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Tesla Tires at Costco

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What are "runflats"?

Runflat tires are built with a freakishly strong sidewall designed to support the weight of the car without any air pressure. They been around for a couple decades, usually as OEM-designed solutions for vehicles that come without spare tires. They’ve been a long-standing requirement for BMW, Corvettes, AWD Siennas, and a few others. Tesla is the first manufacturer I’ve seen without a spare that doesn’t come with runflats or a tire repair kit.

https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tire/driveguard-driveguard/?ef_id=Cj0KCQiAvbiBBhD-ARIsAGM48bzNsyKXxynP-G4Koim72vcbhzGolyxQAxzt1sxDjo5OR_dYZOb8bvkaAu-FEALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!5372!3!437467791750!b!!g!!%2Bdriveguard&lw_cmp=sem_bst-us_g_pi_product_driveguard&keyword=%2Bdriveguard&campaign=10134723811&adgroup=105561546430&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvbiBBhD-ARIsAGM48bzNsyKXxynP-G4Koim72vcbhzGolyxQAxzt1sxDjo5OR_dYZOb8bvkaAu-FEALw_wcB

The upside is that they are capable of going 50 miles at 50 mph without any air. Downside is limited options, usually only one choice in a given size, and they are a bit heavier than conventional tires. The OEM Michelins are 24 pounds each, and the drive guard runflat is 30 pounds. So bit more unsprung weight, and the stiffer sidewall makes it ride stiffer. They do seem to be a bit quieter, though.
 
Runflat tires are built with a freakishly strong sidewall designed to support the weight of the car without any air pressure. They been around for a couple decades, usually as OEM-designed solutions for vehicles that come without spare tires. They’ve been a long-standing requirement for BMW, Corvettes, AWD Siennas, and a few others. Tesla is the first manufacturer I’ve seen without a spare that doesn’t come with runflats or a tire repair kit.

https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tire/driveguard-driveguard/?ef_id=Cj0KCQiAvbiBBhD-ARIsAGM48bzNsyKXxynP-G4Koim72vcbhzGolyxQAxzt1sxDjo5OR_dYZOb8bvkaAu-FEALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!5372!3!437467791750!b!!g!!%2Bdriveguard&lw_cmp=sem_bst-us_g_pi_product_driveguard&keyword=%2Bdriveguard&campaign=10134723811&adgroup=105561546430&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvbiBBhD-ARIsAGM48bzNsyKXxynP-G4Koim72vcbhzGolyxQAxzt1sxDjo5OR_dYZOb8bvkaAu-FEALw_wcB

The upside is that they are capable of going 50 miles at 50 mph without any air. Downside is limited options, usually only one choice in a given size, and they are a bit heavier than conventional tires. The OEM Michelins are 24 pounds each, and the drive guard runflat is 30 pounds. So bit more unsprung weight, and the stiffer sidewall makes it ride stiffer. They do seem to be a bit quieter, though.
They're also generally hated & ride & handle like *sugar*
 
They're also generally hated & ride & handle like *sugar*

People like to lump them together and bash them as a group without realizing that each tire is different. The Driveguard is fundamentally different from the Turanza EL400 my Toyota Sienna had, which are also very different from the Potenza RE980AS mounted on the 2021 Corvette. Lots of opinions on the Corvette, but I haven’t read any suggesting it handles badly. I’ve also never heard people say BMWs handled badly, and they come with Hancook, Pirelli, Goodyear, or Michelin runflats.



Below 20° I’ve noticed a small loss of grip against the factory Michelins, but otherwise they seem to be nearly identical. I feel bumps a bit more sharply, but the difference isn’t huge. And they’re certainly a bit quieter, both to my ears and objective tests from Consumer Reports and others.
 
I would highly recommend Nankang NS-25 A/S tires. You can get them for about $77 a tire at Walmart (I paid more because I got 265/35/19 for my aftermarket 19x9 wheels) and they are an amazing value for the price. They produce slightly less road noise than the MXM4 and have great handling characteristics. Obviously it is hard to compare handling to stock since I now have a wider stance but so far but they look and perform great!

I also have the NS-20s on my Audi A5 (the summer tire version) and they are also a great value. The grip is obviously better than the NS-25s, but with a shorter tread life. It is a shame they discontinued the NS-20 summer tire line.
 
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Free is nice, but what madness is that? Tesla only charges $35 to come out to where you live and rotate your tires, give you a quick pressure / tread depth check.

Not me, Lake Forest CA service center.

Screen Shot 2021-02-18 at 11.57.59 AM.png
 
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To the OP. I think it's best to stick with what the Tesla engineers spec'd for tire requirements for load rating. Sure, you can downgrade and be completely problem free but no one can argue the spec'd rating is detrimental compared to a lesser rating (other than maybe to your wallet). Although the risk may be low to downgrade, I'm sure there are good reasons and engineering behind the factory specs as well as why places like Costco generally will rather lose a sale than install tires that are not correct spec. Some things are worth a couple extra bucks spent for peace of mind.
 
Tesla is the first manufacturer I’ve seen without a spare that doesn’t come with runflats or a tire repair kit.

Neither of my prior Cadillacs came with runflats or a spare, either. They had a can of fix-a-flat in the trunk, which I’m not going to fault Tesla for leaving out. I’d have the car towed before I’d use that stuff.
 
I have runflats on my 2015 Cadillac ATS. In 6 years, I have never had a flat. However, they are noisy as sidewalls actually "groan" as tires age. I consider it a tradeoff for peace of mind, but do your research, there are some drawbacks or all tires would be produced as run flats.

Tim
 
Hello,
I'm looking to replace my Tesla Model 3 tires at Costco. There are 2 options I'm considering:

Bridgestone POTENZA RE980AS, 235/45R18, 98W, all-season, blackwall tires.
Michelin Primacy MXM4, 235/45R18/XL, 98W, all-season, black sidewall tires.

The original tires on the car were the Michelin ones above, but the Bridgestone is significantly cheaper, so I'd prefer the Bridgestone tires if possible.

My question is whether the XL rating ("Extra Load" ??) on the Michelin is REQUIRED for the Model 3. I didn't find that info listed elsewhere.

I live in a moderate climate area (SFO bay area), with almost no snow/ice on the road.

Any guidance appreciated!
Thanks,
Neil.
Hi Neil,
How was your experience with Costco Tires for your Model 3? I will need tires in about 1 year. What did you do for your wheel alignment? I am having trouble deciding on a Lifetime alignment. Any recommendations?

My post is here: Looking for Tire shop near San Jose, CA for Tires and Lifetime Alignment on Model 3

Thank you so much!
 
Suddenly discovered that one of my tires has only 1/32" - 2/32" tread.** Yikes!

Costco prices for 4 tires:

Bridgestone Potenza RE98AS (on sale) - $638
Michelin Pilot A/S 4 - $812
Michelin Cross Climate+ : out of stock, but these are the one's I want

Tirerack has the PIlots for $742 and Cross Climate+ for $781, both after reward card rebate. I will ask America's Auto about matching these prices.

When does Costco run sales on the Michelins?
(I see that the 2019 offer was $70 off + free install = $150 total, so I could save ~$80 by waiting.)

** Other 3 tires are at 4/32" after 26k miles. - Life got too busy and I neglected to rotate my tires :(
 
Searched through Costcoinsider and found these were the sales over the past year:

Sale started
3/10/2021​
Bridgestone
2/3/2021​
Michelin
11/23/2020​
Bridgestone
10/28/2020​
Bridgestone
9/30/2020​
Michelin
9/2/2020​
Michelin
8/5/2020​
Bridgestone
6/24/2020​
Bridgestone
4/15/2020​
Michelin
3/11/2020​
Bridgestone
2/5/2020​
Michelin
1/2/2020​
Michelin
 
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