“It’s all fun and games with a Tesla until…”
A Tesla owner says there’s one ownership cost nobody warned him about: the tires.
Alex (@alexafterthefire0) recently vented about how quickly he says his Tesla goes through them.
“It’s all fun and games with a Tesla until it’s time for tires,” he wrote in the text overlay of his clip.
According to Alex, tire wear has been one of the bigger surprises of owning the car.
“This is what no one tells you when owning a Tesla: You will be going through tires like a hot knife through butter,” he says.
He says his Tesla is fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport tires, and replacing the full set costs him about $1,800.
That makes tire replacement a pretty painful maintenance bill—especially if, as Alex says, he’s having to do it more often than expected.
As of this writing, his video has more than 2 million views.
Why Teslas Can Be Tough On Tires
Alex’s complaint is not unique to Tesla owners. In fact, according to Edmunds, electric vehicles can put more stress on their tires than comparable gas-powered cars. But tire wear still depends on the vehicle, the tire, and driving habits.
Edmunds says EVs can be harder on tires for a few reasons. They’re heavier because of the battery, which puts more weight on the tires, and all that instant torque can wear down the tread faster if you accelerate hard. Regenerative braking can add to that wear, too.
That does not mean a Tesla should automatically burn through a set every few thousand miles, though.
Tesla itself says aggressive driving can accelerate tire wear and recommends rotating tires every 6,250 miles, or sooner if the difference in tread depth reaches 2/32 of an inch. Regular rotation helps spread wear more evenly and extend tire life.
The company also recommends using Tesla-designed or Tesla-approved replacement tires. Those tires are developed to balance several competing EV-specific demands, including range, road noise, handling, and comfort.
Where Alex’s $1,800 figure lands is harder to judge from the video alone. Michelin sells several versions and sizes of its Pilot Sport line, and Tesla offers different wheel and tire configurations by model and trim. Alex does not reveal his tire size, how many miles he typically gets from a set, or exactly which Pilot Sport model he is buying.
Those details matter, as a performance-oriented Tesla on larger wheels can have a very different tire bill from a base model on smaller wheels. Driving style, alignment, inflation, and whether the tires can be rotated front-to-back can also affect how long a set lasts.
So Alex is definitely onto a real EV ownership consideration. But “going through tires like a hot knife through butter” is not going to be the experience of every Tesla owner.
Owners Split Over Whether Tire Wear Is That Bad
The comments quickly turned into a debate over whether Alex’s tire problem was a Tesla problem—or an Alex problem.
“You might. I don’t,” one viewer wrote.
Alex shot back: “Okay goodie two shoes.”
Several Tesla owners said their tires had lasted much longer.
“My Model 3 has right about 40k miles, and my tires still have plenty of life. Never even got them rotated,” one commenter boasted.
That prompted Alex to admit his driving habits may be part of the reason he is going through tires so quickly.
“It’s me, I’m the problem. I have a heavy foot. The weight of the car, sure, but I’m part of the problem. Model Y,” he replied.
Other viewers made the same point.
“You only go through tires often if you keep slamming on the accelerator bc the torque is so fast and strong. Drive in chill mode…it will last 40k miles. I own 2 Teslas…no issues,” one person wrote.
“Drive in chill mode,” another agreed.
Others focused on Alex’s claim of a $1,800 replacement cost.
“Got my Pilot Sports for $800 a set lol,” one commenter wrote.
Another questioned the price even more directly.
“Tf you mean $1,800 per set ?? The Cross Climate 2 (best-rated tires) are 1K a set with installation, nitrogen air, and rotation at Costco. Is the extra 800 $ from a stealership installation??” they wrote.
And at least one viewer thought Alex was exaggerating the state of his tires.
“Tires have so much life left in them,” they wrote.
Motor1 contacted Alex via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this article with any response.
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