Can I drive the M3 RWD without winter tires through the snowy mountains?

[TT97]

Thanks for all the tidbits guys, we can close the thread now - not going to take my car. hahahaha. I don't have the money just to buy winter tires for a week trip nor get snow chains to use one time. We will just have to rent an SUV.

If you do ultimately decide to rent an SUV, I recommend renting one in Colorado and not in the Dallas area. If it is anything like L.A., any SUV you can rent there will not have snow rated tires (just the same "all-season" as the 3) and most aren't even AWD. Obviously, make sure the tires have good tread depth when you pick up the truck.

 

[SageBrush]

If you do ultimately decide to rent an SUV, I recommend renting one in Colorado and not in the Dallas area. If it is anything like L.A., any SUV you can rent there will not have snow rated tires (just the same "all-season" as the 3) and most aren't even AWD. Obviously, make sure the tires have good tread depth when you pick up the truck.

I'll be amazed if the Colorado rentals have snow tyres. Maybe 'S+M' but that is mostly marketing babble.

 

[Leeclanual]

I'll be amazed if the Colorado rentals have snow tyres. Maybe 'S+M' but that is mostly marketing babble.

I've rented 4X4 SUVs at Denver intl airport many times during winter months... they are all equipped with the same all season tires found on SUVs you buy off the lot. During the winter its normal to see snow chains in the cargo area... if not, ask the rep.

 

[TT97]

I'll be amazed if the Colorado rentals have snow tyres. Maybe 'S+M' but that is mostly marketing babble.

I was not really thinking dedicated snow tires, but was hoping M+S tires (which the Primacy mxm4 have) but with the Winter Tire Symbol.

However, after thinking about it, I am guessing every SUV available through any rental company will just have the OEM tires that came with the SUV across the country (if not, an even cheaper tire through their fleet program). Maybe Turo may be a better option to find an SUV with winter/snow tires.

I would still just invest in snow chains for the 3 - the cost for the chains will be less than the additional fuel cost of the SUV round-trip from Dallas (and that's before the cost of the rental).

 

[SageBrush]

was not really thinking dedicated snow tires, but was hoping M+S tires (which the Primacy mxm4 have) but with the Winter Tire Symbol.

However, after thinking about it, I am guessing every SUV available through any rental company will just have the OEM tires that came with the SUV across the country (if not, an even cheaper tire through their fleet program). Maybe Turo may be a better option to find an SUV with winter/snow tires.

The snowflake in mountain logo is a winter traction tested tyre that reaches a performance standard. The M+S designation does not mean anything other than a marketing decision. I agree with you, I doubt rentals in Colorado come any better prepared for winter than any other state. There are a couple of rental agencies that offer winter tyres in Europe and Canada

 

[dgpcolorado]

I drive an old (1998) rwd car and it is by far the worst winter car I've ever taken over mountain passes. With non studded snow tires it still slides a fair amount but it is predictable until you get on to ice driving up a hill, in which case even with snow tires you could easily go off the road or into someone else in black ice. With studded tires it has been manageable even in the ice, but the you have to drive around with noisy road damaging studs for ? months a year...

RWD with modern traction control and modern snow tires is way different from the way it was on older cars, and that is especially true for Teslas. The usual description in Tesla forums is that "this is not your grandfather's RWD" and that is very much the case.

There are plenty of us who have RWD Tesla cars who use modern snow tires, such as Michelin X-Ice or Nokian, and we do fine on snow and ice — no studs needed. AWD with snow tires is even better but RWD works pretty well. Don't knock it until you've tried it with a Tesla.

 

[voip-ninja]

Hey

The snowflake in mountain logo is a winter traction tested tyre that reaches a performance standard. The M+S designation does not mean anything other than a marketing decision. I agree with you, I doubt rentals in Colorado come any better prepared for winter than any other state. There are a couple of rental agencies that offer winter tyres in Europe and Canada

It is true that Colorado rentals do not come equipped with better winter equipment.

Also true, an SUV with all season tires is going to do better in mountain winter conditions than RWD anything.

 

[Olavxxx]

RWD with modern traction control and modern snow tires is way different from the way it was on older cars, and that is especially true for Teslas. The usual description in Tesla forums is that "this is not your grandfather's RWD" and that is very much the case.

There are plenty of us who have RWD Tesla cars who use modern snow tires, such as Michelin X-Ice or Nokian, and we do fine on snow and ice — no studs needed. AWD with snow tires is even better but RWD works pretty well. Don't knock it until you've tried it with a Tesla.

Those tires (X-Ice and Nokian) are winter tires though?

 

[dgpcolorado]

Those tires (X-Ice and Nokian) are winter tires though?

Yes, of course. Why?

 

[GregD60]

The snowflake in mountain logo is a winter traction tested tyre that reaches a performance standard. The M+S designation does not mean anything other than a marketing decision. I agree with you, I doubt rentals in Colorado come any better prepared for winter than any other state. There are a couple of rental agencies that offer winter tyres in Europe and Canada

Agreed, although I do thing you're more likely to get an AWD rental in Colorado than in Texas or California, at least on cars that come in both 2WD and AWD.

The difficult thing with all season tires is that they vary enormously. I've driven on some that, while nowhere near as good as real winter tires, were adequate on snow and ice. The Primacy MXMs that came on my Tesla were not adequate on snow or ice; they were fine for the cold, but they were very slippery on anything icy especially.

 

[Daniellane]

We have these in our Midel 3 RWD Frunk for the winter.

Model 3 Snow Chain - 18" Pewag Sport RSS 76

 

[tander]

RWD with modern traction control and modern snow tires is way different from the way it was on older cars, and that is especially true for Teslas. The usual description in Tesla forums is that "this is not your grandfather's RWD" and that is very much the case.

There are plenty of us who have RWD Tesla cars who use modern snow tires, such as Michelin X-Ice or Nokian, and we do fine on snow and ice — no studs needed. AWD with snow tires is even better but RWD works pretty well. Don't knock it until you've tried it with a Tesla.

Yeah I think maybe you skimmed the 2nd part of my post. Also his question was asking if he should try the model 3 without snow tires, which is not probably advisable even in a cutting edge car.

 

[silentcorp]

I watch people every year slip and slide down the CO mountains without snow tires. They matter greatly in the mountains. Here in CO you can get fined for not having them during snowy days and you never know if the mountains will have snow, which parts will, or how bad it will be. That can change hourly it seems.

 

[viperssd]

I've driven my BMW M3 through the snow in southern Germany with snow tires. It is definitely doable and possible, it is really amazing what a good set of snows can enable your car to do, for extra insurance, snow chains would also be recommended and you can just leave them in your trunk until you need them.
TBH, if there is almost any accumulation, all season tires will most likely be useless.