My floor mats saved the day (caught on... fendercam??)

[T.Antony]

This happened at Killington in an unofficial passenger unloading area. I parked my RWD Long-Range Tesla Model 3 as close as I could to the side not knowing I was inches from an invisible drop-off under the snow. Probably only a few inches, but it would still be really bad.

When I realized I couldn't drive forward, I tried rolling backwards a bit and to the left, but the front-right wheel kept drifting closer to the drop-off. I had to stop moving the car. My buddies tried pushing, but it got worse. Both right wheels were now in really deep snow, with a sheet of ice under all wheels.

I then realized I had a good (cheap) set of all weather floor mats in the car. They're spiked on the bottom. I wedged them under the fronts of both rear wheels. My buddies helped rock the car onto them and it worked. I was able to move at least 2 feet forward, with some momentum, onto a much better spot out of the deep stuff. From there, they just wanted to push without reapplying the floor mats. It worked!

Truth-be-told... I learned the floor mat trick from a previous event when I had the same car stuck in mud at a crowded fair. A parking attendant working the muddy lot pulled the bed liner from his pickup truck and put it under my wheels. It worked and was my inspiration for getting these floor mats. They were well worth the money.

 

[PaulusdB]

How 'bout winter tyres?

 

[timk225]

That was one thing I liked about living in Los Angeles for 3 years. No snow. Then I got married and had to come back here. Where we get snow.

 

[T.Antony]

How 'bout winter tyres?

I don’t go up north often. Getting into that spot was just poor judgement on my part. But absolutely right about winter tires. That could’ve helped.

 

[Castlerock]

That is a good trick....But...I'm with @PaulusdB. IF you live close enough to drive to Killington, winter tires will give you better performance overall than the stock rubber. And they are free! (you get a finite number of miles per tire and if you have winters you'll never be incentivized to replace your summers too early)

 

[jkoya]

Was that a Sentry Mode video ?

 

[T.Antony]

Was that a Sentry Mode video ?

Nah, that was the basic dash cam. I just made sure to hit the camera button after the ordeal.

 

[T.Antony]

That is a good trick....But...I'm with @PaulusdB. IF you live close enough to drive to Killington, winter tires will give you better performance overall than the stock rubber. And they are free! (you get a finite number of miles per tire and if you have winters you'll never be incentivized to replace your summers too early)

Sorry, I’m not sure I understand the free part. Once again please, in different terms, for a layman

 

[Castlerock]

By free I mean that they come at no additional cost. So lets say the tires that come with the car have a serviceable lifetime of 40K mi. Do you expect to keep the vehicle beyond that? If so you will be buying another set of rubber. In the real world when you are toward the end of that lifetime (but not there yet) and it is November, might you replace them earlier due to the impending winter? I think you might (as you are a tesla owner and therefore smarter than the average bear!). So you might replace them at 30K.

Now imagine the scenario if you buy a set of winters, in addition to the summers. 1st the tire you have with a winter compound has much better grip once the temps get below 40F, let alone the snow/ice performance. Secondly you then will drive the summers until they owe you nothing. So you end up keeping the summers till at least 40K, and you get a real 30K out of your winters. So now you are at 70K for two sets as opposed to 30K for one set.

A couple of additional points. Winter tires are less expensive than summers, enhancing the above equation. 18" OEM rims are readily available on this forum for a dedicated set up you can easily swap yourself, and many tire vendors give free changeovers. Taller sidewalls do better in the winter for both snow traction and pothole resilience. And the one that I always end with, what is your insurance deductable? I'd hate to be in the position where lack of traction caused me to slide into a fender bender...

 

[T.Antony]

By free I mean that they come at no additional cost. So lets say the tires that come with the car have a serviceable lifetime of 40K mi. Do you expect to keep the vehicle beyond that? If so you will be buying another set of rubber. In the real world when you are toward the end of that lifetime (but not there yet) and it is November, might you replace them earlier due to the impending winter? I think you might (as you are a tesla owner and therefore smarter than the average bear!). So you might replace them at 30K.

Now imagine the scenario if you buy a set of winters, in addition to the summers. 1st the tire you have with a winter compound has much better grip once the temps get below 40F, let alone the snow/ice performance. Secondly you then will drive the summers until they owe you nothing. So you end up keeping the summers till at least 40K, and you get a real 30K out of your winters. So now you are at 70K for two sets as opposed to 30K for one set.

A couple of additional points. Winter tires are less expensive than summers, enhancing the above equation. 18" OEM rims are readily available on this forum for a dedicated set up you can easily swap yourself, and many tire vendors give free changeovers. Taller sidewalls do better in the winter for both snow traction and pothole resilience. And the one that I always end with, what is your insurance deductable? I'd hate to be in the position where lack of traction caused me to slide into a fender bender...

Dude your the man! I understand you now. Question about winter tires. Surely I can find the answer around here somewhere, but since we’re on the subject. How is road noise compatible to all-seasons?

Many thanks!

 

[Castlerock]

It all depends what you choose for the snows, but modern snows do not sound like the old fashioned blocky studded 70s versions. Sure I love putting the summers back on in the spring, but nothing is better than knowing you have the right tool for the job.