Tesla tire tax... Ouch!

[slo town]

Criminal!
I live on Wedgewood, near the golf course. Which I have never been on...
I may never leave here.

That was completely undeveloped back when I was a young lad. Nothing but grassland and oak trees. I'm not even certain Pollard Road existed back then. I used to venture out as a kid on "bike trips". Quito Road was nothing but poultry farms. I'd stop for a soda and candy bar at Austin Corners. I'd be gone all day, scaring the heck out of my Mom. One time I rode all the way to Moffett Field and back. It was like riding to the moon. People have no idea how rural that area was back then. I'd easily pay five figures to ride for a single weekend, back in time, just to ride the roads and see the area, knowing what I know now.

Scott

 

[slacktide_bitog]

This isn’t a Tesla tire tax, it’s a high performance, low profile, 19” OEM tire tax.

This is just your first time paying it.

and worse, the smallest wheels you can use on a Model 3 is 18"

It's not like you can downsize to 16" like on many cars using that tire size (Accord Sport, for example)

 

[Trav]

Off topic, but I got a speeding ticket on my BICYCLE in Los Gatos. Loma Alta Ave. 34 in a 25. Caught on radar. On my way to work.

Scott

I would have made a run for it.

 

[JHZR2]

Sweetie's Prius is still in service, her grandson has it: 15 years on the battery and still going strong. Have no idea if a Prius battery is anything like a Tesla battery, but batteries can last quite a while.

It’s not.

 

[JeffKeryk]

That was completely undeveloped back when I was a young lad. Nothing but grassland and oak trees. I'm not even certain Pollard Road existed back then. I used to venture out as a kid on "bike trips". Quito Road was nothing but poultry farms. I'd stop for a soda and candy bar at Austin Corners. I'd be gone all day, scaring the heck out of my Mom. One time I rode all the way to Moffett Field and back. It was like riding to the moon. People have no idea how rural that area was back then. I'd easily pay five figures to ride for a single weekend, back in time, just to ride the roads and see the area, knowing what I know now.

Scott

What was the name of the dairy at the end of More on Bicknell? There were still cows there when we moved here. Now the houses are $3M up...
Maybe that's Monte Sereno...

 

[slo town]

What was the name of the dairy at the end of More on Bicknell? There were still cows there when we moved here. Now the houses are $3M up...
Maybe that's Monte Sereno...

Yes, that's Monte Sereno, right by the old 1920s concrete bridge on Quito Road (replaced with a new one in the '90s). IIRC it was a poultry farm until the late '80s. But the techie millionaires started moving in and got it closed it down even though it was there first and had been there for generations. Lawsuits were flying in all directions. I remember that got real ugly.

I used to drive my first girlfriend up Shannon Road in the very late '60s. We used to get creeped out because it was so isolated and away from things. We feared getting axed to death by some wild man who lived in the woods up there. Seriously.

Scott

 

[Wolf359]

Off topic, but I got a speeding ticket on my BICYCLE in Los Gatos. Loma Alta Ave. 34 in a 25. Caught on radar. On my way to work.

Couldn't you just give a fake name and not pay it? You're not required to have a license.

So, basically, the “Tesla Tax” is the same as the “Lexus Tax” which bears remarkable resemblance to the “Mercedes Tax”.
Tires have gone up recently. I’ve bought ten Michelin Pilot AS4 in the past ten months. Rear tires on the SL. Complete set of 4 for the V70R and S600.
And I’m shopping for a set of tires for the XC, which fortunately has higher profile rubber.

So where did you end up buying them?

Tire Rack is the ONLY way to buy tires IMO.

Pretty much every tire store does a price match so they're only good for that and you don't have to wait for them to be shipped to you. Also Costco does a free 5 year road hazard when you buy them there and include lifetime rotation and balance. You get nothing from Tire rack and have to pay for the road hazard warranty. They do seem out of stock for the Michelin tire in an A/S 4 though. Inventory has been rough lately.

 

[slo town]

Couldn't you just give a fake name and not pay it? You're not required to have a license.

That thought never crossed my mind. I was caught fair and square and am the honest type. Bicycling violations did not go on your driver's license. And, at the time, I actually thought it awesome that I got a SPEEDING citation on my bicycle! I remember proudly showing it to everyone at work when I got there that morning! I saved that citation for years but it got thrown away or packed away somewhere. Maybe my kids will find it someday.

Scott

 

[UG_Passat]

Nothing special about the tires. They are an XL (Extra Load) tire with a 96 load index. There are 56 tires available in this size and load index on Tire Rack today. The lowest priced one is $146 per tire. (Granted, that will not be a low rolling resistance tire.)

The only thing that makes them special is they are OEM on a Tesla (as some seem to think when you look at reviews of them).

And Contisilent technology, which has the noise absorbing foam inside the tires.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Yes, that's Monte Sereno, right by the old 1920s concrete bridge on Quito Road (replaced with a new one in the '90s). IIRC it was a poultry farm until the late '80s. But the techie millionaires started moving in and got it closed it down even though it was there first and had been there for generations. Lawsuits were flying in all directions. I remember that got real ugly.

I used to drive my first girlfriend up Shannon Road in the very late '60s. We used to get creeped out because it was so isolated and away from things. We feared getting axed to death by some wild man who lived in the woods up there. Seriously.

Scott

Peak's Diary maybe?

 

[TheLastWord]

35 series tires...... I am surprised you aren't complaining about bent wheels. Surely Tesla could design and spec a different and better wheel tire combination.

 

[IndyIan]

I had a sidewall flat on my Focus a couple days ago... I thought $75 all-in was a bit steep for a single used tire, especially a 195/65R15.... Used to be $45 pre-covid....
$370 was about what I spent on a set of 4 new blizzaks for it 4 years ago when the costco and bridgestone incentives aligned! Won't get that deal again anytime soon though!

 

[Wolf359]

I had a sidewall flat on my Focus a couple days ago... I thought $75 all-in was a bit steep for a single used tire, especially a 195/65R15.... Used to be $45 pre-covid....
$370 was about what I spent on a set of 4 new blizzaks for it 4 years ago when the costco and bridgestone incentives aligned! Won't get that deal again anytime soon though!

Costco rotates between a Michelin and Bridgestone rebates every few weeks. The tire store people seem to know when it will kick in in advance. If you can wait a few weeks, the rebates always roll around.

 

[PandaBear]

I personally avoid buying something with exotic performance that requires exotic parts. If I were going to buy a Tesla to race, I probably would keep 2 set of wheels 1 for daily driving and 1 for racing.

I think my race track going friend (S2000) spend like $350-500 each tire, last maybe 2 track days, so he would only tow the car (no longer street legal so he can mod however he want) to the track and back with a Tundra. On his street daily driver he would not spend more than $200 a tire.

If I was going to drive this kind of Tesla (dual motor, Plaid, whatever model it is) because I really like how it drives, I'd only drive this set of tires on the track and then just buy some cheapo tires and some cheapo after market wheels for daily driving. That's just me, or maybe I'd just not buy these kinds of cars.

My IS250 has 255/40/18 in the back and they were quite expensive, like $200 ea, so I switch to 245/40/18 and pay like $130 ea. It was only 200 lb-ft torque anyways and there is no way I'd use that much torque 245 is going to break lose but 255 is safe.

My beater? Closeout H rated 195/60/14 for $75 ea installed every 10 years or so. Traffic these days won't let me drive over 80mph anyways.

 

[PandaBear]

I had a sidewall flat on my Focus a couple days ago... I thought $75 all-in was a bit steep for a single used tire, especially a 195/65R15.... Used to be $45 pre-covid....
$370 was about what I spent on a set of 4 new blizzaks for it 4 years ago when the costco and bridgestone incentives aligned! Won't get that deal again anytime soon though!

Rubber is a commodity trade internationally, if USD devalued 30% against say, AUS or Euro, or China / Japan decided to stockpile commodity instead of holding USD debt, then obviously it would go up quite a bit.

 

[PandaBear]

I THINK the tires may be vehicle specific because the car is so heavy. 42 psi.

I think the PSI has more to do with the thin profile of the tire than the weight. My IS250 is pretty light relatively speaking (3300lb or so) and it has 35/38psi because of the 40 profile tire as well.

The heavier Prius V with 60 profile? 33 psi

The 65 profile Corolla tire? 30 psi

 

[RooflessVW]

I think the PSI has more to do with the thin profile of the tire than the weight. My IS250 is pretty light relatively speaking (3300lb or so) and it has 35/38psi because of the 40 profile tire as well.

The heavier Prius V with 60 profile? 33 psi

The 65 profile Corolla tire? 30 psi

Tire pressure is a function of the tire's load rating and the vehicle's weight.

 

[dishdude]

That thought never crossed my mind. I was caught fair and square and am the honest type. Bicycling violations did not go on your driver's license. And, at the time, I actually thought it awesome that I got a SPEEDING citation on my bicycle! I remember proudly showing it to everyone at work when I got there that morning! I saved that citation for years but it got thrown away or packed away somewhere. Maybe my kids will find it someday.

Scott

I want to meet the idiot cop that gives a speeding ticket to someone on a bicycle. That's just stupid.

 

[Spyderman24_7]

If I were replacing all 4, I would have considered something else. At least done a little research... Conti is good rubber.

Yep as regardless of all the tires out there I will find a shop in my area that sells all I plan to buy and that's the Continental Extreme Contact DWS06. Simply don't care what brand makes what as for about $800 (newer + model anyway) for the set of 4 I have fantastic handling in all sorts of weather year round, get about 45K miles out of them and the things wear perfectly side/side. Set on there now cost me $704 out the door and that is just hard to beat for the quality/longevity.

I will say I'd want something with more sidewall than what your Tesla has though. I'm quite observant and avoid any 'disturbances' in the road during any drive, but things do pop up and super low profile tires don't stand a chance in some situations. Get that GoFundMe page going and you will indeed get at least $1 from me!

 

[Spyderman24_7]

Tesla needs high quality, expensive tires for the performance level of car.

AND... for just $20K more the brakes can be had to match!