Tesla Tire Rotation Cost: How Much is it?

Does It Make Any Sense To Rotate My Tires At Tesla?

According to multiple online sources, it is true that rotating Tesla tires is a bit different when compared to rotating tires on a traditional combustion engine car. Tesla cars are EVs which means that they are heavier than most cars and that they house their batteries underneath the passenger compartment which we will touch on shortly.

This poses two challenges. The first one is that some Tesla models like the Model X are so heavy that regular car lifts simply won’t suffice. If you don’t believe me, you should also be aware that Tesla Model X models are so heavy that they are banned to drive over the Brooklyn bridge. My point is that it takes more care to lift a 6,000-pound car up because potential accidents are a lot more problematic.

Secondly, you can’t just jack stand a Tesla anywhere because that could puncture the batteries and cause explosions or tens of thousands of dollars worth of damages. Tesla cars come with specific jack points which usually need specific accessories in order not to damage the underside of the car or the batteries.

As such, you could say that it does take more skill and precision to rotate tires on the Tesla, but every experienced mechanic is aware of this, and yet they still don’t charge as much as Tesla does. So no, it does not make any sense to pay more money for the same results. However, if you want to be sure that everything is as perfect as it can be, then it makes sense to do so.

Why Are Tire Rotations Necessary?

• Longer tire lifespan due to even wear
• Safer driving
• Better handling
• A smoother and more comfortable ride
• Saves you money

Do Tire Rotations Increase Tire Lifespan?

Yes, they do. By rotating your tires whenever needed, you are essentially promoting a more even tire wear across all four of your tires. It’s impossible to perfectly balance all four tires due to many different reasons. One of which is the fact that the weight balance of a car does not have to be even across all four corners.

This means that the forces each tire withstands are not equal. By performing constant tire rotations, you are basically making sure that all four tires are going to last a similar amount of time. If you don’t rotate your tires, you will shorten their lifespan by quite a bit.

Do Tire Rotations Increase Safety?

The longer you don’t rotate your tires, the higher the chances of those tires developing specific high-risk areas such as bald spots that lead to inconsistent traction, inconsistent aquaplaning resistance, and even inconsistent structural integrity. Tire rotations are intended to maximize traction across all four tires which means that they will work in a more synchronized manner.

If you own a Tesla or any other heavier car, performing tire rotations is even more important because the heavier the car, the more stress the tires need to withstand. That being said, if you want to maximize your on-road safety, tire rotations should be added to your regular maintenance to-do list.

Do Tire Rotations Improve Handling?

Better handling can be typically attributed to a more predictable and more confident-inducing driving experience. This means that you are always aware of what feedback you might get from the car if you decide to turn sharply or brake abruptly. If your tires are evenly worn, it is going to make your car more predictable because all four of your tires offer similar performance.

This does not only make the car more predictable, but the added traction benefits you get from evenly worn tires mean that your car is also going to be able to take corners faster without breaking traction.

Do Tire Rotations Improve Comfort?

Uneven tire wear impacts many things, and one of those things is on-road comfort. Because one tire has more tread left than the other it means that the amounts of wind noise these tires make are different. Moreover, even tire wear also promotes smoothness as all four of your tires are able to absorb shocks evenly.

Do Tire Rotations Save You Money?

Because your tires are able to last longer, it also means that you will change tires less frequently. Indeed, if you do pay up to $150 for a simple tire rotation, you are not going to save any money by doing so, but if you pay the average of $24-$50, you sure will.

Some places such as Discount Tire will rotate your tires for free if you buy them directly from them which means that the potential savings you might enjoy by rotating tires are significant. Even if you end up losing money by rotating your tires, it still makes sense to do so because all the other benefits outweigh the costs in most instances.

Are There Different Types Of Tire Rotations?

• Rearward cross tire rotation – RWD or 4WD cars (with or without the spare tire)
• X-pattern tire rotation – FWD, RWD, 4WD cars
• Forward cross tire rotation – FWD (with or without the spare tire)
• Front-to-rear tire rotation – Cars with same sized directional tires
• Side-to-side tire rotations – Cars with different sized non-directional tires

What Are The Average Tesla Maintenance Costs?

Everyone is aware by now that Tesla cars are way different when compared to most cars on the market, but how does that translate to maintenance costs? First of all, all Tesla models come with specific maintenance requirements that can not be avoided, and those are:

• Cabin air filters – $60 – $200
• Tire rotations – $60 – $150
• Brake fluids – $100 – $110
• Winter care – $20 – $50
• A/C maintenance – $50

These are the typical costs you need to be aware of if you want to own a Tesla, and the reality is that these costs are not all that bad when you consider them as a whole. You should be aware by now that EVs don’t need to perform oil changes because they don’t use any oil. They also don’t use catalytic converters, turbochargers, fuel pumps, fuel tanks, fuel lines, and many other components.

The good thing about electric cars is that they don’t need brake disc replacements all that often because they rely primarily on regenerative braking. This means that your brakes are rarely ever used to stop the car besides when you want to stop fast.

EVs are heavy due to heavy batteries which are typically mounted as low as possible in order for the car to benefit from a lower center of gravity which makes the car lean less in the corners and thus makes the car handle a lot better. The downside to this is that EVs chew through tires a lot faster which is also another reason why you should rotate your tires frequently.

Tesla Tire Rotation Cost – Conclusion

Judging by various forum threads and official statements, it’s difficult to pinpoint the correct costs of rotating your tires directly at a Tesla dealership. Most sources state that a Tesla tire rotation typically falls between the $60-$150 mark which means that Tesla cars are more expensive than most cars out there.

Granted, there are a few reasons as to why this makes sense, but the differences are a bit too exaggerated to make sense completely. However, you should rotate your tires either way as timely tire rotations are necessary if you want to maintain the overall longevity and performance of your tires.

If you take your Tesla to independent mechanics, they will typically charge you up to 50% less, but be sure to do your homework to see if the mechanic you are considering has enough experience working with a Tesla.