Winter Tire question

[Chetanh]

Winter will be here before we know it..lol (I know it does not apply to everyone and not everyone looks forward to it..but its coming anyway) and i wanted to know about what kind of wheels and tires are people using. If you are using Winter tires or plan to buy a set, Can you help answer the following:

Wheel Size and type (e.g. 18/19/20 and alloy/steel):
Tire Brand (e.e.g Michelin X-ice 3 etc):
Where did you buy it from:
How has the drive feel changed compared to the summer/all season tires (road noise, efficiency, braking, acceleration etc.):

Thanks

 

[640k]

speaking from experience of other vehicles as i haven't purchased winter tires for the M3 yet:

buy the smallest rim/tallest tire combo that will fit your vehicle. if you have a SR/SR+, use the 18s. if you have performance, you're stuck with the 19s. unless you get a ton of snow, invest in winter performance tires instead of dedicated snow tires. this will primarily depend on road surface conditions and how well the city, etc., clears the roads (ex: in ohio, winters are generally mild, but cold. more salt than snow).

the rest will come down to preference and price. invest in a second set of wheels so you can just swap them. sometimes it's trial and error.

 

[SiNiSon]

T-sportline (and I am assuming others with some fit testing) have 18's that will fit over the Perf brakes.. would love to find out what fits.. my dream would be 18's for winter here...

S

 

[superfunk]

speaking from experience of other vehicles as i haven't purchased winter tires for the M3 yet:

buy the smallest rim/tallest tire combo that will fit your vehicle. if you have a SR/SR+, use the 18s. if you have performance, you're stuck with the 19s. unless you get a ton of snow, invest in winter performance tires instead of dedicated snow tires. this will primarily depend on road surface conditions and how well the city, etc., clears the roads (ex: in ohio, winters are generally mild, but cold. more salt than snow).

the rest will come down to preference and price. invest in a second set of wheels so you can just swap them. sometimes it's trial and error.

18s from Tsportline work, that’s what I bought, with TPMS and lug nut covers. Then I got Xice tires from Costco.

 

[Chetanh]

I was looking at PMC tires in Canada. Their cost for steel wheels with xice 3 including TPMS mounting and balancing is ~$1947CAD(~1470USD). The additional costs on top of this would be the aero wheel cover (172) and installation.(max 60) = $2179 CAD.
Tesla canda prices are $2700CAD plus taxes ~$CAD 3050.

I wanted to go for the alloys but the ones i liked were actually heavier than the steelies (surprised). Alloys are an additional 200$. (for 4)

 

[640k]

i wouldn't do steelies. you're going to get a better ride with alloy. it's a smarter investment.

 

[Chetanh]

Better in which way?

 

[vletnguyen]

x ice and hakka r3 are rated the best. Costco usually has their $70-100 discount promo every few months on the xice. I went with hakka r3 on the model 3 as it was cheaper than r2 at the time (discount tire).

I had r2 on my model s and blizzaks on my ICE car.

 

[holmgang]

x ice and hakka r3 are rated the best

No one tire should be championed the best for winter, as winter climates differ drastically from region to region. Winter can mean anything from cold, to cold+wet, to snow to slush to ice.

My fav in a continental climate were Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4. They're actually quieter and more comfortable than their summer siblings because the rubber is more pliable. I'm switching to Nordic region now where Nokians are more appropriate, but haven't tested them through a winter yet

 

[Kenyakid]

I grew up in northern MT, so see snow tires as essential. Omaha streets are intermittently clear and most cars here don't bother.
Good idea shopping early, because you may have difficulty finding tires. Last winter, a good Omaha chain could not find any in the original 235/40 R19, neither could Discount Tire, even from out of state, nor could I find any that size or a good alternative online. Partly, it was already November and suppliers were low. Discount pulled together four 225/45 R19 Blizzaks from two sources. Waited a couple weeks for delivery. They handle well on snow and ice, but I did sense slight rear slip on a mild street curve. Will try to do better this year but I tend to prefer our Camry hybrid for iffy outings - partly to protect the M3.

 

[Kenyakid]

Paid $243 for the Blizzaks, and yes they're a little softer on dry pavement. Noise, acceleration, and efficiency don't seem considerations to me in winter driving. But I don't commute distances like some might.

 

[MnM3]

I had similar questions. I have an SR+ and live in Minnesota. Anyone with input on the pirelli package direct from Tesla, particularly on how the tires perform in sub-zero temps?

 

[RayCanuck]

Hakka R3 for me, need the best tire in snow, am a skier and head the the resort often not to mention the odd jaunt over the Rockies to Calgary....
Decided against another set of rims, payback being in the 6-8 year range just didn't add up as a good investment IMO

 

[dmd2005]

I used Tsportline wheels and Nokian R3’s last year on my performance 3. The R3s are rated ultra low rolling resistance as well as being a great winter tire. I got mine from Kal Tire and make sure you order them early as they sell out by the beginning of December.

Nokians are the best winter tire I’ve used compared to 8 different winter tires I’ve had on previous vehicles.

 

[dantuvayu]

I live in NJ and knowing the winters here, am thinking of going with Tesla's 18" Winter Wheel Package for $2000. Saving the hassle and simply replacing the wheels when winter hits. I am thinking of this because I have a LR RWD.
Any other suggestions welcome!

 

[Phlier]

Well, I've finally done it.... I've bookmarked (and "watched") so many threads and web pages that have useful Tesla information, that I can no longer find stuff.

@dantuvayu Somewhere, someone has put together an extremely useful chart showing the various Tesla tire offerings, including their performance in various driving situations. IMO, it is an extremely useful starting point to begin the research on what tire is going to best suit your particular driving style in your particular driving environment.

Because everyone drives differently, and drives in their own unique micro-climate, it's really hard to just say, "oh yeah, get these tires. They're best suited for everyone in the winter."

If you're looking to get the best tire for your situation (driving style, wheel size, weather, street conditions, budget), you need to spend some time researching. There are a ton of useful threads here on TMC that will get you pointed in the right direction.

The more time and effort you're willing to spend in researching the best tire for you, the better the tire will be that you finally end up putting on your car. And, IMO, you'll end up with a better tire, wheel choice, and price than the Tesla offering.

 

[eCharcoal]

I live in NJ and knowing the winters here, am thinking of going with Tesla's 18" Winter Wheel Package for $2000. Saving the hassle and simply replacing the wheels when winter hits. I am thinking of this because I have a LR RWD.
Any other suggestions welcome!

I’ve never purchased winter tires before but If I live in NJ where there’re Nor’easter storm, I’d go with something better like the X-Ice. I’ve done extensive research since last year and have only heard good things about them. Last week I saw Amazon was selling them for $186 a piece and Sears will install all 4 for $56. Might want to consider.

I live in Chicago and don’t get as much snow. I finally decided to go with the General Altimax Arctic 12. Reviews are generally good. They’re made by Continental in Germany and only $142 a piece at Discount Tire. DT currently has a $50 rebate (set of 4) on winter tires and General also has a manufacturer rebate of $50. Total $100 rebate on a set of 4. The price can’t be beat at about $620 installed for the set. Get some cheaper aftermarket wheels or used Aero, you could get it all done for less than $1300.

Yes the Hakkas and X-Ice are definitely nice and proven but I just couldn’t justify the $200 price since we don’t get as much snow.

 

[user212_nr]

I’ve never purchased winter tires before but If I live in NJ where there’re Nor’easter storm, I’d go with something better like the X-Ice. I’ve done extensive research since last year and have only heard good things about them. Last week I saw Amazon was selling them for $186 a piece and Sears will install all 4 for $56. Might want to consider.

I live in Chicago and don’t get as much snow. I finally decided to go with the General Altimax Arctic 12. Reviews are generally good. They’re made by Continental in Germany and only $142 a piece at Discount Tire. DT currently has a $50 rebate (set of 4) on winter tires and General also has a manufacturer rebate of $50. Total $100 rebate on a set of 4. The price can’t be beat at about $620 installed for the set. Get some cheaper aftermarket wheels or used Aero, you could get it all done for less than $1300.

Yes the Hakkas and X-Ice are definitely nice and proven but I just couldn’t justify the $200 price since we don’t get as much snow.

The weather that we get here is extremely varied. Last year, we had dry arctic winds and -10 degree weather in January, but not much snow at all. Then it snowed in March. We've also had years where we have sudden 50-60 degree weather Jan-Feb followed by freezing and snow.

NJ is a little south, but generally the same weather.

Also, because of the varied climate, people generally do not invest in snow tires (they prefer oversized SUVs, anecdotally) and the schools and workplaces go into shutdown mode for extreme weather. For that reason, you would want a milder set of tires that can handle a few warm days and just stay home for the noreaster.

People say the climate is changing towards the warm side, and I'm not an expert, but thing have been strange lately.

 

[user212_nr]

Next Wednesday October 2nd, it is forecast 88 degrees. Tomorrow, 85, and high 70s low 80s all week.

weather new york, ny at DuckDuckGo

It is practically unheard of. Rethinking those winter tires.

There must be a strong south wind from all those hurricanes.

 

[Thp3]

I live in NJ and knowing the winters here, am thinking of going with Tesla's 18" Winter Wheel Package for $2000. Saving the hassle and simply replacing the wheels when winter hits. I am thinking of this because I have a LR RWD.
Any other suggestions welcome!

Yeah, useful tires for good control and stopping distance in NJ climate. There is so much traffic there (I used to live in Lawrenceville) that the winter performance tires Tesla sells are a good match. I now have XIce from Michelin but roads here are snow covered much of the winter (lake effect).

I also have Michelin Pilot 4S for summer tires. Those are lovely driving tires.