Road Service after Warranty Expires?

[tvad]

I was reading Tesla’s Road Service policy today and discovered free road service applies only during the Four Year Limited Warranty.

It’s a little concerning (and irksome) that Tesla will not provide free road service for a flat tire after the warranty expires, particularly considering the Model 3 is not equipped with run flat tires nor does it come equipped with a tire repair kit and air compressor like other manufacturers provide, eg Porsche.

Does anyone else share this concern?

Solutions to this problem after the warranty expires?

 

[TMThree]

Your OEM tires will wear out within 4 years, so you are in a great position to buy run flats if you'd like.

You can also sign up to AAA, or add road side assistance with your auto insurance. Progressive offers it for about $2 or $4 or something in that price range per 6 months.

 

[tvad]

We have AAA.

It’s more about the principle. Tesla doesn’t seem to be taking care of their customers past the warranty period in regards to flat tires, and I can’t figure why.

All of our cars prior to the Model 3 have had some system in place to handle a flat tire, whether it was a full spare, run flats, or tire sealant and DC powered air compressor.

 

[TMThree]

Tesla sells a flat tire kit on their website. I don't think it would work so well with the foam inserts the OEM tires have.

Also it's normal for cars not to come with spares these days. I think its odd you're complaining they don't provide lifetime roadside assistance given how cheap it is from 3rd parties.

 

[patrick40363]

AAA

 

[Magnets!]

Does any car come with lifetime roadside assistance?

 

[tvad]

It’s common for manufacturers to stop roadside assistance after the warranty expires, and Tesla is not different in this regard...but every other manufacturer that I’m aware of equips their cars with a spare, or run flats, or a repair kit, so if one chooses, or if one flats in a remote location, the flat can be repaired by the owner.

The necessary tools aren’t left for the owner to purchase as an accessory.

 

[TMThree]

Weird. For $90 I bought a really nice low profile car jack from harbor freight and swapped my oem 18" tires for 19" aftermarket ones in my own garage. Its almost as if swapping tires on a Tesla isn't any more difficult than any other car.

 

[tvad]

What does swapping tires in a garage have to do with fixing a flat on the road?

 

[jjrandorin]

We have AAA.

It’s more about the principle. Tesla doesn’t seem to be taking care of their customers past the warranty period in regards to flat tires, and I can’t figure why.

All of our cars prior to the Model 3 have had some system in place to handle a flat tire, whether it was a full spare, run flats, or tire sealant and DC powered air compressor.

Well...

At least for BMWs, they come with run flats, and many (many many) owners gnash teeth and wail about the poor ride quality of run flats and run out and swap them out for "regular" tires. I am not one of those, and didnt mind the run flats but agree non run flat tires ride better.

BMW comes with free roadside assistance during the warranty too, which then drops off after that. I have never owned a porsche... do they come with lifetime roadside assistance?

 

[tvad]

^ Porsche has different solutions depending on the model. 911s are equipped with run flat tires (many owners change them to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S), and also come with tire sealant and an air compressor. The Macan is fitted with non-run flats, but comes with tire sealant and an air compressor. I owned a 911 and presently own a Macan GTS (in addition to our Model 3).

 

[Knightshade]

So your complaint is they don't give you a free cheap air compressor and bottle of sealant?

A compressor is like 30 bucks give or take, and a can of tire sealant is under 10.

Or, Tesla will sell a kit with the same stuff, but a nice Tesla bag, for $80

Model S/X/3 Tire Repair Kit


Better than the sealant spray though- just carry a patch kit. It's what the tire shop will do if it's a fixable leak anyway, and it's MUCH easier to do (with less risk of making things worse) if you do it without using a sealant can of goo on the tire.

(and if the damage is beyond a patch kit, the sealant won't fix it either)

https://www.amazon.com/Slime-1034-T-Handle-Tire-Plug/dp/B000ET525K

There ya go- 7 bucks.

 

[animorph]

Our old Porsches and BMW/Minis all had roadside service that expired with the warranty.
AAA has been mentioned.
It was also one small reason I bought the ESA. Another four years of Roadside service for our road trip X. AAA would be cheaper.
Or you can just use your phone and call for a tow yourself.

 

[Knightshade]

Our old Porsches and BMW/Minis all had roadside service that expired with the warranty.
AAA has been mentioned.
It was also one small reason I bought the ESA. Another four years of Roadside service for our road trip X. AAA would be cheaper.
Or you can just use your phone and call for a tow yourself.

Tesla does not offer an ESA for the Model 3.

AAA is good if you expect to need a longer tow (at the higher service levels)... or a lot of more premium credit cards offer free roadside assistance as a benefit... (and many car insurance companies offer it for a few bucks a month)

 

[Magnets!]

You can often get Roadside assistance coverage through your insurance company for very little. Personally, I carry a plug kit and small compressor. Do you really want to have your car towed anyway when you can typically plug and fill it yourself?

 

[Ejl80]

^ Porsche has different solutions depending on the model. 911s are equipped with run flat tires (many owners change them to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S), and also come with tire sealant and an air compressor. The Macan is fitted with non-run flats, but comes with tire sealant and an air compressor. I owned a 911 and presently own a Macan GTS (in addition to our Model 3).

My last BMW came with Pilot Super Sports but didn’t come with sealant, so no, Tesla isn’t the only company.

 

[tvad]

Apparently, tire sealant repair kits do not work with the Michelin sound deadening tires equipped on the Model 3.

Tire Repair Kit

"If your Tesla tire has the sound deadening pad lining the inside of the tread, neither the Tesla nor the Green slime (etc) kits will work. https://carwitter.com/2013/08/17/quieter-tyres-from-continental-contisil...The reasons are simple. The pad is so dense and thick, it prevents the sealant from reaching and entering the hole. The sealants simply run alongside the outer edges of the pad, seep into the pad like a sponge, harden and will render the tire completely useless and unrepairable by a professional shop because the goo will disproportionally absorb into the sponge making rebalancing impossible. The ONLY solution would be to repla$e the tire or to physically remove the silencing pad entirely and then service the tire. You can get your money back if you complain. In fact I read that one Tesla owner had the company replace the unserviceable tire for free and refund him for the Repair kit as well!"

 

[tvad]

My last BMW came with Pilot Super Sports but didn’t come with sealant, so no, Tesla isn’t the only company.

Which model and year was your BMW?

Our last BMW was a 2013 528i. It came with a mini spare.

 

[Knightshade]

Apparently, tire sealant repair kits do not work with the Michelin sound deadening tires equipped on the Model 3.

Tire Repair Kit

"If your Tesla tire has the sound deadening pad lining the inside of the tread, neither the Tesla nor the Green slime (etc) kits will work. https://carwitter.com/2013/08/17/quieter-tyres-from-continental-contisil...The reasons are simple. The pad is so dense and thick, it prevents the sealant from reaching and entering the hole. The sealants simply run alongside the outer edges of the pad, seep into the pad like a sponge, harden and will render the tire completely useless and unrepairable by a professional shop because the goo will disproportionally absorb into the sponge making rebalancing impossible. The ONLY solution would be to repla$e the tire or to physically remove the silencing pad entirely and then service the tire. You can get your money back if you complain. In fact I read that one Tesla owner had the company replace the unserviceable tire for free and refund him for the Repair kit as well!"

Wouldn't a patch kit still fix it (and unlike the sealant, do so properly?)

 

[tvad]

I have reached out to Michelin for their roadside repair recommendation for Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires. I'll report back if I receive any response.