We're awaiting delivery on a Dual Motor Model 3. It will live in the Boston area, so, it will encounter snow and hills, but no mountains and few heavy snow falls like we have in the California mountains. I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on the advisability or necessity of winter tires in that area.
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Will the AWD Model 3 Need Snow Tires?
- Thread starter Stuberman
- Start date
I have been driving AWD/4WD vehicles for years in Colorado. Including a lot of time in the mountains. Personally, I don't see any benefit in buying a second set of winter tires for my vehicles. If I were driving RWD vehicles I would likely feel differently.
Not saying that there isn't any reason to have winter tires with AWD. But in over twenty years of driving here I have had no issues with AWD (and even FWD) not having winter tires as long as I'm running a good all season tire, with good tread life.
The bigger issue is why you would ever want to leave Palo Alto for Boston... ;-)
Not saying that there isn't any reason to have winter tires with AWD. But in over twenty years of driving here I have had no issues with AWD (and even FWD) not having winter tires as long as I'm running a good all season tire, with good tread life.
The bigger issue is why you would ever want to leave Palo Alto for Boston... ;-)
Winter tires make a bigger difference in snow than AWD.
I would feel safer with RWD and winter tires, than AWD with all season tires.
AWD will help you get started, winter tires will help you stop.
This comes from 30 years of driving in Minnesota.
Not sure if this link works or not but here goes... Why You Should Be Driving on Winter/Snow Tires
I would feel safer with RWD and winter tires, than AWD with all season tires.
AWD will help you get started, winter tires will help you stop.
This comes from 30 years of driving in Minnesota.
Not sure if this link works or not but here goes... Why You Should Be Driving on Winter/Snow Tires
Keep in mind that AWD helps with traction when accelerating, but doesn’t help when you are braking (arguably the more critical issue). If you drive carefully and know how to drive in the snow, you will probably be fine. But winter tires really do make a big difference. If you aren’t used to driving in the snow, I would highly recommend them personally.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
Two guys above are right- for most things tires>drivetrain
Rwd on snow tires will be safer than awd with all seasons (though awd with snows will be better than either)
Not saying you can’t get away with all season but they call en that because they’re measurably inferior in all seasons compared to dedicated summer/winter tires
Rwd on snow tires will be safer than awd with all seasons (though awd with snows will be better than either)
Not saying you can’t get away with all season but they call en that because they’re measurably inferior in all seasons compared to dedicated summer/winter tires
AWD Subaru does great here in WNY taking me up my steep driveway w 1 feet of snow. Only got stuck w a wet drift of two feet when it lifted the wheels off the ground. All season tires do great hopefully w the tesla awd also.
Candleflame
Active Member
americans just dont seem to get it. winter tires all the way.
It really depends on if you want to stop or not. AWD is no better than RWD at stopping. So, yes, you will want good winter tires. Winter tires are not the place to cheap-out on.
Helmuth
Member
You can drive in snow with summer, all season or winter tires.
The biggest difference is the braking distance which is the most dangerous part and can safe lives!
The braking distance on snow with summer tires (regardless RWD or AWD) is more than DOUBLE with summer tires compared to winter tires! And the all season need over 20% more space to come to a complete stop...
Beside the braking distance winter tires are better than summer tires in every situation (acceleration, cornering, braking,...) used in cold weather!
The biggest difference is the braking distance which is the most dangerous part and can safe lives!
The braking distance on snow with summer tires (regardless RWD or AWD) is more than DOUBLE with summer tires compared to winter tires! And the all season need over 20% more space to come to a complete stop...
Beside the braking distance winter tires are better than summer tires in every situation (acceleration, cornering, braking,...) used in cold weather!
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Snow Drift
[Off-Road Assist] Activated
I’ve lived in Boston, had a lake house in NH and live in NY. We always get snow tires for our AWD Subarus. They make the total experience better in all situations in the winter. Get performance snow tires.
What everyone says about tires and braking is definitely true. However, having driven my AWD Model X several winters in sorts of ice and slop both in the good all seasons the MX came with and really good winter tires I bought, the difference was way smaller than I thought it would be. I have also driven Subarus through many winters here with all seasons and winter tires. There was a BIG difference between braking and handling with the winter tires over the all seasons with the Subaru. I believe it is a combination of low center of gravity, super fast reactive Tesla traction control, and pure weight that makes my MX so much more capable in all seasons than past Subarus. With the AWD M3 you will have even lower center of gravity, the same traction control, but less weight, so probably it will be OK with all seasons if you are a good winter driver. In terms of Boston, with the climate changing I would say this is now a full on serious winter driving city. If you have a place store a set of winter wheels I would still invest in winters. Otherwise, try a winter without them and get a winters if it's not working out.
If we have enough money to afford a Tesla we have enough money to get a good set of winter tires plus wheels. Of course one can get by, but... it only takes one chance when one cannot stop well enough to make one realize that is a foolish economy. I'll go a step further and suggest that buying these:
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 - Non-studded Tire / Nokian Tires
Maybe I am too conservative but once, many years ago i tried to economize and ended out sliding into someone else's car, a friend's, actually. That cured me.
I suggest looking at it this way: You'll have longer tire life on your summer tires, so it is not 100% redundant cost.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 - Non-studded Tire / Nokian Tires
Maybe I am too conservative but once, many years ago i tried to economize and ended out sliding into someone else's car, a friend's, actually. That cured me.
I suggest looking at it this way: You'll have longer tire life on your summer tires, so it is not 100% redundant cost.
Olle
Active Member
According to a major Swedish (where it is winter road conditions half the year...) insurance company, AWD increases the risk of accidents with 20-30% compared to 2WD
Ny rapport: Fyrhjulsdrivna bilar ger fler personskadeolyckor
Having lived in Sweden and driven in all kinds of snow for 15 years, I would agree that AWD makes winter tires more important. Personally I had more serious close calls with AWD than 2WD on snow.
To state the obvious again; with 2WD you feel the skidding and slow down. With AWD you get up to speed quickly and when you turn or brake it's often too late to discover how slippery the road actually is.
Ny rapport: Fyrhjulsdrivna bilar ger fler personskadeolyckor
Having lived in Sweden and driven in all kinds of snow for 15 years, I would agree that AWD makes winter tires more important. Personally I had more serious close calls with AWD than 2WD on snow.
To state the obvious again; with 2WD you feel the skidding and slow down. With AWD you get up to speed quickly and when you turn or brake it's often too late to discover how slippery the road actually is.
Lasairfion
Member
From a personal standpoint, I've driven Front Wheel Drive cars with winter tyres through pretty terrible weather with very little issues. They always felt much safer cornering in the winter months and a lot grippier on country roads; not to mention hauling a very unsuitable car through snowfall.
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These are fantastic tires for Boston winters. I've had them on my last two cars.
Winter tires, no question.
the question should be studded or not.
It depends on how important it is to drive in bad weather, or if you can wait out a storm.
when i was working in NE, where i worked did not shut down for a for a blizzard or anything else. So I got the studded. If I didn't have to drive through those conditions, I would have gotten winter, non studded. and kept chains in the trunk. had rwd.
I saw plenty of 4wd suvs fly past me on those blizzard days, a few miles later they were in the ditch.
the question should be studded or not.
It depends on how important it is to drive in bad weather, or if you can wait out a storm.
when i was working in NE, where i worked did not shut down for a for a blizzard or anything else. So I got the studded. If I didn't have to drive through those conditions, I would have gotten winter, non studded. and kept chains in the trunk. had rwd.
I saw plenty of 4wd suvs fly past me on those blizzard days, a few miles later they were in the ditch.
If you drive with summer tires on snow, chances are the sidewalls will crack. That means anybody with a P 3-D plus who drives in temperatures under 40° F should switch to all season or snow tires in the cooler months. Beware that some performance summer tires can crack in winter - Consumer Reports
