Would you? (add 20" factory wheels)

[Gsxr150]

Curious on the concensus opinion here...

I have a stealth performance and ran into an opportunity for some factory 20" Performance wheels with summer tires. I don't mind my 18's but the 20"s look great.

1) Would you add them at the cost of some 0-60 time and range?

2) Are they plug and play on my car or will I need a spacer?

Thanks for your opinions!!

 

[SigNC]

You will take a significant range hit and the ride will be more harsh..........but they do look much better.

 

[Gsxr150]

You will take a significant range hit and the ride will be more harsh..........but they do look much better.

Yep...I'm not worried about ride. Moreso loss of performance and if they fit without the need of special spacers.

 

[Peteski]

I would suggest the loss of 0-60 time would only be a factor if you are competing at your local drag strip. Otherwise you are seriously not going to notice any difference in that respect.

 

[dmurphy]

In Minnesota? No flippin' way.

Look at those 20s the wrong way and they crack. One good pothole and you'll be looking for another wheel. And you'll be switching them off for winter tires of course.

I'd suggest trying to find a set of 19s -- they look just as good as the 20s, and are much more practical.

 

[Gsxr150]

In Minnesota? No flippin' way.

Look at those 20s the wrong way and they crack. One good pothole and you'll be looking for another wheel. And you'll be switching them off for winter tires of course.

I'd suggest trying to find a set of 19s -- they look just as good as the 20s, and are much more practical.

Wowza!! Really? Ok...you're talking me out of that pretty quick haha. My other option was to add a sporty tire, such as Pilot Sport All Season 4.

 

[dmurphy]

Wowza!! Really? Ok...you're talking me out of that pretty quick haha. My other option was to add a sporty tire, such as Pilot Sport All Season 4.

Sure, you could replace all 4 tires.. but it's still a really low profile wheel. One good pothole and - smack. The 20s are notorious for that, but that's because the tires on them are rubber bands. The sidewall is so low, it transfers all the force of an impact right into the wheel itself; no "cushion" if you will.

I know lots of folks here like the look of the 20s, but from a practicality point of view, I think they're junk. I'm sure folks here will disagree with me - and that's totally fine. It's just my $0.02, which is worth exactly whatcha paid for it. LOL!

 

[Sam1]

On 19” I was averaging about 292 wh/mi. On 18” non-aero about 285 wh/mi. With 20” about 340 wh/mi.

the other big difference was with the 20”, rolling acceleration from highway speeds was significantly slower than bothe the 18” & 19”.

 

[run-the-joules]

Absolutely not. If someone gave me a free set I'd flip them immediately.

Worse ride quality, worse range, more prone to damage, heavier (slower acceleration) and no actual benefit because they're the same width so it's not even a bigger contact patch.

Someone's going to say "but but muh sidewall flex and its effect on steering response", to which I say if you think there's an appreciable difference running the same high-performance tires with the same amount of wear on the 18s vs the 20s, you better be able to back it up with track times or be a professional racer, because I think you're full of it.

Am I saying that Tesla put on wheels that actually make the performance worse on the Performance model cars? Yes, yes I am.

 

[Mr X]

Nope. I think 19's are the perfect size for the 3.

Not the smallest, not the largest, but just right.

Great size rim and you don't take the biggest hit on efficiency.



My 19's certainly don't look small

 

[Sam1]

That’s a serious blue lol

 

[Mr X]

That’s a serious blue lol

It gets a few stares... to say the least

 

[RedWhite19]

It gets a few stares... to say the least

I’m sure that sticks out in Simi. I’m over the canyon in Porter Ranch, where the Model 3s are a dime a dozen. But your blue is quite nice and sticks out. There is also a yellow X that roams around these parts, which also sticks out(In a good way).

 

[Marius A]

Nope. I think 19's are the perfect size for the 3.

Is that Avery Dennison? I went with Sky Blue on my first one, wanted it to look like a Smeg Refrigerator.

@Gsxr150 I've driven 20" for over a year now without any pothole issues (Norway isn't famous for great roads), but I'm going to opt for 19 for improved range and to get some curb rash protection (wife flayed 2 of the rims when our 2020 was 4 weeks old, unlucky circumstances). The 20" are a bit more noisy, which makes a big difference in our 2021 TM3P.

 

[Spacep0d]

Curious on the concensus opinion here...

I have a stealth performance and ran into an opportunity for some factory 20" Performance wheels with summer tires. I don't mind my 18's but the 20"s look great.

1) Would you add them at the cost of some 0-60 time and range?

2) Are they plug and play on my car or will I need a spacer?

Thanks for your opinions!!

No way. That's one of the benefits of a Stealth....18" Aeros and better range than an M3P, and tires are less expensive too. I can always add my own suspension upgrades if I want.

 

[dhrivnak]

No way. I prefer the ride,RANGE, and cost of the 18 and after a Flat with a Model S loaner on a pothole I stay away from the super low profiles.

 

[al503]

I ordered 19"s immediately after purchasing the car for increased road hazard damage protection and increased performance. (The 19's weigh 6 lbs less per than stock.)

However, two things I liked about the stock 20's before replacing them:
1. although the style isn't my first choice, they're big and look great in that regard.
2. the 20"s made the car feel 'twitchy' but in the best sense. Reaction to steering inputs are immediate and I'm comparing this to the 19"s with the same (although not Tesla spec) PS4S tires. The 19's feel a little 'greasier.' That .5" difference does make a noticeable difference.

 

[run-the-joules]

That .5" difference does make a noticeable difference.

That's what she said.

 

[Gsxr150]

Sure, you could replace all 4 tires.. but it's still a really low profile wheel. One good pothole and - smack. The 20s are notorious for that, but that's because the tires on them are rubber bands. The sidewall is so low, it transfers all the force of an impact right into the wheel itself; no "cushion" if you will.

I know lots of folks here like the look of the 20s, but from a practicality point of view, I think they're junk. I'm sure folks here will disagree with me - and that's totally fine. It's just my $0.02, which is worth exactly whatcha paid for it. LOL!

No, sorry...I meant replace the tires on my 18's with some sportier tires.

 

[dmurphy]

No, sorry...I meant replace the tires on my 18's with some sportier tires.

Gotcha. Money *much* better spent than the 20s, IMO.