Ok so it’s getting close for me to get my first set of replacement tires for my 2015 Tesla Model S 70D.
I recently went to the Tesla Service Center in Tampa, Florida for an appointment where they replaced the front passenger airbag, replaced bolts in the steering rack housing and did a courtesy inspection.
I didn’t know how long it was going to take them to do everything, so I took my Kindle and just stayed in the service center reading. It ended up being about an hour and a half total to get all of the stuff fixed and have me on my way.
When I was called up to review everything from the inspection, I was notified that my front 2 tires were going to need to be replaced soon. This makes sense because my car has around 38,000 miles on it ( I got a CPO deal) and there’s no real definitive guide to how many miles a car gets.
There’s too many variables to accurately say “oh you should get X miles out of every tire” and I’m not going to try to claim anything. It really depends on too many factors.
So, it’s time for me to start looking. While I was there, the lady helping me out said these are the tires you need and gave me the sheet with this listed.
Parts:
1065205-00-A – 245/45R19 Michelin Primacy MXM4 Tire
1065205-00-A – 245/45R19 Michelin Primacy MXM4 Tire
this was listed twice because I will have to replace the front 2 tires first. Price per tire is listed at $230, with a cost of service listed under “Tires – Front – Set” at 1 hour for $100 per hour.
This led to total costs of…
Subtotal Parts Price: (USD) of $460
+ Subtotal Labor Price: (USD) of $100
Estimated Tax: (USD) $47.60
Total Amount: (USD) $607.60
I’m living in the Tampa, Florida area just so you know.
This led me to doing a little bit of research to see if I could find a better deal on these tires. She did say the service center could install them and I could have tires shipped to the service center. If I choose to do that, it’ll still be the $100 for the labor. I’m not 100% sure if it’ll be all complete in 1 hour if I end up buying 4 tires just to be safe and have everything be the same.
So, what kind of deals did I come across for the 245/45R19 Michelin Primacy MXM4 Tires for a 2015 Tesla Model S 70D?
Here’s what I found…
Buy 245/45R19 Michelin Primacy MXM4 Tires on Amazon.com $317.66/per tire
Buy on Walmart.com $216.20/per tire
Buy on TireRack.com $219/per tire
Buy on Sams.com price: $234.74/per tire
When To Buy Replacement Tires for your 2015 Tesla Model S 70D
All tires wear out eventually and damage unfortunately happens. The important thing is to quickly determine if your tires are safe to drive on, in need of service, or need to be replaced. Here are some simple ways to tell if you need to buy new tires:
Your Tire Is Damaged
There is a good chance that your tire can be repaired if:
1. The tire has not been driven on when flat
2. The damage is only on the tread section of your tire
3. The puncture is less than 1/4 inch
Have an authorized tire dealer or mechanic remove the tire from the wheel and inspect the tire from the inside. This inspection is absolutely necessary because internal damage is not visible while the tire is mounted.
The proper way to have a tire repaired is to patch the tire from the inside. If you are offered a plug repair–refuse! Plug repairs do not involve taking the tire off the wheel for a proper inspection. A plug is simply inserted into the punctured area. Plug repairs are not reliable and can cause the tire to blowout. Insist on a full inspection and patch repair on the inside of the tire.
Your Tire Is Worn
It’s a good idea to check your tires once a month for visible damage and excess wear. There are two ways to tell if your tires are worn out:
– Look for wear bars
These are narrow bands that appear in the grooves across the tread of the tire. When the wear bars are even with the tread depth, only 2/32-inch of tread remains. If you can see the wear bars, it’s time to replace the tire.
– The Penny Trick
The other way to tell if the tread is worn out, is to place a penny into the most shallow tread groove with the head down. If the top of the head remains visible, then the tire should be replaced.
If the tread is worn below 2/32-inch, water can not be channeled away from the tread. At high speeds, this can result in aquaplaning. Traction in snow is also reduced or eliminated completely.
Other recommendations from someone on the Tesla Forums…
“Purchase tires from Tirerack.com, have them delivered to the tire shop of your choice that will work on a Tesla. I have used Discount Tire (also known as America’s Tire in some parts of the country), they do good work.
Tire warranties are covered in two different ways:
1. The tire manufacturer (Michelin, Continental, etc.) covers the tire for defects in materials or workmanship. If a tire comes apart due to that, you call the manufacturer, who will have a process for you to submit a claim, and if the claim is found to be valid, will replace the tire with a prorated cost based on the amount of tread left on the old tire.
The difficulty of using this warranty is proving that the tire was defective instead of failing due to a road hazard (e.g. nail).
2. Road Hazard warranty (also called certificates or certs). This is basically an insurance policy that you can buy per tire at the time of purchase. Tirerack.com sells this as do most tire shops. This insurance covers repair or replacement due to the failure of the tire for any reason, including road hazards like nails or potholes. If a tire blows out, you buy a new tire, you submit a claim for the old one, the claim is verified with a tire shop, and then they send you a check to cover the cost.
I have used the road hazard warranty on a tire I purchased from Tirerack.com, i was reimbursed the full amount of the new tire.
The issue that you’re running into with Tesla is that Tesla does not offer a road hazard warranty at the time of the tire installation. Your’e covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, but most people want road hazard warranty as well.”
Another person on the forum:
“America’s Tire or Costco.
Make sure your installer has worked on Teslas and knows where the lift points are.
I also suggest you take pictures of the wheels prior to the install that same day, and have the sales agent document any curb rash prior to the install. I had one wheel scratched after the install, but Costco paid for the repair without giving me a hassle because of the aforementioned.”
And another recommendation on the forum…
“Do your math properly. Tirerack charges for shipping. And the installer you select from Tirerack (they have a long list of certified installers) will charge you per tire for the installation. It can be $40 per tire. And that installer will honor the warranty for blow outs, except you get to pay for mounting again. It isn’t totally free.
That $1100 at Tesla doesn’t sound so bad after you do the math.
And yes Costco is a great place to buy tires. Not only do they have frequent $70 for four tires, they also do a $0.01 per tire install sale. If the sale is going on when you order the tires, that is the price you pay for installation. Doesn’t matter how long it takes for the tires to arrive at your store.”
