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Model 3 Tires for Winter: UHP All-Season vs. Dedicated Winter Tires - Opinions?

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So are folks carrying 4 pucks in the car in case they need emergency service at some shop that does not have the proper lift adapters?
I would think it would be really tedious to position 4 arms EXCATLY at the lift points.

I can't speak for anybody else but we are carrying four of these in each vehicle. It might be tedious but it's a lot better than a punctured battery pack. If you have any questions about the absolute and unconditional nature of the contraindication for Lift points any place other than those four, consult your Tesla dealership
 
So are folks carrying 4 pucks in the car in case they need emergency service at some shop that does not have the proper lift adapters?
I would think it would be really tedious to position 4 arms EXCATLY at the lift points.

Tesla approved roadside assistance does not even have specialized jack pads with them when they come to fix a tire, but they do have something to offset the jack when they lift the car (wood block in 2 cases I have had blow outs on my Model S) and know about the lift points. In the case I need emergency service I would just be sure they are aware of lift points and use some offset jack pad to protect the car. It is really nothing overly special a lot of cars need jack pads to lift them to avoid body damage, including most sports cars that have side skirts or are low. My Corvette Z06 needed special jack pads very similar to the Model 3 pads for example.
 
Should mention a few things about the above video:

1. Like the earlier video showing winter tires in cold in conditions, here in warmer wet conditions the winter tires do not stop as effectively as all seasons.
2. But they handle better in the wet, even at 50F/10C.

So it looks like trade offs. I’m still debating what to do for my LR RWD here in Northern New Jersey. Driving on unplowed roads is rare, it’s more often we have salted/plowed roads and wet/icy conditions to do deal with. I don’t have to go to work in inclement weather, but we have a baby on the way, and god forbid an emergency, I want to be able to get out of the house. That being said, if the tires are less safe in the vast majority of conditions I’ll be seeing, I’m not sure it’s worth the trade off.
 
Should mention a few things about the above video:

1. Like the earlier video showing winter tires in cold in conditions, here in warmer wet conditions the winter tires do not stop as effectively as all seasons.
2. But they handle better in the wet, even at 50F/10C.

So it looks like trade offs. I’m still debating what to do for my LR RWD here in Northern New Jersey. Driving on unplowed roads is rare, it’s more often we have salted/plowed roads and wet/icy conditions to do deal with. I don’t have to go to work in inclement weather, but we have a baby on the way, and god forbid an emergency, I want to be able to get out of the house. That being said, if the tires are less safe in the vast majority of conditions I’ll be seeing, I’m not sure it’s worth the trade off.
If you're looking for an all-season tire, with good wet/dry performance and decent light snow/ice performance, check out the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS. They are a pretty new tire and formulation (not reviewed in Consumer Reports yet) but seem to test well all around. If I were going for one year-round tire, I would be leaning toward those. As others have mentioned, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 also tests well for an all season tire. You should be able to find those at pretty much any local dealer or on tirerack.com.

As it is, I'm currently hunting for 18" Tesla wheels so I can mount a set of winter tires on those (leaning toward Michelin X-Ice Xi3) and swap them out with the stock Michelin all seasons twice a year. I already ordered the TPMS sensors and am figuring out now where to get the tires mounted and installed. I do have a local mechanic/tire shop that I like but I doubt they have done much or any work on Teslas. But they are good with tires, so assuming they can convince me that they can properly handle the Model 3 on the lift, I'll likely go with them.

This is the last day that people can order a Tesla in the US and still be guaranteed delivery by end of year (to qualify for the full $7500 Federal tax credit), so I'm guessing that most of the people who normally work in Tesla's parts departments are handling sales and support this week. I've already reached out to 3 or 4 Tesla stores near me via phone calls, messages or e-mails and have yet to hear back about how soon I can get a set of rims.
 
I just put continental DWS 06 on my 3P and am very happy. Being in NC I probably would have squeaked by on the summer tires but this makes me feel much better and I can drive to the mountains without being concerned.
 
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I can't speak for anybody else but we are carrying four of these in each vehicle. It might be tedious but it's a lot better than a punctured battery pack. If you have any questions about the absolute and unconditional nature of the contraindication for Lift points any place other than those four, consult your Tesla dealership

Doing the exact same.
 
If you're looking for an all-season tire, with good wet/dry performance and decent light snow/ice performance, check out the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS. They are a pretty new tire and formulation (not reviewed in Consumer Reports yet) but seem to test well all around. If I were going for one year-round tire, I would be leaning toward those. As others have mentioned, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 also tests well for an all season tire. You should be able to find those at pretty much any local dealer or on tirerack.com.

As it is, I'm currently hunting for 18" Tesla wheels so I can mount a set of winter tires on those (leaning toward Michelin X-Ice Xi3) and swap them out with the stock Michelin all seasons twice a year. I already ordered the TPMS sensors and am figuring out now where to get the tires mounted and installed. I do have a local mechanic/tire shop that I like but I doubt they have done much or any work on Teslas. But they are good with tires, so assuming they can convince me that they can properly handle the Model 3 on the lift, I'll likely go with them.

This is the last day that people can order a Tesla in the US and still be guaranteed delivery by end of year (to qualify for the full $7500 Federal tax credit), so I'm guessing that most of the people who normally work in Tesla's parts departments are handling sales and support this week. I've already reached out to 3 or 4 Tesla stores near me via phone calls, messages or e-mails and have yet to hear back about how soon I can get a set of rims.


Thanks, if I do go winter, I’ll likely go with the Tesla 18” package. From what I’ve read, the Pirelli Sottozero II are better equipped for cold and wet then pure snow, but I’d welcome any feedback anyone has on that.

I reached out to the Paramus, NJ store, and they were able to confirm they could order JUST the 18” wheels for me, no tires. They do not currently have them in stock.
 
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Thanks, if I do go winter, I’ll likely go with the Tesla 18” package. From what I’ve read, the Pirelli Sottozero II are better equipped for cold and wet then pure snow, but I’d welcome any feedback anyone has on that.

I reached out to the Paramus, NJ store, and they were able to confirm they could order JUST the 18” wheels for me, no tires. They do not currently have them in stock.
Wow. You actually SPOKE to someone there? That's further than I was able to get. :) I did speak to someone at the Brooklyn store who confirmed that same thing. Now if I could someone to just take my money and order a set, I'd be golden! I'm tempted to swing by one of the stores, but none are really that conveniently located for me. Don't want to waste the hour+ unless the place has them in stock.
 
If you're looking for an all-season tire, with good wet/dry performance and decent light snow/ice performance, check out the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS. They are a pretty new tire and formulation (not reviewed in Consumer Reports yet) but seem to test well all around. If I were going for one year-round tire, I would be leaning toward those. As others have mentioned, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 also tests well for an all season tire. You should be able to find those at pretty much any local dealer or on tirerack.com.

As it is, I'm currently hunting for 18" Tesla wheels so I can mount a set of winter tires on those (leaning toward Michelin X-Ice Xi3) and swap them out with the stock Michelin all seasons twice a year. I already ordered the TPMS sensors and am figuring out now where to get the tires mounted and installed. I do have a local mechanic/tire shop that I like but I doubt they have done much or any work on Teslas. But they are good with tires, so assuming they can convince me that they can properly handle the Model 3 on the lift, I'll likely go with them.

Good suggestion on tires, just let me bootstrap some thoughts on this. There are IMO two great options for those who may not need to prioritize deep snow traction, the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (W- or Y-Speed Rated). We decided to try the latter. Here is Tire Rack survey feedback summary from lots of users on these two, and nothing is really close to these two in this tire category (high end AS).

We have the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ on one of our performance Model 3s, and it is incredible in dry and wet conditions - indeed, so close to the 4S that I can't tell much difference - I was just stunned to see how well it handled and tracked. Great in light snow too, after a compounding change from the earlier version. I believe that this choice comes down to tradeoffs around dry performance and handling vs. snow behavior, where the Bridgestone likely is the better tire in snow, the Michelin perhaps slightly better otherwise. Can't go wrong though with either choice, although the Bridgestones don't come in the 235/35-20 if you want to go with 20s, but only upsized to 245/35-20, and which weigh a whopping 30 lbs.

I haven't driven the car yet in deep snow, but it handled light snow and really cold conditions on the Pilot Sports A/S3+ with aplomb.

Whatever you do, don't allow a shop to lift your vehicle without the hockey puck contraption or its equivalent.
 

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Good suggestion on tires, just let me bootstrap some thoughts on this. There are IMO two great options for those who may not need to prioritize deep snow traction, the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (W- or Y-Speed Rated). We decided to try the latter. Here is Tire Rack survey feedback summary from lots of users on these two, and nothing is really close to these two in this tire category (high end AS).

We have the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ on one of our performance Model 3s, and it is incredible in dry and wet conditions - indeed, so close to the 4S that I can't tell much difference - I was just stunned to see how well it handled and tracked. Great in light snow too, after a compounding change from the earlier version. I believe that this choice comes down to tradeoffs around dry performance and handling vs. snow behavior, where the Bridgestone likely is the better tire in snow, the Michelin perhaps slightly better otherwise. Can't go wrong though with either choice, although the Bridgestones don't come in the 235/35-20 if you want to go with 20s, but only upsized to 245/35-20, and which weigh a whopping 30 lbs.

I haven't driven the car yet in deep snow, but it handled light snow and really cold conditions on the Pilot Sports A/S3+ with aplomb.

Whatever you do, don't allow a shop to lift your vehicle without the hockey puck contraption or its equivalent.

Have you noticed any impact on range/consumption between the two vehicles?

That's what's been holding me back. I'm not impressed with the stock 18" Michellins and have broken the rear loose in dry moderate weather on warm tires taking sweeper on ramps.

I'd like to step up to performance all seasons and had a good experience with a set of Contintental DWS's on my last car (Audi S4) but I've read some posts that say there's a decent hit to the range due to the stickier compound and tread width.
 
Picked up the 18 inch wheels yesterday at Tesla Syosset store for $800 (only took a few days to come in from California), got the Model 3 compatible TPMS sensors on eBay for $100 and just finished my DIY Model 3 lift pads using about $6 worth of wood. See pic. They fit the lift points perfectly (1 inch dowels).

Now I just need to have a chat with my local shop to make sure they are comfortable with lifting the car then I'll order the tires. Thanks for all the input and comments guys. See pic for DIY jack pads.
 

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If you're looking for an all-season tire, with good wet/dry performance and decent light snow/ice performance, check out the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS. They are a pretty new tire and formulation (not reviewed in Consumer Reports yet) but seem to test well all around. If I were going for one year-round tire, I would be leaning toward those. As others have mentioned, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 also tests well for an all season tire. You should be able to find those at pretty much any local dealer or on tirerack.com.

As it is, I'm currently hunting for 18" Tesla wheels so I can mount a set of winter tires on those (leaning toward Michelin X-Ice Xi3) and swap them out with the stock Michelin all seasons twice a year. I already ordered the TPMS sensors and am figuring out now where to get the tires mounted and installed. I do have a local mechanic/tire shop that I like but I doubt they have done much or any work on Teslas. But they are good with tires, so assuming they can convince me that they can properly handle the Model 3 on the lift, I'll likely go with them.

This is the last day that people can order a Tesla in the US and still be guaranteed delivery by end of year (to qualify for the full $7500 Federal tax credit), so I'm guessing that most of the people who normally work in Tesla's parts departments are handling sales and support this week. I've already reached out to 3 or 4 Tesla stores near me via phone calls, messages or e-mails and have yet to hear back about how soon I can get a set of rims.

Shocked to see the results of the Tire Rack's formal snow and ice testing on Ultra High Perf AS. In contrast to the high ratings in snow by users, the Bridgestone was dead last in this highly competitive group in the snow, but won the wet driving competitions. I would recommend reading both the text summaries and looking at the test charts. The Michelin A/S3+ was the overall winner.
 
Shocked to see the results of the Tire Rack's formal snow and ice testing on Ultra High Perf AS. In contrast to the high ratings in snow by users, the Bridgestone was dead last in this highly competitive group in the snow, but won the wet driving competitions. I would recommend reading both the text summaries and looking at the test charts. The Michelin A/S3+ was the overall winner.
Surprising yes, but then it just highlights that none of these All Weather Ultra High Performance tires actually performs that well in real snow, compared to actual snow tires. The highest rated for snow (which was a tie for the Pirelli P0 and Continental DWS 06) was a whopping 3.67 out of 10. The Michelin A/S3+ came in third at 3.54 with the Bridgestone in last at 3. These are subjective scores but these are the actual judges' ratings as opposed to consumers' ratings.

I think the TR editors said that all of these are solid performers, with some doing better than others in specific areas of performance. But overall they did seem to favor the Michelin A/S3+.
 
Shocked to see the results of the Tire Rack's formal snow and ice testing on Ultra High Perf AS. In contrast to the high ratings in snow by users, the Bridgestone was dead last in this highly competitive group in the snow, but won the wet driving competitions. I would recommend reading both the text summaries and looking at the test charts. The Michelin A/S3+ was the overall winner.

Quick comparison with results for Studless Ice & Snow Winter Tires tells you all you need to know about All Season vs. Winter Tires in the snow and ice.
 
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That Tire Rack summary is a good reference point esp. when compared against the same chart for the ultra high perf AS, and no question the A/S aren't as good in snow and ice. But they are way better on dry pavement and in wet conditions, so, once again, it's all tradeoffs. Pick your favorite variable, and be prepared to trade off against it.
 
Surprising yes, but then it just highlights that none of these All Weather Ultra High Performance tires actually performs that well in real snow, compared to actual snow tires. The highest rated for snow (which was a tie for the Pirelli P0 and Continental DWS 06) was a whopping 3.67 out of 10. The Michelin A/S3+ came in third at 3.54 with the Bridgestone in last at 3. These are subjective scores but these are the actual judges' ratings as opposed to consumers' ratings.

I think the TR editors said that all of these are solid performers, with some doing better than others in specific areas of performance. But overall they did seem to favor the Michelin A/S3+.

Agreed. One of the things that at least for me mitigates this at least somewhat is the nature of electric drive traction control, which, combined with AWD, makes our Model 3 with the Michelin AS3+ WAAAAY more competent in the snow that my Lexus IS 350 was with full snow tires. It just charges through snowy conditions in a way my old car couldn't touch. It would for sure be a monster in snow with full snows, but I feel those offer too much compromise on dry/wet pavement. It's all tradeoffs.
 
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What many people don`t know is that we actually have 4 classes of tires based on seasons, not 3. There are summer, all-season, continental winter and nordic winter. The intention with all season tires are good, the name makes you think they are Jack of all trades, master of none. In wet conditions they generally behave worse than summer-tires, in snow\ice they behave much worse than winter tires. Long lifespan seem to be the only winning point, except for that they are true masters of none. If you live in a climate with relatively cold summers and want to use the same tires year-round I would rather consider continental winter tires (not the brand Continental) that have descent performance on dry and wet rounds. The have softer rubber than all-season, but are stiffer than nordic winter tires. Compared to nordic wintertires they perform about equal in snow, worse on ice and better on dry and wet roads. Nokian WR A4 is an example of a continental wintertire. Nokian R2 and R3 are nordic wintertires.
 
But I'm not seeing the rims for sale in the Tesla shop without the Pirelli Sotozero tires on them. I know I can go with aftermarket rims, but I'm one of those oddballs who likes the look of the aero wheels. And I like the 4.3% efficiency gain with aero covers on. Do I have to contact my local shop to buy the rims on their own?

I bought a set of 4 Aero wheels with the Michelin MXM4 all season tires with less than 200 miles (without pressure sensors) for only $500 from a Model 3 owner who went aftermarket. Then I mounted the Pirelli Sottozero II's on them. I would have bought them from Tesla because they have a very good deal ($2000 last time I looked) but they were out of stock when I needed them so I ended up saving some money with the take-offs. I've seen sets like this with pressure sensors for around $1000-$1200 almost new which I think is a fair price. But you might ask your local service center how much just the Aero wheels are if you don't want the Sottozero II's.

Personally, I think the Sottozero II's are a good tire with an undeservedly bad rap. They are a real winter tire meaning they have a cold weather only rubber compound but they avoid the squirmy imprecise tread blocks of a more extreme winter tire. The upside is you don't lose your driving enjoyment on bare or bare/wet pavement. In fact, they are more predictable and easier to drive hard in the twisties than the MXM4's. And they are quiet! The downside is you can't run them in warm weather without basically trashing them and their tread life will be a bit less even if you only run them in the winter. It's the winter rubber compound (which is why they work so well in the cold and on ice and snow).

I used to buy the most badass winter tires I could find but, especially on a Model 3, they are over-kill. I found when the roads are treacherous, all the other drivers slow down to 50 mph or less. And if you know how to drive in snow and ice, and you're not going 70 mph on compact snow and ice, those badass winter tires are not necessary. I found they ruined my driving enjoyment on the 75% of winter roads that are basically free from snow/ice (where I drive). The Pirellis bring MORE fun to winter driving and more than enough grip and security when the road is covered in snow/ice (assuming you do not winter ice race). The other traffic is still going to be slowing you up if you're in a Model 3 with even the "lowly" Pirelli's on. The Model 3 with the Sottozero II's is so good on ice and snow that a tire with more snow and ice grip is just going to make you frustrated that everyone else in "only" driving 40-50 mph.

Also, would you guys trust CostCo with a Model 3 tire installation? Seems like they just need to know the lift points and it's pretty straightforward, right?

Probably. Every shop has different employees but Costco is probably better than average by a decent amount. Once you know the lift points on a Model 3 and the proper torque value and air pressure, tire work on a Model 3 is no different from the rest of the fleet. And I believe Costco is better than average at instructing their employees to not simply guess on those things.
 
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1. Like the earlier video showing winter tires in cold in conditions, here in warmer wet conditions the winter tires do not stop as effectively as all seasons.
2. But they handle better in the wet, even at 50F/10C.

Keep in mind, they only tested one winter and one all-season tire. Not all tires of a given class are created equal. A high-performance winter tire like the Sottozero II's would likely best the all-season in both wet tests and I guarantee there would be no comparison in the snow or on ice. It's all about balance. It does make sense to put winter tires on in any cold climate but most people probably don't need the ultimate snow/ice tire when there are more balanced winter tires available.

I think people think "If I'm going to the trouble to put winter tires on, they had better be badass in the snow/ice." But then they end up being compromised in all other conditions to the point of affecting their safety on fast freeways and generally ruining the driving pleasure on a twisty road.