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Don’t buy wheel upgrades from Tesla

Buying a Tesla Sep 28, 2019 by Johnny

It’s not a good deal! Don’t don’t do it!

There’s a better way (that gets you more power and mileage, ANNNND saves money). Trust me!

Why not to buy the Tesla wheel upgrades?

Because they’re low performance and overpriced. The low performance is because they’re OEM stock wheels which are usually made in the cheapest/worst way possible…CAST construction.

You can read here about the different wheel construction (CAST vs FLOW vs FORGED):

  • Cast, Flow formed, or Forged? by TURN 14 Distribution
  • WHAT ARE FLOW FORMED WHEELS? by Late Model Restoration
  • WHEEL TECH: WHEEL CONSTRUCTION by Tire Rack

What do you mean by “low performance”?

  • WEAK – easiest to break when hitting potholes or bend under pressure. Usually compensated for by making the wheel even bulkier which leads to the next problem…
  • SLOW – so much weight!

How “slow” is a stock Tesla wheel?

  • I’d say it’s VERY slow!

Do the math for yourself. Every 1 LB of wheel weight = 10 LBS of sprung weight. Each Tesla stock wheel is anywhere from 5-10 LBS heavier than an aftermarket wheel.

On my car, I upgrade from a 29LB wheel down to 17LB wheel. That’s 12 pounds per wheel, 48 pounds total. Multiply that times 10 and it’s the equivalent of decreasing 480 pounds from your car!

Now consider that the Model 3 weights anywhere from 3600-4000 lbs and I saved 10% of weight. What does that mean in real-world performance?

  • I’m guess 10% more speed and acceleration
  • 15-20% more miles. I’m not even kidding.

You can read more about my mileage gains here:

  • HUGE tip to improve range on Teslas

“OK, I believe you…where should I buy my wheels?“

  • Where to buy wheels/rims upgrades for your Tesla

Read all my posts on Buying a Tesla

About Johnny

Sexy owner of a happy 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance. As much as I love the car, Tesla hasn't perfected it yet...so it's up to us! Join me on this wild Tesla DIY journey.

My referral code (for FREE supercharger miles):
johnny16527
https://ts.la/johnny16527

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About Johnny

Sexy owner of a happy 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance on a wild Tesla DIY journey.

– More about me & my car
– My referral code: johnny16527
https://ts.la/johnny16527

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