Speed Breakers

Vitaman · Aug 12, 2014

First let me say that after spending possibly too many hours over the years on Jaguar, BMW, and Porsche Forums, this is the most informative and enjoyable gathering of minds I have found.
Going for a test drive Monday morning and there are two things I will have difficulty testing: How well does the car handle speed breakers (silent policemen for those with an Anglo bent), and propensity for wheel rash.
The car looks fabulous with 19" shoes, but so much better with the dark turbine 21's, that the larger wheels will be an automatic for me. However, I had a really bad experience with a Jaguar XF with low profile tires, and do not want a repeat performance.
I would love to hear experiences from those with 21" wheels.

galangg · Aug 12, 2014

Vitaman said:
First let me say that after spending possibly too many hours over the years on Jaguar, BMW, and Porsche Forums, this is the most informative and enjoyable gathering of minds I have found.
Going for a test drive Monday morning and there are two things I will have difficulty testing: How well does the car handle speed breakers (silent policemen for those with an Anglo bent), and propensity for wheel rash.
The car looks fabulous with 19" shoes, but so much better with the dark turbine 21's, that the larger wheels will be an automatic for me. However, I had a really bad experience with a Jaguar XF with low profile tires, and do not want a repeat performance.
I would love to hear experiences from those with 21" wheels.

Everything I've read about indicates a high possibility of damage on road hazards with the 21" wheels. I agree, they look great, but I don't want to be replacing rims and tires all the time, so I'm settling for the 19", which get better mileage and lower risk of blowouts.

caddieo · Aug 12, 2014

There is quite a lot of variation in the size and geometry of speed breakers, (aka speed bumps). The ones I have encountered locally are no more than 3-4 inches high and less than a foot wide and have caused me no problems as long as I go slowly over them. However I have driven in other places (using an ICE, thankfully) where they are about 6 inches high at mid-point and about 4 feet wide. In the latter case, I imagine the risk of scraping the bottom is greater - much like a highly angled driveway. The adjustable air suspension would probably help in this situation but I would defer final opinion to those MS drivers who have actually challenged them.

Evbwcaer · Aug 12, 2014

I really like the dark turbines as well, but the 19"s are so much more function and cost effective. Check out this thread and see how goof the base 19"s look when powder coated a gunmetal color. I think the gunmetal color, in any rim, makes the Tesla look mean, in a nice way.

Rotor Hat Rehab and Anthracite Grey Powder Coated 19 OEM Wheels

AudubonB · Aug 12, 2014

You can't see those 21s when you're behind the wheel. GET THE 19s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Denarius · Aug 12, 2014

Vitaman said:
First let me say that after spending possibly too many hours over the years on Jaguar, BMW, and Porsche Forums, this is the most informative and enjoyable gathering of minds I have found.
Going for a test drive Monday morning and there are two things I will have difficulty testing: How well does the car handle speed breakers (silent policemen for those with an Anglo bent), and propensity for wheel rash.
The car looks fabulous with 19" shoes, but so much better with the dark turbine 21's, that the larger wheels will be an automatic for me. However, I had a really bad experience with a Jaguar XF with low profile tires, and do not want a repeat performance.
I would love to hear experiences from those with 21" wheels.

I have the the active air suspension so on the higher ones I raise the car before going over. With the springs taking the taller ones at an angle should be fine.

As far as the 21s I've had no issues with them, but the roads around here pretty good. If there are lots of potholes around you, the 19s may be a better choice.

swegman · Aug 12, 2014

Get the 19s. Had 21 inch wheels and tires. Hit a pothole (lots of them on the east coast), blow a tire. Hit a speed bump (lots of them here), bend a rim. Switched to the 19 inch TSportline wheels. They look almost like the 21 inch Tesla wheels. Just a little bit more sidewall is visible, which protects the wheel and tire.

tezco · Aug 12, 2014

Haven't had to raise my air suspension yet to clear what we call speed bumps out here, but I never scraped in my sports cars either. Just have to take it slow.

jerry33 · Aug 13, 2014

The 21" tires look kind of silly (like you're a teenybopper), cost twice as much, last half as long, and are far more susceptible to damage. The speed ramps (I have three on my block) haven't been a problem at normal height with air suspension. I can take them at 20 mph (posted speed limit for them) with no scraping.

arg · Aug 13, 2014

caddieo said:
There is quite a lot of variation in the size and geometry of speed breakers, (aka speed bumps). The ones I have encountered locally are no more than 3-4 inches high and less than a foot wide and have caused me no problems as long as I go slowly over them. However I have driven in other places (using an ICE, thankfully) where they are about 6 inches high at mid-point and about 4 feet wide. In the latter case, I imagine the risk of scraping the bottom is greater - much like a highly angled driveway. The adjustable air suspension would probably help in this situation but I would defer final opinion to those MS drivers who have actually challenged them.

Note that the normal ride height with a coil car is higher than those equipped with air. So with air you can in theory go higher if you spot the hazard in advance and take the trouble to raise the height, but it's not an advantage (from this point of view) in day-to-day driving.

My coil car certainly handles the sleeping policemen around here without trouble (and with a smoother ride over them than many cars); also OK on my driveway where some other cars have scraped on exit.

ElSupreme · Aug 13, 2014

I live in Cobb. I have my car set always low. I hit speed breakers (table top variety) at the speed limit (25-30mph) all the time. No issues. I hit normal speed bumps at whatever speed I am driving (25-30mph normally). No issues.

The exceptions are the tall type of table top speed breakers you find on private property, and parking lots. The ones with crap tons of pavement scrapes. I go over them slowly (<10mph). And I don't really raise the height of my car ever.

I refuse to drop my speed for speed breakers in general. I will make sure I am going the speed limit however.

Vitaman · Aug 13, 2014

Thanks for all the thoughts and observations.
El Supreme: Like your speed breaker attitude! Do you have 21" Wheels?
Ever offer guided tours of your car? My test drive is Monday, but would love to see a Model is in the flesh beforehand to hone my test drive experience questions.

ElSupreme · Aug 14, 2014

Vitaman said:
Thanks for all the thoughts and observations.
El Supreme: Like your speed breaker attitude! Do you have 21" Wheels?
Ever offer guided tours of your car? My test drive is Monday, but would love to see a Model is in the flesh beforehand to hone my test drive experience questions.

No I have the 19" wheels. I don't like only rotationally symmetric wheels. They need lateral symmetry as well. It's a little quirk of mine. Only the factory 19s did that. No to mention tire costs are probably about half for the 19s.

yobigd20 · Aug 14, 2014

Get the 19s and upgrade to the aftermarket TSportline 19" grey TST turbines. They are .5" wider, and 35mm offset. Combined with an aftermarket 255/45ZR19 tires (in running Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3), this sets you up with a really good aggressive look with all the performance and grip you need without any of the downsides of the 21s.

caddieo · Aug 14, 2014

ElSupreme said:
I don't like only rotationally symmetric wheels. They need lateral symmetry as well. It's a little quirk of mine. Only the factory 19s did that. No to mention tire costs are probably about half for the 19s.

I knew there was some reason why I stuck with the factory wheels. Thanks for putting it into words. :smile:

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Speed Breakers

Vitaman

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galangg

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caddieo

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Evbwcaer

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AudubonB

One can NOT induce accuracy via precision!

Denarius

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swegman

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tezco

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jerry33

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arg

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