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spare tire
- Thread starter padillapatty@a
- Start date
EVRider-FL
Active Member
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
swengl
Member
I bought one from Modern Spare (for an S) after having a blow-out 10 miles from home. It's definitely a donut, but if it can get me there without a tow, it will be worth it.
In the last 6 years of driving Teslas (Model S, Model Y) we've had 3 or 4 tire inflation issues, all slow leaks due to nails or screws in the tire. The TPMS alerted us to low tire pressure each time. All but one time we were home and could drive to the nearest tire shop for repairs. The last time we were on a cross country trip so stopped and used a "fix a flat" aerosol can to stop the leak and get to a tire repair shop the next morning. So carrying a fix-a-flat can has worked for us.
Tam
Well-Known Member
As long as there's a way to call them because some places just don't have cell phone signals such as National Parks.
My last experience with AAA was not good. I had a (non-repairable) flat and pulled over in a sketchy neighborhood. I used the app, and later called when I'd not received a response after an hour or so. Eventually after almost three hours and multiple contacts I was able to find another tow service that I contacted directly.
AAA called me several hours later after I was home, way too late to be useful. I had excellent cell service, and was well inside city limits near an industrial area with many garages and body shops. I counted at least twenty empty rollback tow trucks that passed me. The driver that eventually showed up said that they had a AAA contract, but hadn't been contacted by them.
To their credit they reimbursed me for the tow (almost $200) without any pushback. I haven't had a need for them in several years (I always carry a compressor and tire plugs) but this last try was simply useless. My brother had a similar experience about a year ago, but was in rural Arkansas a long way from any AAA affiliated tow services or major highways.
I think staffing may be difficult for them right now. Years ago, I had excellent service when I needed it.
Huachipato
Member
I had a slightly bent aftermarket wheel along with my best used tire(when I got new shoes for the car). I keep it in the garage most of the time but throw it into the trunk when I take a trip (which is a rare occurrence). Small floor jack and needed tools easily in frunk.
AMPd
Well-Known Member
Funny story about AAA, I’ve been a member for around 7 years now, I blew out two tires on my model s and called a tow truck completely forgetting I had AAA, 170 bucks for a tow. Fast forward 2 years and I get into a small fender bender in my bmw, once again called a tow truck completely forgetting I have AAA.
Wol747
Active Member
Living in Australia where you are typically several hundred miles (up to a thousand...) miles from a service station, and no "ranger" service, I bought the kit from Modern Spare.
A couple of days after it arrived (and please don't ask about DHL, that's a story that could make a book) I noticed a slow puncture because of a screw in a back tyre. Since I was at home I used the Modern Spare jack, took the wheel off and took it to the nearest tyre place 50m away where it was fixed, so didn't use the spare.
It sits in the trunk or behind one of the seats and I consider it insurance albeit with quite a premium!
A couple of days after it arrived (and please don't ask about DHL, that's a story that could make a book) I noticed a slow puncture because of a screw in a back tyre. Since I was at home I used the Modern Spare jack, took the wheel off and took it to the nearest tyre place 50m away where it was fixed, so didn't use the spare.
It sits in the trunk or behind one of the seats and I consider it insurance albeit with quite a premium!
I have had the Modern Spare (Pirelli--T135/80R18, 2 ply polyester sidewall, 4 ply tread (steel & polyester)) for 1.5 years and used it last Sunday for the first time. We were 240 miles from home and at 09:00 Sunday, tire pressure in the left rear drops to 36 PSI (screw in tread adjacent sidewall), others @ 45 PSI (no warning from the system, however). Called Roadside Assistance, whose solution was to send a tow truck (waiting time unspecified) to take the car to a Tesla service center in Mt. Kisco, NY--65 miles in the wrong direction (we live in Boston). Didn't avail myself of that option, mounted the spare+adapter ring after topping up inflation to 60 PSI, drove home at 60-65 MPH and had no issues at all. Tire still has lots of wear left, although Modern Spare does sell replacement tires. Having AAA/Tesla Service in metropolitan areas is likely fine....but on a Sunday morning in the upstate NY mountains, I prefer the spare. Just my 2 cents' worth.
btlatum, curious if you've had any other uses of this spare? I'm going on a longer trip in a few months and was looking at this Modern Spare as an option.
Has anybody else bought this product and had a good/bad experience?
Thanks
Wol747
Active Member
It's like ANY insurance, isn't it? If you never use it you wonder why you spent the money.
If you rarely leave town it's probably a waste, but knowing you can cope with a blowout makes for a more comfortable long trip.
I think it's disgraceful that so many cars haven't a spare nowadays.
If you rarely leave town it's probably a waste, but knowing you can cope with a blowout makes for a more comfortable long trip.
I think it's disgraceful that so many cars haven't a spare nowadays.
I have the Modern Spare in my garage. If I am anywhere within 200 miles, I can either have a friend bring it to me, or have my car towed to my house. Otherwise, I have the goop. I perhaps go on trips over 200 miles once or twice a year. In any event, it will take days to get a replacement tire for my car, so I wanted to have a spare for the 90%+ chances of me having a flat so I can use my car until the tire is replaced on the real wheel. I don't want to carry around all that weight all the time. If you have a model like I do (June 2020 LR+) with the single caliper on the rears that includes an integrated parking brake, you must order a spacer (huge and very heavy) from Modern Spare. It weighs as much as the spare. Not ideal, but it will work. Lug nuts to attach spacer are provided, but different size from wheels.
airborne spoon
Active Member
In a modern society a spare tire is just extra weight and lost storage space.
Since 2002 when I started driving I've had 3 flat tires and only 1 time did I need a tow but I'd bit a rock and that popped 2 tires and broke 1 rim so a spare tire wouldn't have helped anyway. The other 2 times I just stopped at a gas station and added air as necessary till I got to a location where I had the time to wait 30 min for a random tire shop to put a patch on.
If you get a real flat you can call AAA or most people even pay for towing in their insurance and don't know it. Also some people carry air compressors that plug into the cigarette lighter port. They are small and will work great to get you to a tire shop.
And remember it's a car not a ****ing unicorn any random tire shop can repair a hole. Sometimes they need training on Tesla's so be kind and show the lift points and if you have the tires with the foam inside inform them it can just be cut away so the patch can be put in place easily. Also tell them the tire needs to be at 42 psi minimum not the standard 35 of a lighter car.
Since 2002 when I started driving I've had 3 flat tires and only 1 time did I need a tow but I'd bit a rock and that popped 2 tires and broke 1 rim so a spare tire wouldn't have helped anyway. The other 2 times I just stopped at a gas station and added air as necessary till I got to a location where I had the time to wait 30 min for a random tire shop to put a patch on.
If you get a real flat you can call AAA or most people even pay for towing in their insurance and don't know it. Also some people carry air compressors that plug into the cigarette lighter port. They are small and will work great to get you to a tire shop.
And remember it's a car not a ****ing unicorn any random tire shop can repair a hole. Sometimes they need training on Tesla's so be kind and show the lift points and if you have the tires with the foam inside inform them it can just be cut away so the patch can be put in place easily. Also tell them the tire needs to be at 42 psi minimum not the standard 35 of a lighter car.
Jsvette56
Member
I also suggest just carrying a small compressor that plugs into the car's 12v socket. Since 2013 my wife's M3 and my MS has had several punctures caused by nails and screws. The leaks are slow and shows up on the display with a warning of low pressure and typically take more than a day to be a problem giving me time to pump up the tire and schedule a repair.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Generally agree. They are nostalgic relics from the land of no cellphones and crappy bias ply tires that might explode at any minute.
Wol747
Active Member
Yes, the rest of the world bar a few countries.
i live in a first world country. The nearest Tesla SC is 150 miles away. I can be driving 300 miles plus from anything like a tyre shop or even a store. You can often be 100 miles from a cellphone signal. Perhaps 500 miles from a charger - which might not work. There are no mobile rangers outside a few miles from one or two major cities.
Tesla sells in countries that haven’t anything like the US facilities. I’ve always carried a compressor but this is the first car I’ve owned in sixty years of driving that has no spare - like many others now - and it’s a retrograde step.
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