GTA winter driving with model 3 RWD and all season tires

[ben1628]

As this is our first winter in GTA with model 3. Like to see feedback on M3 driving on slipery roads, esp if you are using All Season Tires.

For myself, I am still keeping ICE with 4WD and winter tires. Would like to get the M3 AWD but would loss $14K incentive, so no brainer.

I am not getting a winter tires for my M3 yet, and probably won't. Nothing beat a 4WD on winter tires.

 

[oakvillemike]

As this is our first winter in GTA with model 3. Like to see feedback on M3 driving on slipery roads, esp if you are using All Season Tires.

For myself, I am still keeping ICE with 4WD and winter tires. Would like to get the M3 AWD but would loss $14K incentive, so no brainer.

I am not getting a winter tires for my M3 yet, and probably won't. Nothing beat a 4WD on winter tires.

I've driven in a big blizzard that came through the Eastern Townships of Quebec back in the last week of November. With other cars (including 4WD SUVs with I presume snow tires, unless they love those black steel rims for all season tires also) spinning out of the highway, and in some cases driving through country roads with 6" of snow on them, our RWD M3 with snow tires performed very well. I did the Tesla package and quickly became very satisfied with the Sotto's after that storm.

Unfortunately I can't speak to all-seasons in snow, though it'll be interesting to see how the tires fare with the weight of the car. Are you trying to get rid of your M3 to get the AWD?

 

[ben1628]

No. Have 2 cars
1/ ICE with AWD and winter tires (only needed for winters)
2/ M3 LR RWD with all season (no EAP).

Promise my wife to keep ICE for at least a year to see how M3 perform this winter. Have to keep M3 RWD for at least a year so won't get into trouble with the incentive.

Options open:

1/ Status quote
2/ Get rid of ICE
a/ get snow tires for M3 RWD
b/ get M3 AWD with snow tires.

Probable outcome: Status quote until Tesla upgrade the EAP hardwares. I believe we need to retrofit M3 to get closer to Autonomous driving level 5, so may as well just the latest and the greatest at that time.

 

[Kenypowa]

As this is our first winter in GTA with model 3. Like to see feedback on M3 driving on slipery roads, esp if you are using All Season Tires.

For myself, I am still keeping ICE with 4WD and winter tires. Would like to get the M3 AWD but would loss $14K incentive, so no brainer.

I am not getting a winter tires for my M3 yet, and probably won't. Nothing beat a 4WD on winter tires.

Originally, I was going to keep my Subaru Forester w/ winter tires since I wasn't sure how Model 3 rwd handles in winter.

It only took a couple of snowstorms for me to sell the Subie. Model 3 rwd with Nokian winter tires is almost as good as the Forester on winters. While we have a mild winter in Calgary, the Rockies are always snowing and icy. I was mightily impressed with the Model 3's snow & ice performance, to be honest.

I'm sure you can buy the best winter tires just from the insurance savings alone if you sell the ICE.

 

[bpjod]

Originally, I was going to keep my Subaru Forester w/ winter tires since I wasn't sure how Model 3 rwd handles in winter.

It only took a couple of snowstorms for me to sell the Subie. Model 3 rwd with Nokian winter tires is almost as good as the Forester on winters. While we have a mild winter in Calgary, the Rockies are always snowing and icy. I was mightily impressed with the Model 3's snow & ice performance, to be honest.

I'm sure you can buy the best winter tires just from the insurance savings alone if you sell the ICE.

+1!

 

[ben1628]

Originally, I was going to keep my Subaru Forester w/ winter tires since I wasn't sure how Model 3 rwd handles in winter.

It only took a couple of snowstorms for me to sell the Subie. Model 3 rwd with Nokian winter tires is almost as good as the Forester on winters. While we have a mild winter in Calgary, the Rockies are always snowing and icy. I was mightily impressed with the Model 3's snow & ice performance, to be honest.

I'm sure you can buy the best winter tires just from the insurance savings alone if you sell the ICE.

I love Calgary.

Good to hear everything is working well with M3. You know, boss is not comfortable with RWD, as the one we had before was a RWD with winter tires. Slip and slide in Calgary esp when she went uphill and downhill.

 

[mrElbe]

All the boasting about SUV's and all wheel drive is great in winter conditions when accelerating BUT when it comes to braking we are all in the same boat no matter what type of drive you have. Four patches on the road and the better the tires, the better you stop.

 

[rypalmer]

GTA gets pretty marginal winter, but winter tires are a must otherwise unless you really don't go anywhere. And AWD or not, doesn't matter.

 

[Ludatik]

Seems to me your best bet for winter driving experience is... first hand. You already have the car on all season tires. Why not give it a shot yourself? After all, you’re the one that will have to navigate any tricky situations so hearing from others isn’t going to help you much. There are already lots of winter driving videos and posts on this forum, some from as far back as last winter. The consensus has always been to get winter tires, irrespective of RWD or AWD. You can probably get by with all seasons but you’re just handcuffing yourself.

Also, your reason for keeping the ICE car makes no sense. You’d rather pay insurance, gas, and upkeep on the ICE car just to avoid buying winter tires for your Model 3?

 

[Bushcaddy]

I personally find driving my 3 in snow with winter tires (Michelin X-Ice) marginal at best, I can’t even imagine trying all seasons.
As good as the traction control system electronics are, you can’t change physics. You are trying to push a VERY heavy car with just the rear wheels, which doesn’t always work. I’ve been stuck in a couple of inches of dry snow over compacted snow on a very shallow slope (think 1 percent slope).
Now having said all that, I’m in Wasaga Beach and we get a lot more snow than TO. Still wouldn’t risk all seasons though.

 

[ben1628]

I personally find driving my 3 in snow with winter tires (Michelin X-Ice) marginal at best,

That is what I worried about with M3 RWD, with or without snow tires.

I'm quite happy with the current setup. Like yesterday morning, it was snowing in GTA, drive my ICE to do some errand in the morning, by afternoon, my M3 is on the road again. Once winter is over, call in to put the ICE in storage insurance.

I have also check out the CAA mypace insurance. You pay a basic insurance of around $600 a year, and then pay a premium on a increment of 1000 km.

 

[Tony_YYZ]

If you're in Brampton like you're location says then RWD with winter tires is MORE than plenty. My office is in Brampton so I'm travelling through there everyday. No problems at all.

 

[ben1628]

Brampton is of course no problem whatsoever. It's travelling around GTA, blue mountain, Niagara Falls for pleasure in the winter worries my SO (I drove beat up cars before, so this is God Send lol).

 

[Tony_YYZ]

Brampton is of course no problem whatsoever. It's travelling around GTA, blue mountain, Niagara Falls for pleasure in the winter worries my SO (I drove beat up cars before, so this is God Send lol).

I've read through the stories of people who have traveled all throughout Canada in their RWD Model 3s. A lot of folks post up in the Canadian Model 3 facebook group detailing their travels. This includes Blue Mountain, Niagara, NE USA, etc. They all say it's fine.

I believe @mknox has detailed his travels with his old RWD Model S which he drove through several brutal winters with little to no issues between Canada and USA.

 

[Duckjybe]

Similar to @mknox I have also driven my Model S P85 (175K KM) every winter to Muskoka and skiing all over, and down to USA, including in numerous snowstorms. It has been absolutely fine in the snow. The height adjustable suspension helps greatly in the deep snow. With any RWD car you are limited to getting through snow not much higher than the bottom of the car, that is where the AWD helps a lot. Our new Model 3 is proving to be just as good as the S, if not better in the snow and ice (although I haven't driven it in deep snow yet).

Winter tire performance does depend on the snow tires though. I have Nokian Hakka's for the S and 3. . The Pirrelli's that Tesla sells , although very quiet, are not as grippy. I have them on the Model X but because it's AWD has been absolutely fine. And with any winter tire the snow/ice grip does diminish as the tire wears. When the Hakka's are new they are extremely sticky. When they are at the wear bars not so much. And I have put a few pairs down to the wear bars on the S!

Without winter tires on your 3 I certainly wouldn't recommend driving it at all on a snowy day, especially if it is slushy or icy.

 

[ben1628]

Not planning to drive M3 without snow tires on a slushy or icy road. That's where my awd ICE comes in.

After a few years, will look at getting a newer Tesla AWD and finally RIP ICE. At that time, I expect the Nav on AP will be much much better, probably with faster CPU/hardware.

 

[Blu-Ion]

I'm in Ottawa with RWD and Nokian R3's winters, it's absolutely great, no issues... would AWD accelerate quicker... sure! but can stop or steer any faster. The traction/stability control is excellent.

Previous car was BMW 340 xDrive and wife's car is X3, Tesla hold its own in the snow

 

[Tony_YYZ]

Not planning to drive M3 without snow tires on a slushy or icy road. That's where my awd ICE comes in.

After a few years, will look at getting a newer Tesla AWD and finally RIP ICE. At that time, I expect the Nav on AP will be much much better, probably with faster CPU/hardware.

I'm in Ottawa with RWD and Nokian R3's winters, it's absolutely great, no issues... would AWD accelerate quicker... sure! but can stop or steer any faster. The traction/stability control is excellent.

Previous car was BMW 340 xDrive and wife's car is X3, Tesla hold its own in the snow

If only the Ontario rebate applied to the Dual Motor option, I would have purchased it without hesitation. If I upgrade from my RWD 3 it will be to a Performance model. But right now I have my sights set on a Model Y to replace my CUV. Need to save the money for that.

 

[ben1628]

If Rebate applies to AWD, I think most of us will jump to that. The difference is small.

Oh well. There is always something better later (when the $14K is in the bank). We couldn't resist of not getting M3 RWD because of the rebate. Personally, I think I save over $1000 already in less than 2 months, and it has been very fun.

 

[oakvillemike]

If only the Ontario rebate applied to the Dual Motor option, I would have purchased it without hesitation. If I upgrade from my RWD 3 it will be to a Performance model. But right now I have my sights set on a Model Y to replace my CUV. Need to save the money for that.

Definitely - though the Model Y will be replacing my Smart Fortwo Electric. And really it's going to the wife and I'll finally inherit the car I lined up in the cold to place a reservation for.