Seattle P3D: all-season tires vs winter wheel + tire package

[llamas]

Hey folks,

I'm getting a P3D with 20'' überturbines. For someone who lives in Seattle and mostly drives within the Seattle metro area + occasional trips to Cle Elum, Leavenworth, etc. (maybe a couple of times every winter), would you all recommend

(1) swapping out the Pirelli P-Zeros with some all-season tires like Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ or
(2) buying a proper set of 19'' wheels and winter tires, something like Tsportline TST flow forged ones: Tesla Model 3 Wheels-19" TST Tesla Wheel and Winter Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

 

[CWhite]

I know it’s a costly option but I really like having an extra set of wheels with winter tires that I swap around thanksgiving. The most important part are the tires, if you think you will encounter ice then you might want something like a Nokian R3, Bridgestone Blizzak or my current favorite, the Michelin XIce Snow. They are as close as you can get to studded tires without dealing with studs. The Pirelli’s are fine for a bit of snow but there are better choices for ice. I think the Model 3 can handle 18” wheels, I prefer more sidewall to handle potholes and other obstructions. I like the looks of big wheels but not out in a snowstorm when a wheel has broken(true story, driving to Hood River and hit a 2x4 covered with snow, 20” wheel just plain shattered.) Guess this is more than just my 2 cents, let the arguments begin

 

[MODEL+]

I would get a separate set of smaller diameter wheels to mount winter tires on like @CWhite mentioned above. It just makes life easier when seasons change!

 

[CWhite]

FYI, here is the setup I got, Discount Tire $2100. My local Discount Tire has the Tesla lift pucks and knows about Jack Mode. Should confirm whatever shop you go to also knows(I do have a set of pucks in the back just in case)

 

[ChadS]

Having two sets of wheels is obviously more expensive. But only for the extra wheels...the tires wear less when you only have them on half the year, so that cost ends up being a wash.

And having extra wheels around is nice if, say, you have a wheel crack and the tire store doesn't have a replacement that will fit. That has happened to me (incidentally, it was an 18" wheel that cracked; I had switched to 18's to avoid that problem, but it's never completely avoidable). You can toss on in the trunk when you go on a road trip, just in case.

But the biggest benefit is...you have a fantastic high-performance car, but ALL of its capabilities are literally riding on the tires. All-seasons are 2nd-best year round. With two sets of wheels, you can be riding on the best tires for the conditions all the time. I got 18" wheels from Tire Rack (the only place that seemed to have 18" wheels for a P3D in Nov 2018...although they mucked up, shipped them late and in pieces. I had Discount Tire assemble and install them).

CWhite, I don't see wheels that look like that listed as fitting my car on Discount Tire's site. What wheels are they? They look nice.

 

[CWhite]

Ah, yes. The wheels are Rial Lugano that I saw on tire rack. Discount Tire found them and ordered them. The wheels cost a bit more at DT but the tires were less. Price worked out a bit less at DT than TR. As far as the original post the XIce-SNOW is available in the 18” size but the Rial Lugano is not(tire rack does show 247 wheels for the M3 so there is a lot of choice).

 

[llamas]

@CWhite, @ChadS thank you for your suggestions! If I wanted to go with a separate set of tires like 20'' michelin alpin pa4, what kind of wheels would you recommend getting with it?

 

[MODEL+]

@CWhite, @ChadS thank you for your suggestions! If I wanted to go with a separate set of tires like 20'' michelin alpin pa4, what kind of wheels would you recommend getting with it?

What is your budget like?

 

[llamas]

@rensupreme I was thinking ~$2k for both wheels and tires.

 

[MODEL+]

@rensupreme I was thinking ~$2k for both wheels and tires.

That's a tight budget going aftermarket. Try to look locally for OEM take offs and a set of winter tires to match them.

 

[ChadS]

I agree that's going to be a tough price point to meet for 20" wheels. 20's look nice and handle well, but they aren't cheap.

18" wheels and tires are likely to be cheaper (you can meet your price point there, at least at Tire Rack). Plus likely lighter - Tire Rack lets you sort by weight - so less efficiency/performance hit when accelerating and a better ride. Plus I'm told the 18s do better in the snow...they have the same width and diameter (don't they? maybe they are narrower), so maybe it's due to the shape and/or flexing due to the profile? I dunno. And 18" tires typically last longer. These advantages may be small individually, but they do add up.

Fortunately I pretty much never have to drive in the snow, although I did try it a couple of years ago and the car did great with 18" wheels and Sottozero 3 tires. (Winter tires are really more about temperature than snow, though. At least here in the PNW).

Here is my P3D with my 18" winter set from Tire Rack:

I switched to 18's from TSportline for summer too:

 

[llamas]

Thanks @rensupreme and @ChadS! I really like the way larger (19 or 20) wheels look. With the higher budget, would these be reasonable choices?

Tesla Model 3 Wheels-19" TST Tesla Wheel and Winter Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

Tesla Model 3 Wheels-20" TST Flow Forged Tesla Wheel and Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

 

[MODEL+]

Thanks @rensupreme and @ChadS! I really like the way larger (19 or 20) wheels look. With the higher budget, would these be reasonable choices?

Tesla Model 3 Wheels-19" TST Tesla Wheel and Winter Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

Tesla Model 3 Wheels-20" TST Flow Forged Tesla Wheel and Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

Yes, either of those packages will do if you insist on 19" or bigger.

 

[ChadS]

Agreed, I really like the TSportline wheels. They are lighter than Tesla's, but are lighter, look great, come with compatible TPMS, don't need hub rings, can use Tesla's center caps and lug nuts. A very simple plug-and-play solution.

 

[RB88]

Might be a dumb question, but where are people getting their TSportlight rims+tires (or other third party options) installed? I think it's a faux pas to get a tire shop to install rims/tires you bought elsewhere? Will Tesla service do it?

 

[MODEL+]

Thanks @rensupreme and @ChadS! I really like the way larger (19 or 20) wheels look. With the higher budget, would these be reasonable choices?

Tesla Model 3 Wheels-19" TST Tesla Wheel and Winter Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

Tesla Model 3 Wheels-20" TST Flow Forged Tesla Wheel and Tire Package (Set of 4) - T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Accessories

Here's a member selling a very nice winter setup. Fully forged and aggressive looking.
FS: 20" Model 3 Winter Wheels: Titan 7 TS-5

 

[MODEL+]

Might be a dumb question, but where are people getting their TSportlight rims+tires (or other third party options) installed? I think it's a faux pas to get a tire shop to install rims/tires you bought elsewhere? Will Tesla service do it?

Not at all... They're not running a charity, they will appreciate your business from charging you labor lol
I personally use a mobile service here in Portland called GoMobile. It's great, I'm never hauling rims and tires back and forth to tire shops anymore.

 

[Drivesolo]

I agree that's going to be a tough price point to meet for 20" wheels. 20's look nice and handle well, but they aren't cheap.

18" wheels and tires are likely to be cheaper (you can meet your price point there, at least at Tire Rack). Plus likely lighter - Tire Rack lets you sort by weight - so less efficiency/performance hit when accelerating and a better ride. Plus I'm told the 18s do better in the snow...they have the same width and diameter (don't they? maybe they are narrower), so maybe it's due to the shape and/or flexing due to the profile? I dunno. And 18" tires typically last longer. These advantages may be small individually, but they do add up.

Fortunately I pretty much never have to drive in the snow, although I did try it a couple of years ago and the car did great with 18" wheels and Sottozero 3 tires. (Winter tires are really more about temperature than snow, though. At least here in the PNW).

Here is my P3D with my 18" winter set from Tire Rack:
View attachment 615412

I switched to 18's from TSportline for summer too:
View attachment 615417

ChadS, how much clearance are you getting between the inside of the wheel and the rear caliper. I like the idea of getting 18's for winter tires, just wondering if the TSportline wheels and other 18" makes have better clearance than the stock 18's. Thanks.

 

[ChadS]

I have my winter Tirerack wheels (ASA GT14) on now, rather than the TSportlines. It's difficult to see clearly in there (there's a lip on the wheels outside of the calipers), but it looks to me like there's a little more than 1/4" of clearance.