Factory Continental tires for driving in snow?

[newcarbuyer123]

The winter/snow rating for the stock Continental ProContact RX tires on MY LR is just 'Fair'.
Does anybody have real world experience with this tire on a snow plowed road?
My tires are almost new but wouldn't want to get a bad surprise driving to the mountains this winter.

 

[CLK350]

I don't have experience at all on this issue - but having dealt with tire choices for my ICE cars in Pennsylvania back in the days, I know that winter tires are very worth it - for a new Tesla especially I personally wouldn't hesitate in getting a dedicated set of wheels and tires, non factory always less expensive and sometimes better to boot.
A cursory check online gives you plenty of information (it's for Kansas, but I'm sure you can find decent tire outfits in your area that match their prices)
What Are the Best Winter Tires for Teslas? | Zohr
Whatever you decide, let us know your final choices ;D

 

[Watts_Up]

The winter/snow rating for the stock Continental ProContact RX tires on MY LR is just 'Fair'.
Does anybody have real world experience with this tire on a snow plowed road?
My tires are almost new but wouldn't want to get a bad surprise driving to the mountains this winter.

The problem with those tires is that they harden with cold.

Every year the CHP warn people driving Audi or Subaru... to use snow (M+S) tires or chains even when driving a 4WD car,
as many cars get stranded around Lake Tahoe, which makes always big news on local TV.

Here are some comments I found on the Internet:

Truck Chain Requirements | Caltrans

Even though weather conditions may not warrant the use of chains on 4-wheel-drive vehicles at a particular time,
to enter a chain control area, you must have a set of chains (for one drive axle) for your vehicle in your possession.
If conditions worsen or you have trouble controlling your vehicle, you must stop and install the chains.​

There are three primary categories of chain restrictions, as shown below:

Requirement 1 (R-1): Chains are required on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000
pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on at least two drive wheels.
Chains must be carried by vehicles using snow tires. All vehicles towing trailers must have chains on one drive axle.
Trailers with brakes must have chains on at least one axle.

Requirement 2 (R-2): Chains are required on all vehicles except four-wheel-drive vehicles
under 6,500 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on all four wheels.
Chains for one set of drive wheels must be carried by four wheel-drive vehicles using snow tires.

Requirement 3 (R-3): Chains are required on all vehicles without exception.​

Your Subaru, Snow Tires and Chains Explained - All Wheel Drive Auto

Most newer Subaru models just dont have the room for chains, as we have made the braking systems
larger the wheel size has increased to allow for clearance, this also increased the size of the tire.

The chains in some cases will clear the wheel well but could hit the strut assembly, which would cause
the chain to then come loose this is exceptionally true in the rear. The brake line could be torn off,
the abs sensor wiring could be torn out, the chain could hit the body of the car, the chain could do
more damage than I can describe if it was to come loose or partially broken.

As to the issue of a one time use, while I understand its not popular to buy Snow tires,
if chains are not an option what choice do you really have?

Here is a link to a product that may help.​

 

[acarney]

The problem with those tires is that they harden with cold.

Every year the CHP warn people driving Audi or Subaru... to use snow (M+S) tires or chains even when driving a 4WD car,
as many cars get stranded around Lake Tahoe, which makes always big news on local TV.

Here are some comments I found on the Internet:

Truck Chain Requirements | Caltrans

Even though weather conditions may not warrant the use of chains on 4-wheel-drive vehicles at a particular time,
to enter a chain control area, you must have a set of chains (for one drive axle) for your vehicle in your possession.
If conditions worsen or you have trouble controlling your vehicle, you must stop and install the chains.​

There are three primary categories of chain restrictions, as shown below:

Requirement 1 (R-1): Chains are required on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000
pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on at least two drive wheels.
Chains must be carried by vehicles using snow tires. All vehicles towing trailers must have chains on one drive axle.
Trailers with brakes must have chains on at least one axle.

Requirement 2 (R-2): Chains are required on all vehicles except four-wheel-drive vehicles
under 6,500 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on all four wheels.
Chains for one set of drive wheels must be carried by four wheel-drive vehicles using snow tires.

Requirement 3 (R-3): Chains are required on all vehicles without exception.​

Your Subaru, Snow Tires and Chains Explained - All Wheel Drive Auto

Most newer Subaru models just dont have the room for chains, as we have made the braking systems
larger the wheel size has increased to allow for clearance, this also increased the size of the tire.

The chains in some cases will clear the wheel well but could hit the strut assembly, which would cause
the chain to then come loose this is exceptionally true in the rear. The brake line could be torn off,
the abs sensor wiring could be torn out, the chain could hit the body of the car, the chain could do
more damage than I can describe if it was to come loose or partially broken.

As to the issue of a one time use, while I understand its not popular to buy Snow tires,
if chains are not an option what choice do you really have?

Here is a link to a product that may help.​

Those ProContact RX's actually are M+S, just about every all season has that. What you really want for snow travel (or going to the mountains) is the 3 peak mountain symbol on the tire. Those are actual dedicated snow tires. You can go for a "performance" one like the Sottozero 3 tires, or a hard core winter one like the xIce SNOW or Vikingcontact 7.

If you're heading up toward bad weather, I would get a set of snow tires. All season really just allows you to keep the tires on the car in lower temps of winter and maybe make it home from work if it's starting to snow. You don't want to take them up to the mountains or for skiing or something. You might do fine, but you'll do much much worse than proper snow tires if you end up hitting glaze ice or something.

 

[Jedibryan]

Expanding on the subject of winter tires... Has anyone purchased snow chains for their model Y? Any recommendations?

 

[newcarbuyer123]

Those ProContact RX's actually are M+S, just about every all season has that. What you really want for snow travel (or going to the mountains) is the 3 peak mountain symbol on the tire. Those are actual dedicated snow tires. You can go for a "performance" one like the Sottozero 3 tires, or a hard core winter one like the xIce SNOW or Vikingcontact 7.

If you're heading up toward bad weather, I would get a set of snow tires. All season really just allows you to keep the tires on the car in lower temps of winter and maybe make it home from work if it's starting to snow. You don't want to take them up to the mountains or for skiing or something. You might do fine, but you'll do much much worse than proper snow tires if you end up hitting glaze ice or something.

I agree, ProContact RX's are M+S. The problem is the snow rating is 'Fair' 4.7 rating on tirerack. This is why I was asking if anybody has actually used them in snow. I'll probably end up driving my other 4WD to the mountains, it has Michelin M+S with 'good' 9.0 snow rating. I'd rather drive the Tesla but I don't feel like purchasing a brand new set of tires for a few trips to the mountains during winter.

 

[Pilot1226]

Look for an all-climate tire compared to a dedicated winter. They have the mountain icon and are robust enough for all-season use. Dedicated winters will perform better, but if you won't change to a dedicated winter for whatever reason (space to store the tires out of season, cost, convenience, whatever) then these are a great option.

I was planning to use these on my Subaru before I got the Tesla bug

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=CrossClimate+&partnum=26VR7CCPXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Subaru&autoYear=2019&autoModel=Forester&autoModClar=Premium

They are available for the Model 3:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=CrossClimate+&partnum=345YR8CCPXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Tesla&autoYear=2020&autoModel=Model 3&autoModClar=Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive

There is only one type available for the Model Y with 19's (and the same tire is available for the 20's)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Vredestein&tireModel=Quatrac+Pro&partnum=545RY9QTPXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Tesla&autoYear=2020&autoModel=Model Y Long Range&autoModClar=

So, if it's all the same and you're going to run something all year, I personally would plan for the all-climate for that much more of an edge in the winter. They're safer than all seasons, but again to reiterate, nothing is better than a dedicated winter.

 

[Leeclanual]

Expanding on the subject of winter tires... Has anyone purchased snow chains for their model Y? Any recommendations?

Online Tesla store?

 

[Lozzy]

Expanding on the subject of winter tires... Has anyone purchased snow chains for their model Y? Any recommendations?

This is one of the brands in the Tesla store for the model 3. The fitment guide has chains that fit the 19, 20 and 21s on a model y in several different mounting styles. Just click on I can’t find my car and you can enter tire size. The model 3 uses the K Summit external style. The other brand is the Pewag but I couldn’t find the correct one on the website for our wheel size.

Fit Guide - Consumer - König EN

 

[RED MDL3]

Expanding on the subject of winter tires... Has anyone purchased snow chains for their model Y? Any recommendations?

I just ordered these from trailer. Rep said they fit 255 45 19. Will try for fit and clearance before I drive...

 

[jhams]

Regular wheels do not fit on the model Y correct? There is a bolt protruding on the hub if I recall. Most people in winter towns buy simple black wheels and toss some winter tires on them. This does not seem to be an option, am I correct?

 

[Jedibryan]

I just ordered these from trailer. Rep said they fit 255 45 19. Will try for fit and clearance before I drive...

Let us know how they fit please. I travel some passes pretty regularly in the winter, having AWD allows me to not be required to carry chains, but I like to have a set just in case.

 

[E_R_N]

Regular wheels do not fit on the model Y correct? There is a bolt protruding on the hub if I recall. Most people in winter towns buy simple black wheels and toss some winter tires on them. This does not seem to be an option, am I correct?

Toss the bolt away if it’s interfering. It’s not important.

 

[masotime]

There is only one type available for the Model Y with 19's (and the same tire is available for the 20's)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Vredestein&tireModel=Quatrac+Pro&partnum=545RY9QTPXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Tesla&autoYear=2020&autoModel=Model Y Long Range&autoModClar=

So, if it's all the same and you're going to run something all year, I personally would plan for the all-climate for that much more of an edge in the winter. They're safer than all seasons, but again to reiterate, nothing is better than a dedicated winter.

Ugh... I wish I had known about this earlier. I’ve been trying to find a set of “all weather” tires as Nokian calls them, but they don’t come in 255/45R19.

Ended up getting a set of VikingContact 7s - https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...TR9VC7XL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes - dedicated snow tires, but I live in San Francisco, which will suck while I’m not in the mountains.

These Quatrac’s didn’t appear when I searched for snow-rated tires in this size a month ago, I don’t understand why... otherwise I’d have bought them for sure.

 

[jhams]

Ugh... I wish I had known about this earlier. I’ve been trying to find a set of “all weather” tires as Nokian calls them, but they don’t come in 255/45R19.

Ended up getting a set of VikingContact 7s - https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...TR9VC7XL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes - dedicated snow tires, but I live in San Francisco, which will suck while I’m not in the mountains.

These Quatrac’s didn’t appear when I searched for snow-rated tires in this size a month ago, I don’t understand why... otherwise I’d have bought them for sure.

Funny enough I used the quattracs on my old GTI. I loved the tires. They are made in Hungary.

 

[davraker]

As strictly a winter tire, these look good from same manufacture. Live in New England where we see a huge mix of weather throughout our long winter.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...autoYear=2020&autoModClar=&vehicleSearch=true

Curious if anyone knows anything about these. Seem new to TR.

 

[acarney]

As strictly a winter tire, these look good from same manufacture. Live in New England where we see a huge mix of weather throughout our long winter.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Vredestein&tireModel=Wintrac+Pro&partnum=545VR9WTPXL&i1_Qty=4&autoMake=Tesla&autoModel=Model Y Long Range&autoYear=2020&autoModClar=&vehicleSearch=true

Curious if anyone knows anything about these. Seem new to TR.

Those are a "performance" winter tire. If you're really worried about ice and snow traction get a full winter tire (xIce Snow or VikingContact, etc). If you just need to cover your butt in case it starts snowing while you're at work or something, then that performance one will be fine. They're much better than all seasons, but still not nearly as good as a studless winter tire.

 

[Comatose]

If you want to stick with all seasons the General Altimax RT43 did well in the ice braking and snow acceleration tests at Consumer Reports. Continental rates the ProContacts as middling for snow. Obviously nothing beats a dedicated winter setup. Unless you drive in rain in the winter where winter tires generally perform poorly.

 

[RED MDL3]

Let us know how the snow chains fit please. I travel some passes pretty regularly in the winter, having AWD allows me to not be required to carry chains, but I like to have a set just in case.

These snow chains fit but they are tight. I had to use a screw driver in the final clip to have enough leverage to attach it. Otherwise install was simple and quality looks good