Yesterday we slid off the road into a snow ditch in our 2019 Stealth Model 3. First, conditions. Nice clear day otherwise, with temperatures in the low 40s. Nice except for the roads. Treacherous roads here in Montana when the temperature swings between the 40s and sub 0 degrees f. Roads were mostly covered in a layer of packed snow from weeks of intermittent snowfall with sub-freezing conditions. The day before the slide the temperature had briefly been in the low 40s, melting the top layer of packed snow. And of course, that froze overnight. Now we have white ice, spots on the road with packed snow topped by a layer of ice. Then yesterday in the afternoon the temperature again rose to the low 40s. Now we have spots of the road with packed snow, ice, topped off with a layer of water. Wet white ice………And of course, this is not all the roads but rather in hard to predict locations, likely more sporadic wind/temperature related in the hills, for example.
To make matters worse, I don’t have snow tires. This is our first winter with the Model 3, which I use almost exclusively to commute 150 interstate miles to work, low traffic, good roads, well plowed. In addition, the snow here in Eastern Montana is generally not deep, it’s too dry. My biggest worry here has been how low to the ground the Model 3 is, not good for occasional deep snow. Otherwise, the Model 3 AWD/P3D- even with stock tires does very well in the snow/ice. Slides on a 90-degree turn taken a bit fast but almost instantly self corrects. The roads here give you a pretty good opportunity to play with the handling under such conditions. Meaning I have a pretty good feeling for handling a slide in the Model 3. Steer out of it and feather the pedal as needed. No sudden movements. Meaning no brakes/slamming on the regen.
All good until yesterday. Yesterday we are in the hills, a few miles off the highway, on a lightly snow-covered otherwise dirt road. Generally, we take the off-road 4Runner for such trips but the roads were actually pretty good most places. Anyway, I got fooled, I took a 90-degree turn to the right, probably traveling at 10 mph slowed to 5 mph for the turn. The car took a long slide on the snow/ice/water, rear drivers side first into the ditch. Narrow ditch about 2 feet deep and approximately 35-degree angle. The car bottomed out on the side of the road as it slid into the ditch but otherwise no direct damage. The road was along a field, no trees or other objects. My wife looked at me with some words on the edge of her eyes which I can’t repeat in polite company. I’ve been driving since 1969 and I’ve never before slid into a ditch like that. I’ve been stuck any number of times but never slid a distance like that. Understand I’m certainly not blaming the car, I was just straight up tricked by conditions.
Ok, all this to talk about what happened next. Two seconds to think, did I hurt the car, no, probably not. We were obviously ok, no thoughts there. Next, do I have a cell signal to call for help? Put that on hold…….Now at 5 seconds, why not see if I can move the car? The car is now completely off the road, rear end all the way in the ditch and front passenger tire just below the road edge.
So I depressed the accelerator a bit, expecting what would happen in a RWD vehicle, spinning the tires, but no, it started to move, front passenger tire grabbed, followed by the front driver's tire, then the rear tires. It slid for a few feet and then climbed right out of the snowbank, and back onto the road. What the polite company fu*k? It scurried right along the edge the ditch for about 2 car lengths and climbed right on out, like nobody’s beeswax. Not a bit of damage anywhere. Nothing, nada, well, other than some added dirt. Again, this was a snow/ice-covered narrow ditch about 2 feet deep with an approximate 35-degree angle. I was too shocked to be impressed.
So when the weather gets better I’m taking the Model 3 out rock climbing with the 4Runner…….oh, and snow tires, why not?
To make matters worse, I don’t have snow tires. This is our first winter with the Model 3, which I use almost exclusively to commute 150 interstate miles to work, low traffic, good roads, well plowed. In addition, the snow here in Eastern Montana is generally not deep, it’s too dry. My biggest worry here has been how low to the ground the Model 3 is, not good for occasional deep snow. Otherwise, the Model 3 AWD/P3D- even with stock tires does very well in the snow/ice. Slides on a 90-degree turn taken a bit fast but almost instantly self corrects. The roads here give you a pretty good opportunity to play with the handling under such conditions. Meaning I have a pretty good feeling for handling a slide in the Model 3. Steer out of it and feather the pedal as needed. No sudden movements. Meaning no brakes/slamming on the regen.
All good until yesterday. Yesterday we are in the hills, a few miles off the highway, on a lightly snow-covered otherwise dirt road. Generally, we take the off-road 4Runner for such trips but the roads were actually pretty good most places. Anyway, I got fooled, I took a 90-degree turn to the right, probably traveling at 10 mph slowed to 5 mph for the turn. The car took a long slide on the snow/ice/water, rear drivers side first into the ditch. Narrow ditch about 2 feet deep and approximately 35-degree angle. The car bottomed out on the side of the road as it slid into the ditch but otherwise no direct damage. The road was along a field, no trees or other objects. My wife looked at me with some words on the edge of her eyes which I can’t repeat in polite company. I’ve been driving since 1969 and I’ve never before slid into a ditch like that. I’ve been stuck any number of times but never slid a distance like that. Understand I’m certainly not blaming the car, I was just straight up tricked by conditions.
Ok, all this to talk about what happened next. Two seconds to think, did I hurt the car, no, probably not. We were obviously ok, no thoughts there. Next, do I have a cell signal to call for help? Put that on hold…….Now at 5 seconds, why not see if I can move the car? The car is now completely off the road, rear end all the way in the ditch and front passenger tire just below the road edge.
So I depressed the accelerator a bit, expecting what would happen in a RWD vehicle, spinning the tires, but no, it started to move, front passenger tire grabbed, followed by the front driver's tire, then the rear tires. It slid for a few feet and then climbed right out of the snowbank, and back onto the road. What the polite company fu*k? It scurried right along the edge the ditch for about 2 car lengths and climbed right on out, like nobody’s beeswax. Not a bit of damage anywhere. Nothing, nada, well, other than some added dirt. Again, this was a snow/ice-covered narrow ditch about 2 feet deep with an approximate 35-degree angle. I was too shocked to be impressed.
So when the weather gets better I’m taking the Model 3 out rock climbing with the 4Runner…….oh, and snow tires, why not?
