Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

[CT_M3P]

Hello,

I just purchased my Model 3 Performance with the Michelin Pilot 4S tires and was wondering if anyone has experience with these tires in the snow? I assume these are summer tires and I may need to swap to all season year round or at least winter tires during the cold months.

Generally interested in hearing how others have dealt with the M3P in wintry conditions and if most change their tires or keep a pair of winter tires/ rims.

Thank you!!

 

[The Other Dan]

They are NOT winter tires in anyway shape or form. Get winter or AS tires.

 

[CT_M3P]

Thank you! Do you have any experience with AS tires on the M3P? Wondering if they impact performance/ range and look that significantly.

 

[nstutsman]

Hello,

I just purchased my Model 3 Performance with the Michelin Pilot 4S tires and was wondering if anyone has experience with these tires in the snow? I assume these are summer tires and I may need to swap to all season year round or at least winter tires during the cold months.

Generally interested in hearing how others have dealt with the M3P in wintry conditions and if most change their tires or keep a pair of winter tires/ rims.

Thank you!!

As a former Floridian who thought "When am I ever going to be driving in cold weather!", those tires will give you exactly zero traction and even less grip in the snow. Ended up making a trip out to Angel Fire, NM in the winter. couldn't make it up a driveway with about a half inch of snow. Somehow didn't run her off the road going over Taos Pass to get to Taos.

Buy yourself a set of AS to swap out. But do know those 4S tires are a blast in the heat!!

 

[drpheta]

Pilot Sport AS4 or Continental DWS06+ if you want a performance AS tire. Excellent dry grip, excellent wet grip, good snow traction.

Michelin Cross Climate 2 if you want really good dry, excellent wet, excellent snow.

 

[The Other Dan]

Thank you! Do you have any experience with AS tires on the M3P? Wondering if they impact performance/ range and look that significantly.

Haven't had the tesla long enough to deal with cold temps. But I plan on getting another set of rims and most likely some Nokians for the wintertime.

 

[Moto Miwa]

Pilot 4S are very specifically summer performance tires, very narrowly optimized for dry pavement with some wet pavement capacity and enough durability and compound flexibility to cover most conditions on mild climate areas. It is in no way designed to handle ice, snow, or dirt trails.


All-season rated tires is rather an arbitrary designation and it can very greatly from model to model and brands. Some are closer to summer performance tires and others are truly a compromise of everything to cover all things. Being a "jack of all trades" these All-Season tires cannot do any specific thing with very high capacity. It is moderately ok in all aspects.

Winter tires, like summer performance tires, are also very narrowly focused tires, which is designed to operate very specifically in a certain set of environments, in this case WINTER. The tire compound is designed to stay soft in extremely cold conditions, the tire surface is full of sipings and micro grooves to absorb and dissipate away water, and claw into ice. These winter tires typically have twice as much grip as All Seasons in ice, and 1.5 times more in snow.
Having said that, these tires cannot cope with high temperatures or very high speeds, and wear very fast in hot dry day or being abused in dry pavement.

So most people who can afford to get TWO sets of tires for different seasons will do well with Summer Performance tires in wider size wheels, and enjoy sporting grip and relatively high overall balance in dry and light rain. And in the winter months, switch to Winter tires to cover for the worst weather, and drive mildly in these months in exchange for superb protection in snow and ice, heavy rain etc.

For others who must stay within budget and have only resources for single set of tires, the All Season is a choice.
That is a set to cover all situations, without excelling in any one role.

__________________________________
Moto Miwa

 

[Thp3]

Hello,

I just purchased my Model 3 Performance with the Michelin Pilot 4S tires and was wondering if anyone has experience with these tires in the snow? I assume these are summer tires and I may need to swap to all season year round or at least winter tires during the cold months.

Generally interested in hearing how others have dealt with the M3P in wintry conditions and if most change their tires or keep a pair of winter tires/ rims.

Thank you!!

Get full set of winter wheels and tires. I take off the Michelin Pilot 4S when the temp gets to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I put on new wheels with Michelin XIce winter tires. This works well in the snow of northern Michigan.

Nokian and Michelin winter tires are both good choices.

The Pilot Sport get put back on in late spring when temperatures get above 40 degrees.

PS the 18 inch wheels work well with these winter tires.

 

[CT_M3P]

Get full set of winter wheels and tires. I take off the Michelin Pilot 4S when the temp gets to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I put on new wheels with Michelin XIce winter tires. This works well in the snow of northern Michigan.

Nokian and Michelin winter tires are both good choices.

The Pilot Sport get put back on in late spring when temperatures get above 40 degrees.

PS the 18 inch wheels work well with these winter tires.

Thanks for the feedback. I’m going to buy a second set of rims with winter tires.

 

[CT_M3P]

Pilot 4S are very specifically summer performance tires, very narrowly optimized for dry pavement with some wet pavement capacity and enough durability and compound flexibility to cover most conditions on mild climate areas. It is in no way designed to handle ice, snow, or dirt trails.


All-season rated tires is rather an arbitrary designation and it can very greatly from model to model and brands. Some are closer to summer performance tires and others are truly a compromise of everything to cover all things. Being a "jack of all trades" these All-Season tires cannot do any specific thing with very high capacity. It is moderately ok in all aspects.

Winter tires, like summer performance tires, are also very narrowly focused tires, which is designed to operate very specifically in a certain set of environments, in this case WINTER. The tire compound is designed to stay soft in extremely cold conditions, the tire surface is full of sipings and micro grooves to absorb and dissipate away water, and claw into ice. These winter tires typically have twice as much grip as All Seasons in ice, and 1.5 times more in snow.
Having said that, these tires cannot cope with high temperatures or very high speeds, and wear very fast in hot dry day or being abused in dry pavement.

So most people who can afford to get TWO sets of tires for different seasons will do well with Summer Performance tires in wider size wheels, and enjoy sporting grip and relatively high overall balance in dry and light rain. And in the winter months, switch to Winter tires to cover for the worst weather, and drive mildly in these months in exchange for superb protection in snow and ice, heavy rain etc.

For others who must stay within budget and have only resources for single set of tires, the All Season is a choice.
That is a set to cover all situations, without excelling in any one role.

__________________________________
Moto Miwa

Thank you, this is really helpful!

 

[tlr1000]

Thanks for the feedback. I’m going to buy a second set of rims with winter tires.

That's the best and safest option!

 

[Rodney!]

I just purchased my Model 3 Performance with the Michelin Pilot 4S tires and was wondering if anyone has experience with these tires in the snow? I assume these are summer tires and I may need to swap to all season year round or at least winter tires during the cold months.

your assumption is correct. Michelin P4S are NOT to be used in snow or under freezing temps. You need another set of tires for winter use.

 

[santua]

Hoping I do not get snow in NC (December)

 

[Ohdoomed]

Fwiw: P3 model here in Virginia. I’ve driven my Michelin PS4S’ on a fair amount of snow. They’re not ideal, that’s for sure, but I’ve survived. All seasons would’ve worked better and winters of course. But I don’t care to spend the $ or time: swapping or buying extra wheels etc. Not for the faint of heart **

 

[jjrandorin]

Fwiw: P3 model here in Virginia. I’ve driven my Michelin PS4S’ on a fair amount of snow. They’re not ideal, that’s for sure, but I’ve survived. All seasons would’ve worked better and winters of course. But I don’t care to spend the $ or time: swapping or buying extra wheels etc. Not for the faint of heart **

You shouldnt have. Just because nothing happened to you this time, that doesnt mean you should have done it.

When I was much younger, none of us thought it was a "big deal" to drive home buzzed / drunk from a party, either. In my early 20s (im in my mid 50s right now) I drove home from parties a couple of times where I was so drunk I couldnt walk. Nothing happened to me, so its all good, right?

Nope.

We know better now (well we knew better then, but there is more push / education about driving buzzed / drunk now).

The compound on these tires starts to change (the actual rubber) when you get down to freezing temperatures. Driving on these tires, willingly in the snow, is not much different than driving drunk. I drive on these tires year round because it doesnt get below about 40 degrees where I live. Anyone who drives in the snow should not be using these tires in the winter, period. Just because "you survived" doesnt mean its something anyone should do, just like my "drunk driving when I was young" story.

Just because I survived and didnt get in an accident then, its not ok for me to tell people now "oh I drove drunk a few times, you will be fine". Same deal here.

 

[tm1v2]

To add to what @jjrandorin said, I believe every tire maker also notes that using their summer tires below freezing can physically damage them. I don't think they'll fall apart or anything that drastic, but they may never grip the same afterwards, and could end up misshaped / unbalanced if driven on while thawing from freezing.

So if you do that you're probably not really getting the full benefit of those summer performance tires anyways.

I drove on summer tires in freezing weather once, on snow and ice, in a RWD 400+ hp Tesla. Did I and my car survive just fine that time? Yes. Would I recommend it or risk it again? Hell no.

That's just my 2c, take it or leave it.

 

[Ohdoomed]

Original post asked for information - I provided facts pertaining to my experience , minus opinion based recommendations, disclaimers etc.

Thanks all for the warnings and concerns. I personally will evaluate my risk with greater consideration in the future. ( this is not sarcasm ) as well as my intended contributions here.
Be safe out there!