the real question is why on earth does the state of RI feel they need to pass such a law? Are there that many people in RI that can't figure out how to be prepared? Heck, what's next. All cars should come with a shovel and cat litter along with a few water bottles and a blanket? I think that's what the OP is really addressing, the craziness of such a law.
You are so smart or cheap. Glad I can afford to buy a tire repair kit on my own. How long have you waited for one?
 
I do know that Tesla does not have a “dealership” anywhere in the US.

I also know the RI law, as written, applies to dealers.

This isn’t a difficult one to figure out and is not a “lawyer thing”.
Not quite correct. Tesla doesn’t have franchised dealerships, but in many states their stores are required to be licensed as “dealers” because of the way the states’ laws are written that’s required to sell cars. It’s trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, but necessary because the laws never envisioned a manufacturer selling cars directly to consumers. Those states don’t prohibit it, they just don’t address it and assume that all businesses selling cars are “dealers” so they’re defined as such and require dealers license. Many of Tesla’s state by state legal battles have been over their ability to get a dealer license when the dealer association tries to prevent it.
 
Actually Tesla’s repair kit is decent because it works both as a stand-alone pump and as a repair bottle: Model S/X/3 Tire Repair Kit

Genuinely don’t understand the flaming on this thread. Like of all the things to get outraged over, this is it? Really?

Personally I was surprised that Tesla supplies non-run flat tires *and* no repair kit with the car. A car that starts at 50k no less.