Question for owners, how does model 3 handle in snow, rain?

[dhanson865]

That mortifies me, too. I sometimes rent a car with high mileage tires, and I always almost die in those cars. I quickly return them and get something with big beefy tires that are meant for traction. Cars with high mileage tires are death traps.

I don't know if you consider 45,000 mile tread warranty a high mileage tire but the OEM tires on the Model 3 in 18" and 19" are both in that range. I hope you'll try to drive safer if you find yourself in a Model 3 with OEM wheels and tires.

The Tesla Model 3 Wheel and Tire Guide does show the 20" option with staggered wheels if you feel the need for swapping out to insanely oversized rear tires so you can pretend your model 3 is a 2020 roadster.

I would hope if you do that you'll keep the 18" or 19" wheels around for running winter tires on as the 20" suggested tires are summer sport tires that have horrible traction in bad weather.

 

[S3XY]

You must drive an awful lot. I put about 10,000 miles a year on mine, two sets of tires with that little driving leads to dry rot, heck I often see dry rot before the tread is gone on a single set if I get one of the types that has a 70,000 to 90,000 mile rating.

In that case I end up replacing tires because the rubber is brittle not because the tread is gone. Adding a second set to the mix means getting rid of twice as many tires in the same number of years.

Let's just say that I drive a bit aggressively so I don't typically get the rated treadware. Also, it rarely even gets into the 90's here and the sun is nowhere near as strong as it is in Tennessee so I think it takes a bit longer for dry rot to set in here.

 

[S'toon]

 

[jackbowers]

So far I've driven about 1000 miles in winter conditions with the stock all-season tires. Model 3 is definitely better than the RWD Model S with stock tires, and has little trouble with cornering or slowing down, but it's tough to get going from a stop on icy uphill grades. The traction/stability control is quite effective when it fishtails; it straightens out very quickly and I'm finding that only a small amount counter-steering is required.

 

[Gwgan]

Bjorn is running some videos with studless Nereus NS806 tires vs studded Nokian. He seems to prefer the Nereus but there are confounders in the tests so just an interesting data point at this time (also not green and may have quality issues vs nokian). Have had studded Hakka 9’s on the 3 for about a week, with two snows over ice on a difficult driveway and it did as well as the AWD X with studded tires, which is to say just fine with no sliding or slowing. My only comparator for the 3 is sliding down the driveway on standard issue all seasons on the way to get the snow tires; I did not try to drive up the hill on the all-seasons so the car waited in the garage until it was time to go.

 

[tomas]

Bump. Anyone else with EXPERIENCE WITH 3 IN SNOW AND ICE who can comment?
Just picked up my first of 2 reservations... RWD for California. My second will be for Chicago. Was planning to wait for D, but love the RWD 3, and sorely tempted to just move ahead without D for the Chicago car as well.

 

[svp6]

Bump. Anyone else with EXPERIENCE WITH 3 IN SNOW AND ICE who can comment?
Just picked up my first of 2 reservations... RWD for California. My second will be for Chicago. Was planning to wait for D, but love the RWD 3, and sorely tempted to just move ahead without D for the Chicago car as well.

See my initial impressions here - works quite well. AWD with winter tires will likely be better, but you will have to wait for it. I have no regrets for ordering early.