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Spare Tire
- Thread starter Hayseed_MS
- Start date
Tesla roadside has been great for me but now that I'm out of warranty I've been relying on good luck. I've only had one issue with a construction site screw which was patched. Otherwise it's only been 1 set of the OEM all weather over 60k miles with 1 set of winter tires. My original OEM did about 18k miles with spirited driving. My second set is lasting better.
Huachipato
Member
I have a full size spare I keep in the garage. I've only done one long trip so far, and I took it with me along with jack and tools needed to perform a safe tire change. I found my Jack and tools fit easily in the frunk.
The way I figure, I could probably have my wife bring me the spare and tools faster than I could get AAA or Tesla Roadside to meet up with me. But in most cases it has been a slow leak where TPMS points to an issue before a tire goes all the way flat. In those cases its real easy to just swap the tires out and drop off the wheel with a slow leak at Discount Tires for them to repair.
The way I figure, I could probably have my wife bring me the spare and tools faster than I could get AAA or Tesla Roadside to meet up with me. But in most cases it has been a slow leak where TPMS points to an issue before a tire goes all the way flat. In those cases its real easy to just swap the tires out and drop off the wheel with a slow leak at Discount Tires for them to repair.
I have the Tesla Fix a Flat and Tesla air compressor for last resort, I have a Modern Spare for when I can have my car towed to my house or have a friend bring me my spare, and I have 200 mile AAA towing, since the nearest Tesla dealer is far away. In any event, tires are not readily available in my area, so I will need an alternative tire until the new tires come in, or I will need alternate transportation, which I can purchase if needed. That is the best I could do. Towing and fix a flat are mostly if I have a flat on a trip.
Tesla sells a kit that's essentially fix a flat and air compressor which is what I believe DerbyDave is talking about. I didn't see the need to buy it. Never used it in my Corvette, it came with it though at least. Escalade doesn't have a spare or a kit either.
As stated above, there is quite a few ways to handle a flat these days as long as your not out in the middle of the dessert LOL.
I have roadside with my insurance if needed though.
I've not had a flat on any car of mine in over 20 years and that's thousands of miles across the country both directions in cars and Motorhome.
Need to knock on wood now LOL.
As stated above, there is quite a few ways to handle a flat these days as long as your not out in the middle of the dessert LOL.
I have roadside with my insurance if needed though.
I've not had a flat on any car of mine in over 20 years and that's thousands of miles across the country both directions in cars and Motorhome.
Need to knock on wood now LOL.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
I keep a plug kit and air compressor in the frunk. Used it twice to great effect. Can’t imaging lugging around a spare in 2021.
I also have a full size spare, mainly because I have custom forged 20” wheels. I only bring it on long trips. Regular flat fixing stuff and/or call to the wife for local stuff.
there are a couple of long threads that cover the best tire roadside repair kit for a Tesla if you search
there are a couple of long threads that cover the best tire roadside repair kit for a Tesla if you search
I bought a plug kit, which I'm not sure I'd be comfortable using in real life. I played around with it when I first got it, just to get familiar with it, but that was several years ago.
I also added towing insurance to my State Farm policy. It's incredibly cheap (under $3 per 6 months) and they will tow you to the nearest tesla SC.
I know it's becoming more the norm, but I think it's unconscionable for cars to not include a spare.
I also added towing insurance to my State Farm policy. It's incredibly cheap (under $3 per 6 months) and they will tow you to the nearest tesla SC.
I know it's becoming more the norm, but I think it's unconscionable for cars to not include a spare.
Wol747
Active Member
Living in Australia, with many bush roads and hundreds of miles between some small towns, I splashed out on a Modern Spare kit. Probably, like taking an umbrella, it will mean I never have to use it but it makes me feel better.
Why do manufacturers do this?
Why do manufacturers do this?
I have the Teaja inflator kit and a plug kit. Wouldn’t you know it first flat I was on NJ Tpke and made it to rest area where garage plugged for $17.
They ar first wouldn’t touch it, but I had jack pads and talked them through jacking. Recommend carrying pads as this is the safest way to use a floor jack
They ar first wouldn’t touch it, but I had jack pads and talked them through jacking. Recommend carrying pads as this is the safest way to use a floor jack
Wol747
Active Member
>>It saves weight<<
Everything that's removed saves weight, that's why rally cars and suchlike strip down to essentials.
Most people want comfortable road cars though, so non-essentials such as radios, powered seats, sun visors, carpets, electrical windows etc are fitted despite the weight and effect on efficiency.
It's a matter of opinion whether a spare comes under the "not useful" category, but I suspect that opinion changes on a wet and snowy night by the side of the road!
Why not, if it's that important to the manufacturer, include a pan in the floor for a wheel and make the wheel an option? The pan could hold all the charging gubbins if the wheel wasn't purchased.
Everything that's removed saves weight, that's why rally cars and suchlike strip down to essentials.
Most people want comfortable road cars though, so non-essentials such as radios, powered seats, sun visors, carpets, electrical windows etc are fitted despite the weight and effect on efficiency.
It's a matter of opinion whether a spare comes under the "not useful" category, but I suspect that opinion changes on a wet and snowy night by the side of the road!
Why not, if it's that important to the manufacturer, include a pan in the floor for a wheel and make the wheel an option? The pan could hold all the charging gubbins if the wheel wasn't purchased.
I got a flat today and am stuck waiting 90 minutes for the tow and the local tire shops don’t even have my tire. Love my Tesla until times like these when it is so inconvenient. If I had a spare I would have changed the tire by now and been in my way. Found out they won’t even give me a loaner tire in my area 
I got a flat today and am stuck waiting 90 minutes for the tow and the local tire shops don’t even have my tire. Love my Tesla until times like these when it is so inconvenient. If I had a spare I would have changed the tire by now and been in my way. Found out they won’t even give me a loaner tire in my area
I have had 3 flats in the 13k miles on my refresh S - all punctures. No tires so they tow to the SC.
Last one happened 5 hours from home and near a SC. The SC had to order the tire and we waited from Saturday until Wednesday. Cancelled the rest of the trip and just went home.
Have the goop/compressor kit but have not tried. Will also be looking at a spare.
airborne spoon
Active Member
In about 5 years of owning my Tesla I've gotten 4 flats, the first and 2nd happened at the same time i hit a rock and busted a hole in my rim and tires, the 3rd i hit a block of ice I thought was a snowball and that caused a sidewall puncture which again is unrepairable. the 4th time i got a screw in the tire and i stopped at chevron got some air and drove to a local small tire shop and they patched it for me.
So only one of those times would a spare tire been needed and said tire would have taken up a lot of space while its being unused and tires stink up the car pretty quickly which means it would've needed to be in the frunk which is where I put groceries.
I've owned 8 cars in my lifetime and I've gotten 5 flat tires in all those years. So with this new information you would say damn you do need a spare but in reality i just need smaller rims. No other car or truck I've owned had these damn tiny ass tires on them. low profiles suck ass the only reason i still run with the stock 21's is because buying a set of 17-19's aren't cheap and i really don't want to piss away my money on a 3rd set of rims, (2nd set is for my snow tires they are 20's but still pretty low profile should've gone with 18's)
Also the time i busted a rim and 2 tires at once insurance covered it under comprehensive so i didn't have to pay a penny, the ice block fell under the tire rack free road hazard plan and i paid about $50 for a brand new tire, and the last one it was tire rack hazard again so it was free.
Say what you want about spare tires but i consider them to be unnecessary in the modern world of convenience with so many tire shops all over the place these days. Also 21's are stupid and i want 18's for my car
So only one of those times would a spare tire been needed and said tire would have taken up a lot of space while its being unused and tires stink up the car pretty quickly which means it would've needed to be in the frunk which is where I put groceries.
I've owned 8 cars in my lifetime and I've gotten 5 flat tires in all those years. So with this new information you would say damn you do need a spare but in reality i just need smaller rims. No other car or truck I've owned had these damn tiny ass tires on them. low profiles suck ass the only reason i still run with the stock 21's is because buying a set of 17-19's aren't cheap and i really don't want to piss away my money on a 3rd set of rims, (2nd set is for my snow tires they are 20's but still pretty low profile should've gone with 18's)
Also the time i busted a rim and 2 tires at once insurance covered it under comprehensive so i didn't have to pay a penny, the ice block fell under the tire rack free road hazard plan and i paid about $50 for a brand new tire, and the last one it was tire rack hazard again so it was free.
Say what you want about spare tires but i consider them to be unnecessary in the modern world of convenience with so many tire shops all over the place these days. Also 21's are stupid and i want 18's for my car
So sorry. This is just what I have tried to avoid. I have a mounted spare with change kit, and keep it at home. I have goop kit in the car, and I have 200 mile AAA towing. The replacement tires are not usually available for days after a flat. I can either tow the car to my home, or have a friend bring my spare to me. While I get another tire, I can at least drive my car. This stuff covers me for 95% of my driving. The goop is good for other times or when I am on a trip. I can still have issues on a trip, but the odds are slim. I still sleep easier at night.I got a flat today and am stuck waiting 90 minutes for the tow and the local tire shops don’t even have my tire. Love my Tesla until times like these when it is so inconvenient. If I had a spare I would have changed the tire by now and been in my way. Found out they won’t even give me a loaner tire in my area
Huachipato
Member
You don't have to match 21s with a 21 spare. The spare just needs to conveniently allow you to continue your journey. A much cheaper 19 wheel and mismatched cheap tire does the task easily. I get that being in CA might be convenient; but I'd be annoyed having to just wait more than 30 minutes for something that I can do myself.
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