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Model 3 Replacement Tire Discussion (OEM sizes only)

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#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,

Since I often get the question "What is the best replacement tire for my Model 3?" and there are SO many possible answers based on what qualities you value in a tire, I thought we should start a dedicated thread for it. Despite Trevor's fancy title bestowed upon me I am definitely NOT the end-all-be-all repository of tire knowledge here, by now through sheer experience of trying so many different replacement tire solutions in so many different regions and conditions the TOO Hive Mind should be a much more powerful collective resource to figure out and share what works best for each owner and their particular needs. Knowing this I really hope those of you who've already replaced tires will chime in with your experiences.

Note this thread is ONLY to discuss direct replacement of the 235/45R18, 235/40R19 and 235/35R20 sizes that come OE on Model 3.
If you want to talk different sizes of tires or any kind of wheel changes we have a good thread for this broad topic already going here in Maintenance, the Wheel/Tyre Discussion, or a whole slew of such threads over in Customizing and Modifications.
So please, let's stick to strictly straight-up tire replacement here as much as possible.

When asking for recommendations, please be as specific as you can. One of the most useful and important things you can do is make a list of the top things you seek and rank them in order of priority. This will really help us all zero in on what we think is a match, e.g.:

1. Ride Comfort
2. Low noise
3. Range / Low rolling resistance
4. Cost
5. Tread wear / Durability
6. Performance / Handling
7. Other thing(s) important to you, etc.

Likewise when answering and describing your experiences / giving advice about the OE tires or replacements you may have tried you can do the same kind of ranking as above for what you liked and disliked about them.

Or conversely in both asking or answering you can do like me and write a long, overly dramatic story about your relationship history with former tires, the thrill of new loves, the despair of dashed hopes and broken dreams, then finally finding your perfect match.
I will LOVE this.
However no guarantees everyone else here won't nod off halfway through.
The choice is yours :)
 
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#2 ·
I'm coming up on tires very, so here it goes...

First of all, is that a typo or is there a different spec in Canada? My tires are 235/40R19

Now for the actual question, it seems the only "quiet" tires is to go right back to the Conti ProContact RX tires. Do you think I am reading too much into just how quiet these tires are? The main reason behind my question is that on highways that haven't been paved in a while (most down here) the car is insanely loud at speed where as when I hit freshly paved road it's silent. I like the silence, but more so worried about a louder tire being even worse on those older patches of road.

PS, I'd love to save money (without sacrifice of course) and my local tire shop has me at $1,170 USD for the 4 tires mounted and balanced. That's about $120 more than Tire Rack so it seems fair.

What say you oh wise one? ;)

Thanks in advance!
 
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#4 ·
I'm coming up on tires very, so here it goes...

First of all, is that a typo or is there a different spec in Canada? My tires are 235/40R19

Now for the actual question, it seems the only "quiet" tires is to go right back to the Conti ProContact RX tires. Do you think I am reading too much into just how quiet these tires are? The main reason behind my question is that on highways that haven't been paved in a while (most down here) the car is insanely loud at speed where as when I hit freshly paved road it's silent. I like the silence, but more so worried about a louder tire being even worse on those older patches of road.

PS, I'd love to save money (without sacrifice of course) and my local tire shop has me at $1,170 USD for the 4 tires mounted and balanced. That's about $120 more than Tire Rack so it seems fair.

What say you oh wise one? ;)

Thanks in advance!
Definitely a typo (fixed :)).

One that I really like for its all-around competence in this size is Yokohama's Advan Sport A/S, very reasonably priced, definitely on the quieter side of the spectrum (although probably not quite as quiet as the Contis) and has a nice lively, fun feel to it while still offering good comfort.

It's too bad Conti doesn't offer their stellar ExtremeContact DWS 06 in this size, it performs significantly better than the more touring-oriented LX and isn't really much louder. Conti does however offer their PureContact LS, which is about as comfy as you can get in this size but still performs OK. I did have its immediate predecessor, PureContact, on the car for the trip to Florida this February and those were definitely on the noisy side but did a fantastic job at handling every condition imaginable on that trip with ease. Apparently this new LS version is much quieter, but I haven't yet tried it myself.

One that seems to be getting a lot of favorable impression for its efficiency, durability and notable quietness is the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus. Not the cheapest choice, but when you factor in Consumer Reports rated it one of the longest lasting UHP tires they ever tested the value proposition is there. A few complaints about grip in the rain though, not unexpected with such a hard compound, so not sure if it's the ultimate pick for the kind of crazy rains you sometimes get in Florida.

No matter what you go with you're going to get noise on those older sections of road down there, especially the concrete stuff. No tire will kill that completely and unfortunately it just stands out so much more in our cars because they're so damn quiet to begin with.
 
#5 ·
Asking for recommendations to replace the stock Areo tires on my M3 LR RWD:

1. Low noise
2. Ride Comfort
3. Tread wear /Durability
4. Cost
5. Performance / Handling

I live in North Texas, mostly city daily driving with the occasional vacation road trip.
Any help would be appreciated.
Looking at that shopping list it's hard not to put the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus at the top of the list, it certainly nails the first 3 priorities and as it falls mid-range in pricing satisfies the 4th as well.
If it weren't for its relatively quick wearing nature or higher price the OE Michelin Primacy MXM4 would be right there with it, it's really hard to beat this tire as a perfect match for the Model 3 for anyone who drives the car normally or in an occasionally mildly spirited manner.
Still somewhat new but getting nice reviews for all around competency with a focus on comfort is Yokohama's AVID Ascend GT, I'll be curious to see what folks think of it on Model 3 as we see more sets get out there.
There is also the Continental PureContact LS which is suuuuper comfortable, but since I haven't heard back from anyone with a Tesla I'm not sure what the noise level is like on our cars. As I mentioned in the reply to SoFla above, the original was pretty noisy but Conti claims to have reduced that considerably in this new LS version and the reports from ICE owners using them seems to bear that out.
 
#9 ·
Admittedly, I don't know very much about tires -- which is why I'm glad for this thread. Just now, when I went on the Tire Rack site & entered my car's information (2018, Model 3, 18" wheels, RWD. My car came with Michelin Primacy MXM4s), the "Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season" tire (@ $188.50 for my zip code) was one of the choices. A separate search showed the "Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus" tire (@ $208.50 according to @SoFlaModel3's photo above) -- but it also said "This tire (the Plus) isn't available for your 2018 Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive." Might that be because @SoFlaModel3 has dual motors and I don't? Briefly, what's the difference between the "Regular" tire & the "Plus." Just wondering.

~Charlie W
 
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#10 ·
SoFla has 19", where the P7+ is offered in identical replacement spec. However the reason they're not showing the Plus version in 18" is because that size doesn't have the 98 XL (Extra Load) load index of your OE tire, it's a lower 94 SL (Standard Load) load index. A lot of distributors won't sell you a tire that has a lower load index number, but in the case of Model 3 this doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me as the Performance model comes OE on a 20" with a 92 load index, which is still more than enough to carry the car's weight.
I see no issues using the 235/45R18 P7+ if you wanted to.
 
#11 ·
I posted this in the wheel/tyre thread, so i'll repost it for additional information, to help me make a better informed decision.

These are my priorities in this order:

1. Range - no less than what i'm currently getting with OE MXM4
2. Comfort/noise - willing to take a hit on this knowing that I will not be getting Tesla tires with the foam inserts, but the least possible noise increase preferred
3. Performance - basically want tires that can handle the torque the same way the OEM MXM4s do. I like that when I want to launch it to show off my car's 0-60 to passengers, I get no screeching. I also want it to be able to handle the occasional spirited driving through twists and curves. I will not be doing any tracking on this whatsoever.

Here's what i've narrowed down my choices to:

Continental PureContact LS - i'm leaning towards this because I think it checks off on all of my priorities above. The bonus is that it weighs a little over 23lbs. Combined with the 19" wheels that I just got (forgestar CF5V), which are 20lbs, i'll shave off more than 3lbs each corner compared to my OEM aero setup.

Vredestein Quatrac 5 - Based on the number of reviews on tirerack, these have significantly more than the PureContact LS, and are 3-peak mountain snowflake certified. The cost is also a huge plus. According to the reviews i've read, these can be regarded as summer friendly winter tires. My only hesitation is the weight, which is 26lbs. Would it really make a difference compared to weighing 3lbs more than the LS?

Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus - Has the most reviews, and what really catches my attention is the ratings on noise and comfort. Plus, it seems to offer the same performance and range as the other two above. Cost is between the other two as well. Only downside is the wet weather performance, but it's not like i'll be driving spiritedly during rainy conditions anyway.
 
#15 ·
Vredestein Quatrac 5 - Based on the number of reviews on tirerack, these have significantly more than the PureContact LS, and are 3-peak mountain snowflake certified. The cost is also a huge plus. According to the reviews i've read, these can be regarded as summer friendly winter tires. My only hesitation is the weight, which is 26lbs. Would it really make a difference compared to weighing 3lbs more than the LS?
I started researching tires a couple of weeks back and came across this tire based on the priority questions at the tirerack website. Also curious if anyone has feedback on this tire or brand? I've never heard of the brand before at all, but for the price and the reviews I almost want to look no further - this seems to be a winner. I just don't know anything about them. Would appreciate any real world feedback with the brand or tire.
 
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#12 · (Edited)
Be a little careful with that logic because stresses may be different with different aspect ratios. Also tires are not chosen just on the weight of the car they can support. They might be fine but it's hard to know if they are appropriate for every metric Tesla spec'd the Primacy's at.
Actually the overall handling and traction characteristics are FAR more affected by choices in the carcass shape, construction materials, compound... hell, even minor adjustments to belt tension will change how the car responds.
The minute you replace the OEM tires with anything else other than the identical units you are for sure going to have a different outcome. The load index is just one of many such variables but choosing a lower one that still exceeds the vehicle's GAWR requirements when correctly inflated is not inherently problematic. I've tested plenty of vehicles with lower LI tires that performed admirably and others with tires that had the OE LI but performed markedly worse in many areas. This is why having an open forum discussing real world experiences with making different choices in the same size so valuable.
 
#13 ·
1 Ride Comfort
2 Performance / Handling
3 Range
4 Safe amount of sidewall
5 Quietness


First of all, my preferences are hard for ma to order because they are all very important. #4 is not 1/4 as important as #1 for example.
Second, I did change wheels and tires from the OEM 20" 'performance'. But I retained the stock width. I was after great performance and significantly more range while getting a better ride and more sidewall.
I ended up with 18X85 wheels (OEM size).
The tires I bought are 245/45 18 Michelin Primacy MXM4 1,764lb@50psi They were on sale for $175 each and do not rub.
I am very happy with them.
 
#16 ·
I ran this brand for winter (wintrac pro) and they were quieter than my original Michelin (altough not the grippiest in deep snow). Good quality from my point of view. Used to run quadtrac4 on my corrado and I my Lotus currently run on a set of Vreds too. It is a serious company that's been distributed in Quebec for quite a while. The 5 should be quieter than what I used last winter.
I know the way I sound... No I don't sell them;)
 

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#21 ·
I got a set of 19" Asanti wheels and put Pirelli P Zero Nero tires on them (235/40R19) and stored the aeros. I haven't noticed any additional noise from them and they handle great. TPMS sensors work fine as well.
 
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#24 ·
I saw this in my news feed today. Will be interesting to see how they sound, grip, brake and handle weather. It is a sign that the tire industry is targeting special needs for EVs so it's worth a look at least. https://apple.news/AKnphh0raS6-TtZ56idwoVA
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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#29 ·
I just saw a mention of these tires as well and want some more details.

Seems to be a three way race between replacing the OEM Contis, the Pirelli Cinturato P7's.

I just don't want to live to regret my tire choice since it's really the only noise we hear in the car.
 
#32 ·
Alright, another follow up question:

I just learned that the local tire shop I was planning to buy my tires from doesn't have road force balancing. They have a hunter's laser system, according to the guy I spoke with. I don't know if he confused my question with something having to do with alignment?

In any case, is road force balancing a must?
 
#33 ·
I just learned that the local tire shop I was planning to buy my tires from doesn't have road force balancing. They have a hunter's laser system, according to the guy I spoke with. I don't know if he confused my question with something having to do with alignment?
Hunter is the name of a company that makes wheel balancers.
The Road Force Elite is their top-of-the-line system.
https://www.hunter.com/wheel-balancers

I believe they all use lasers to some degree.
 
#35 ·
Having just listened to the latest Tesla Owners Online podcast, I was struck by the tire rotations suggested by the hosts. Maybe i'm showing my age, but the general rule of rotation for radial tires had always been - same side, front to back, back to front only, no side to side crossing. The reason for this had to do with the radial bands. Since when did this change - I now see mention of crossing sides with "unidirectional" radial tires.
 
#36 ·
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#39 ·
My 4X4 Dodge truck really need regular rotation @6,000 mi. I learned to move back to front and cross them. The fronts could go straight to the back. Goodyear tire taught me that. If done without crossing, the truck shook a lot at highway speed.
I found this:
https://www.tireindustry.org/tire-maintenance/tire-rotation

Copied below -

Besides checking the inflation pressure on a monthly basis, the best way to maximize tire life is to rotate the tires every 5,000 - 7,000 miles, depending on your vehicle. During rotation, each tire and wheel is removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position to ensure that all of the tires wear evenly and last longer.

A routine tire rotation is necessary due to the difference in tread wear that occurs on the front and rear tires. The front tires are used in steering, while the rear tires remain relatively stationary in terms of lateral movement. The act of steering a vehicle create scrubbing which causes more stress for the two tires that are up front, as opposed to the two in the rear. On front-wheel-drive applications, the added stress from being a drive axle means the tread will wear even faster on the front tires of these vehicles.

Regular rotation helps extend the life of your tires while improving performance. Beyond increasing the life of tires, tire rotation also contributes to other key aspects of tire safety. During a tire rotation, a qualified tire technician will check the tread depth of all four tires, check the inflation pressure, and visually inspect the tires for any issues and potential hazards.

The general rule for tire rotation is to cross the free rolling axle. So on a front-wheel drive vehicle, the front tires are rotated straight back to the rear and the rear tires are crossed to the front.

The opposite is true for a rear-wheel drive vehicle so the front tires are crossed to the back while the rear tires are rotated straight to the front.

On four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles, the recommended rotation pattern is a "Double X" so the right front and left rear tires switch positions as do the left front and right rear.

On vehicles with directional tires, the front and rear tires switch positions unless the tire is demounted from the rim so the direction can be changed.

When tires are properly inflated and rotated on a regular basis, you can expect maximum tread life, performance and value out of today's passenger and light truck tires.
 
#42 ·
I'm in Texas and my Model 3 is due for tire replacement soon.

Walmart currently have this tire on sale
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sumitomo-HTR-A-S-P02-235-45R18-94W/263401258

It is Sumitomo All season Tire with a load index of 94W.

I believe OEM tire on Long Range Model 3 has a load index of 98W.

Would it be OK if I replace the OEM tires with this one?
 
#43 ·
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35

W if I'm not mistaken is speed rating
Rectangle Font Pattern Parallel Circle


98 is the weight rating...

Font Material property Pattern Number Parallel


The 94 can only support 10% less weight...and I don't think you can get away with that on an 18" wheel
Every compatible tire I search on tirerack has that same 98 load rating of 1653 pounds.
 
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#44 ·
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#47 ·
I'm only at 8k, but when the time comes, I'd like 18's an inch wider and not lose range with noise and performance at least as good as oem. I have winter wheels & tires so not too worried about if they're all season.
 
#48 ·
#49 ·
Holy crap, this looks like a really good deal for Performance owners.

Falken Azenis FK510 - SIZE: 235/35ZR20, $125 ea
Ultra High Performance Summer

Tire Rack test results, where it performs very well.
Consumer Reviews, including 3 by Tesla owners,

@Mad Hungarian, thoughts?

View attachment 27132
I've had several sets of these and love, love, LOVE them.
Excellent grip in both wet and dry, nicely controllable at the limits and surprising ride comfort for a true UHP tire.
Falken has always been something of an underrated brand, I've found almost all of their products deliver top-tier performance at really reasonable prices.
 
#52 ·
I decided to get some more sporty wheels for my LR RWD, and I selected these TSportsline rims:
https://tsportline.com/collections/model-3-wheels/products/18-tst-tesla-wheel-set-of-4-model-3
One of the reasons I did this was to get a tire/rim combination where the rims don't extend past the wheels (I have dinged all four of mine!). Does anyone have any recommendations for a good tire to put on these rims? Preferably one that will extend outside of the rims, and won't have much of difference in performance? And, oh yeah, I drag race my M3 regularly!
 
#53 ·
FYI, I just got my new tires installed at Costco. The OE Continental tires had bubbles in the sidewalls on both sides on 3 of them and they were noisy as hell.
I got the Bridgestone Turanza Quiettrack in OE size for the OEM 19" rims.
I have only, yet, driven on them for ~50 miles, but they are so much quieter that the original Conti's and feel much smoother and calmer for everyday driving. So, Continental can suck it with the foam in the tires which are completely useless.
One other detail, they seem to have a bit of lip around the rim that protrudes much more than the Conti's did to better protect from curb rash.

Also, Costco's warranty is far better than anything OEM would ever give you for tires as Tesla wasn't even interested in covering any of these since bubbles in the sidewall are considered to be caused by road hazards and not manufacturers defects. Costco also, by default, inflates tires with Nitrogen. I know this has been covered in many discussions and many claim it to be of negligible benefit, but the frequent and wide temperature swings here in Atlanta, it makes a huge difference in reducing inflation pressure variations.

Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Automotive tire
Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Automotive tire
 
#64 ·
FYI, I just got my new tires installed at Costco. The OE Continental tires had bubbles in the sidewalls on both sides on 3 of them and they were noisy as hell.
I got the Bridgestone Turanza Quiettrack in OE size for the OEM 19" rims.
I have only, yet, driven on them for ~50 miles, but they are so much quieter that the original Conti's and feel much smoother and calmer for everyday driving. So, Continental can suck it with the foam in the tires which are completely useless.
One other detail, they seem to have a bit of lip around the rim that protrudes much more than the Conti's did to better protect from curb rash.

Also, Costco's warranty is far better than anything OEM would ever give you for tires as Tesla wasn't even interested in covering any of these since bubbles in the sidewall are considered to be caused by road hazards and not manufacturers defects. Costco also, by default, inflates tires with Nitrogen. I know this has been covered in many discussions and many claim it to be of negligible benefit, but the frequent and wide temperature swings here in Atlanta, it makes a huge difference in reducing inflation pressure variations.

View attachment 27488 View attachment 27489
Thanks for the report, I was curious about those tires. I'll bet you see a huge gain in efficiency too. I believe the Pirelli P7+ is very similar to the Bridgestone QuietTrack.

I knew those OEM Continentals were crap, that's why I ended up buying new OEM 19" Rims without tires so I didn't waste a dime on the Continentals.

So many people think just because Tesla chose them they are the best tire.
 
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