Spare tire on road trips?

[l4sythe]

Doing a round trip road trip from Florida to Maine. Some areas are sparsely populated. I understand front and rear tires are different sizes. With no spare I guess you could get stranded in an area waiting for a tire that’s made for Tesla. On my other cars I have run flats. I had to get flat bedded and then wait for a tire to be delived to my location. Is that what happens with Tesla? Am I just a worry wart ?

 

[Tam]

...sparsely populated...

In an isolated area, Tesla cars would share the same fate as ICE would. There might not be a tire shop for miles and when you do get one, they may not stock the tires until you arrive.

If you are worried about being stranded in a remote area, you can have a few options:

1) Do it Yourself and buy a spare tire and tools. For the purpose of spare tire, you do not have to carry two different tire sizes for the front and back. It comes as a universal size for both front and back. If you have AAA, they can switch out the tire for you with no extra charge.

2) Switch to run-flat-tires: It's more expensive, rougher, and noiser.

 

[P85_DA]

Am I just a worry wart ?

Yes ...plus these cars are super heavy u would need to bring a floor jack ...get Tesla repair kit and keep Tesla’s roadside number handy

 

[BLKMDL3]

Or bring just a front wheel/tire. The front can fit on the back but the back can not fit on the front.

 

[Krash]

Are you sure you have the staggered setup? Some cars are setup square.

 

[mknox]

Are you sure you have the staggered setup? Some cars are setup square.

AFAIK, the X has been staggered for a while now. I did notice that Tesla has a non-staggered 19" winter wheel and tire package on their web site, so I suppose one of those might suffice as a spare.

But where would you put it? My old 2013 S with the original "big" frunk could hold a 19" wheel and tire no problem, but not the tiny frunk on my X.

 

[Lasairfion]

It shows you where on this picture:

 

[l4sythe]

In an isolated area, Tesla cars would share the same fate as ICE would. There might not be a tire shop for miles and when you do get one, they may not stock the tires until you arrive.

If you are worried about being stranded in a remote area, you can have a few options:

1) Do it Yourself and buy a spare tire and tools. For the purpose of spare tire, you do not have to carry two different tire sizes for the front and back. It comes as a universal size for both front and back. If you have AAA, they can switch out the tire for you with no extra charge.

2) Switch to run-flat-tires: It's more expensive, rougher, and noiser.

I would have it flat bedded to a place that could change it, but thought it would save waiting for a tire to be ordered.

 

[Tam]

I would have it flat bedded to a place that could change it, but thought it would save waiting for a tire to be ordered.

If your Tesla is still under warranty, you can call Tesla to send out their road assistance even in a very remote area for free (Tesla has contracts with local tow service.)

However, whether a local tire shop has your tire or not is another problem.

Even in here Visalia, CA (population of 130,000), the Pep Boys Auto Service shop didn't have my previous 2012 Model S tire which is a very popular and an easy find "Goodyear Eagle RS-A2 245/45R19" so, they had to special order it.

 

[mknox]

If your Tesla is still under warranty, you can call Tesla to send out their road assistance even in a very remote area for free (Tesla has contracts with local tow service.).

If I am out and about in my local neck of the woods, this would be fine. I have even heard of some areas where thy will bring a spare to your car and take your flat in for repairs ,and you simply come back to the shop later to get your repaired tire back.

My worry is on road trips. If I am hundreds of miles from home, I lose a day or more dealing with something as "trivial" as a flat tire. With a spare, at least I could make it to my destination or back home to have it dealt with.

 

[Graffi]

Maybe it is just me, but using a simple and cheap Plug Kit is so easy, and a small 12v pump to get the pressure back and you can be on your way in 10 to 20 minutes, long before any help can arrive. I have not needed to use it on our Tesla, but I never travel without it. I have used it twice before on other vehicles. Works great and lasted until the tires needed to be replaced as a set.

 

[Lasairfion]

For years we've seen research done into alternative wheels. I've never been particularly convinced we'd see them because I imagine that the hold on the tyre market is like the hold on the oil market. I'm hopeful now that a company like Tesla would actually go ahead with one of the successful designs in the future.

eg
SECOND CONSECUTIVE IDEA AWARD FOR KUMHO - Kumho Tyres
Pneu concept : notre vision de l'avenir | Michelin
Hankook Tire’s Future-oriented Tire Succeeds High-speed Driving without Air Pressure
Bridgestone Corporation Reveals Second Generation
Goodyear Unveils Oxygene, a Concept Tire Designed to Support Cleaner and More Convenient Urban Mobility

 

[CUBldr97]

BMW X3 F25 11-17 Spare Tire Kit (Emergency Space Saver) : Bimmerzone.com

may or may not work with the X... I know its good on the S

 

[mknox]

Maybe it is just me, but using a simple and cheap Plug Kit is so easy, and a small 12v pump to get the pressure back and you can be on your way in 10 to 20 minutes, long before any help can arrive. I have not needed to use it on our Tesla, but I never travel without it. I have used it twice before on other vehicles. Works great and lasted until the tires needed to be replaced as a set.

I carry both a "Slime" Brand goo and compressor kit plus the plug kit you mention. I would probably try the plug first and only use the goo as a last resort.

 

[Graffi]

I believe the Slime would be the last resort, as it pretty much destroys the tire and TPMS, requiring the purchase of a new tire once used. At least with the plug it will last until you can get home from a trip, or like mine, last until it is time to replace the tires.

 

[mknox]

I believe the Slime would be the last resort, as it pretty much destroys the tire and TPMS, requiring the purchase of a new tire once used. At least with the plug it will last until you can get home from a trip, or like mine, last until it is time to replace the tires.

Agree... although the Slime kit itself says it is "TPMS Safe". Not sure I believe it, though.

 

[bikeandsail]

When I travel I take either one of my 19 inch snow tire/wheels or a spare summer front/wheel tire, already mounted. The front will also fit the back in a pinch. I had need to use it on a trip from Ohio to Omaha and back last year. I do not carry a jack but AAA got me on the road in about an hour. It would have been days because Tesla had nothing locally and the local tire place also had no appropriate sized tires. I was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa when it happened and Tesla was no help. Nothing nearby.

An interesting side is on that trip I saw a Tesla engineer driving a Model S with some special stuff on the roof (autonomous?). He covered the car with a cover when he left it.I bull shitted with him about my flat and grinned and showed me the rear seat of his Model S, it had a mounted spare in it!

The tire fits well in the back trunk hole. It still leaves a lot of space for luggage forward of the tire and the rear hatch closes well over it. I now actually leave a mounted tire in my garage instead of in storage so it is easy to load if I go on a long trip.

 

[Malbrough]

I always carry a $30 2 ton floor jack, torque wrench with socket, breaker bar with socket, 12 volt compressor, tarp, first aid kit, tools, etc. It all fits in a 18 inch soft tool bag and fits in the sump. I bought a spare front take off tire / wheel which fits front or rear. This spare sits in garage for easy access when we're in town, and it comes with us on road trips. In the event of a flat when traveling, I'm back on the road in 20 minutes.

 

[xyeahtony]

forget staggered, your spare tire can be whatever size you want it to be. just need to get to a tire shop to buy a new tire of appropriate size.

okay maybe not whatever size you want it to be...but within reason. doesn't need to be an exact match.

 

[bikeandsail]

forget staggered, your spare tire can be whatever size you want it to be. just need to get to a tire shop to buy a new tire of appropriate size.

okay maybe not whatever size you want it to be...but within reason. doesn't need to be an exact match.

A rear tire off a staggered Model X will not fit the front.