M3P - All Weather Tires or Second Set of Snow Tires?

[Btsmith]

Im going back and forth over buying a second set of 20’ wheels with snow tires or replacing the OEM summers with some Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ all seasons.
Has anyone had experience with those all seasons? I tried reading some reviews for them on tire rack but it seems that most of the reviewers are from southern or mild states (I’m in Chicago).

 

[Knightshade]

Proper seasonal tires > all seasons by a considerable amount for things like stopping distance.

See for example
Tire Test: All-Season vs. Snow vs. Summer | Edmunds


Almost 60 feet longer to stop on all seasons compared to snow tires when braking in the snow

Almost 60 feet longer to stop on all seasons compared to summer tires in wet


They call em all seasons because they suck, in all seasons.


(more seriously though- in above-40 conditions the A/S 3+ won't be anywhere near that bad compared to summer tires- that one specifically is shockingly close to the best summer tires... but it still won't be QUITE as good there... and it'll still be significantly worse in real snow than dedicated winter tires)

 

[Plug-n-Play]

I kept the summers on the 20" OEM wheels and bought a set of aftermarket 18" wheels shod with dedicated winter tires. It's easy enough to swap back and forth twice a year.

All seasons are a compromise - they aren't great summer tires and they aren't great winter tires. I feel if you spent the extra funds to get a Model 3 Performance, you owe it to yourself to get performance tires and not settle for mediocre all seasons.

 

[run-the-joules]

The only thing all season tires do in all seasons is suck.

 

[Knightshade]

They call em all seasons because they suck, in all seasons.

The only thing all season tires do in all seasons is suck.

Let me know when to expect my royalty check

 

[run-the-joules]

Let me know when to expect my royalty check

Pithy one liners only matter when not hidden in longer posts

Also, prior art:

RWD 1st Snow Driving Experience with All Season Tires

 

[MJP.P3D-]

Stay with the 4s for summer and get a dedicated set of winter wheels/tires for winter (I, too, am in Chicago) — fortunately, my summers just came off the car on Wednesday — I’m running a set of X-Ice Xi3s on 18s that work well on heaved, salty, slushy and sometimes icy Chicago roads during the winter months. A bit more hassle than a single set of all-seasons but totally worth it. And, with the a modest investment in the right equipment, you can easily swap them out yourself. Good luck.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Motortrend: Are Snow and Winter Tires Worth It?

No surprise to me that their conclusion was "yes." I can't even get up my long, steep driveway in winter without chains or snow tires. I tried part of one winter with chains but that was enough. Now it is four extra wheels and Michelin X-Ice3 tires. I can do the swap in my garage whenever I want. Huge difference in performance on snow and ice as well as convenience. Might be different in the flatlands but snow tires still help with stopping and cornering and that's a safety issue, even on level terrain.

Even though I live pretty far south, ~38.3ºN latitude, we get snow in the mountains. Driveway pictures from January 2017:


The bottom picture shows a 10% grade. All season tires are useless when my gravel driveway is snowy or icy, which is much of winter.