[Derik]

So the alignment fixed my 10 degree offset. But they didn’t give me the data like I’ve gotten whenever I’ve done an alignment in the past (like why tire was out. Etc). Invoice just says they did the alignment and test drive the car to verify the problem was taken car of.

 

[LUXMAN]

Yeah that is a bit crazy. I think I paid maybe $300 for lifetime aligning at the Honda dealer for my wife's van. They check it and align it if necessary at every service. Even then I still get crappy mileage out of the tires on that car.

That is crazy price too! Even for a lifetime alignment.
Funny how HONDA seems to think their **** don't stink. We looked at a ridgeline once and they would barely give me the time of day. I musta not looked like I could buy a new car
Off on a tangent...sorry

 

[Larry Goldfield]

So I just got off the phone to schedule my first tire rotation on Helga. I called up Tesla and I was shocked when they told me the cost to rotate the tires! $140. I think I pay $32 at the Honda dealer for that. I might need to start looking around because I can't imagine paying $140 every 3 months for a tire rotation. It might be cheaper to never rotate and buy new tires sooner.

I'll pay it this time but either I'll buy one of those jacks with jack stands that can hold the tesla so I can rotate myself or I'll find another tire shop I can trust to lift the car correctly and pay them $50 or whatever.

Why don't you just go to any car repair shop, call around get quotes, anybody can rotate tires, and they'll be a lot cheaper I'm sure.

 

[ummgood]

That is crazy price too! Even for a lifetime alignment.
Funny how HONDA seems to think their **** don't stink. We looked at a ridgeline once and they would barely give me the time of day. I musta not looked like I could buy a new car
Off on a tangent...sorry

Ha! I didn't even test drive the darn thing when I bought it. Our last van was totaled and we knew we wanted another Odyssey so I did all the negotiation via emails to fleet managers. I walked in, signed papers, and was out in 40 minutes. I do like Honda dealers for that because they don't get on you like sharks. I bought my Toyota truck the same way and I felt like I was in a tank with hungry piranhas because they were trying to get more money out of me. I had also negotiated that car before arriving but they thought I had a trade in and would finance through them. They weren't too happy.

 

[ummgood]

Why don't you just go to any car repair shop, call around get quotes, anybody can rotate tires, and they'll be a lot cheaper I'm sure.

Because I needed to get other things fixed and I have 3 kids and work full time and don't have time to be driving all over the place. Plus I live in Austin which is a place where everyone and their mother is moving to and the infrastructure is maxed out. It takes 3 hours just to get a darn car inspected here now. It is NUTS.

 

[garsh]

I do like Honda dealers for that because they don't get on you like sharks.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

You just got lucky. They're generally sharks too.

 

[Rick Steinwand]

No curb hits for me. And I'm the only person who has ever driven it. Are you suggesting I hit a curb?

I've never had curb rash on a wheel my entire (long) life and had one before I made it home with my new Tesla. I've hit curbs a couple times before but the tire always took the hit.

 

[PNWmisty]

I've never had curb rash on a wheel my entire (long) life and had one before I made it home with my new Tesla. I've hit curbs a couple times before but the tire always took the hit.

Not only that but the steering of the Model 3 is telepathic. All you have to do is think "turn right" and it's already turning! So it's definitely something that needs calibration! Now I run wide in my Mazda. Thankfully, I'm going to sell that and get another Model 3!

 

[Cubsfan73]

I just got mine done for free. Local tire shop that has done a few tesla's already.

I kind of think Tesla might charge a lot for things they really don't want to do and you can easily get done someplace else as an incentive to get it done someplace else.

Can you tell me the name of the local tire shop? I live in Temecula. Thanks!

 

[Randy Speer]

Start with Discount Tire. They know and understand Tesla. Just make sure they use their jack blocks.

I just called my local Discount Tire and they said they have a ton of experience with Tesla, and they charge $65 for rotation and balance. HOWEVER, they did say that you don't need jack blocks. They said the cars have jack points on them and they've done many without issue. Is that true?

 

[GDN]

I just called my local Discount Tire and they said they have a ton of experience with Tesla, and they charge $65 for rotation and balance. HOWEVER, they did say that you don't need jack blocks. They said the cars have jack points on them and they've done many without issue. Is that true?

The car has 4 jack points, but you need the jack block in there to prevent damage to the bottom of the car and any slight chance of damaging the battery if the car slips. They should use those blocks or you should maybe have a set (lots of reference to home made blocks and ready made to purchase on the net) to take along. You'll want to watch to make sure they are using them as well. @LUXMAN went there, they told him they knew what to do, but didn't use them and he ended up with some gouges underneath in the skirt.

Many of the home made pads are being made out of hockey pucks, but also some as simple as 2 by 4's. I'll update this thread in a minute with some links to the other threads.

So Discount Tire supposedly has a lot of knowledge, but don't blindly trust them, it's your car.

EDIT - Threads on jack pads:
DIY Lift / Jack Pads

FS: Jack Pucks

Jack Stands

 

[Tmo6]

My first tire rotation with the model 3! Got 2 2-ton trolley jacks, 2 jack stands for safety, lug wrench for 21mm lug nuts, 2 home made jack pads (one made with a hockey puck and 1 inch sink stopper per my previous post, the other made with 1/4" x 4" x 4" plywood with 1" sink stopper). Rotated each side front-to-back, with ZERO damage to underside of car/battery! Tesla SC was charging $75 for a rotation!
View attachment 16721 View attachment 16722 View attachment 16723

 

[teslaliving]

I go to a local tire shop. They've been doing my Model S's for 5 years. $20/rotation. Never had an issue. When buying new tires (I get 50K out of a set of tires) they beat tire rack prices.

 

[hanergy]

I might be mistaken but my local valvoline oil change place uses these big air bags to do inspections so they probably use the same ones for rotations. Can anyone confirm?

 

[jsanford]

Whelp, Eloise rolled over 6k so I went online to the Tesla site make an appointment to rotate the tires and check alignment.

The soonest available appointment is a month away, 25 miles away through Microsoft traffic snarl, and I’ll have to take the day off from work. I’m not expecting any offers of mobile service coming to my office, although I have seen them out and about (modified Model Ses here).

 

[@gravityrydr]

I've never had curb rash on a wheel my entire (long) life and had one before I made it home with my new Tesla. I've hit curbs a couple times before but the tire always took the hit.

That's one of the joys of the Model 3 is that edge of the rim sticks out past the tire. Curb rash gets us all eventually. I'll be trying this as a cheap fix.
Dupli-Color AFM0360 Dark Shadow Gray Ford Exact-Match Scratch Fix All-in-1 Touch-Up Paint

 

[teslarob]

The car has 4 jack points, but you need the jack block in there to prevent damage to the bottom of the car and any slight chance of damaging the battery if the car slips.

Any normal 4-post lift should have rubber topped adjustable lift points on them that will work fine for Model 3. No special adapters are required. If it makes you feel better, that's fine, but they're not necessary.

 

[LUXMAN]

Any normal 4-post lift should have rubber topped adjustable lift points on them that will work fine for Model 3. No special adapters are required. If it makes you feel better, that's fine, but they're not necessary.

Sure. If the shop actually uses them. Plus a 4 post lift may not be available on the side of the road.
I highly recommend jack Pads as I have already had damage from a tire rotation from a National Chain Tire Shop (Discount) who swore they do Teslas all the time. Problem is they never saw a 3 before and were dumbfounded when they got in mine. After showing them the car and the jack points, they swore they would use pads. And No. They used Jacks with just the metal claw (if you will). Gouged the Rocker Skirts. At least the jack didn't slip and puncture the battery.
This is a special car in the way it is designed. Yes this could be better but you cant have everything and either a DIY or aftermarket set of pucks is allot less hassle then if you have a problem...….and Tesla still doesn't have my parts >2 months later

 

[littlD]

Recently, I did my second tire rotation at our local Tesla Service Center.

Yep, $75. Yep, could have done it cheaper somewhere else.

Yet, I got an update to the car's firmware when, at the time, I was on 2018.39.7 and that was the latest version listed on Teslafi.

So, maybe there is additional value getting the rotations done by Tesla.

Thoughts?

 

[Jay Jay]

Why would you pay Tesla to do something that any tire shop can do? Go to Discount.