Winter tires or winter tire package with tire/rim

[PNWLeccy]

Winter tires will not help on “icy” roads - nothing except chains works when roads are truly icy. If this is a new problem to you because you are now driving a Tesla, you just need to learn how to drive it in the snow. Tesla’s have a lot of torque and regenerative breaking, which requires a lot more care when driving in slick conditions.

As an aside, I lived in Denver and drove to the mountains in the winter regularly (in an ICE car). In 14-years I never owned a set of snow tires and never got stuck.

I go up to the mountains a ton here but have never pulled the trigger on winter tires because otherwise I wouldn't need them in Seattle. However, we're moving to Denver next year and was planning on buying them there. Since we would actually get snow in the city and the mountains, unlike in Seattle, it seems worth it.

I'm a huge fan of proper snow tires. I have a 2018 rear wheel drive model 3. It was pretty sketchy on the stock tires but does great with snows. I bought the 18" aero winter tire wheel set from Tesla. $2000 for OEM wheels, tires and sensors is very reasonable compared to what most dealers charge for OEM rims.

We sold our 2018 LR RWD to get a MYLR but took it skiing a bunch on the stock all-seasons. I grew up in New England but it was still a bit sketchy when the rear broke loose a little. We definitely got stuck in the parking lot at Stevens a few times and had to deploy the snow socks. We were reluctant to go in on buying winter tires since we had already ordered a MYLR but it took much longer than expected to get the car.

The MYLR seemed solid going up to Stevens yesterday through the snow and I figured the AWD definitely helped a ton. How much better is the RWD w/ snow tires? I'm worried that even with the traction, the lack of AWD would mean that we would still get stuck in snowy parking lots. We need a second car for around town (moving to Denver soon) and was hoping a M3 RWD w/ snow tires would work but might need to buy a used dual motor.

 

[Darwaish]

I go up to the mountains a ton here but have never pulled the trigger on winter tires because otherwise I wouldn't need them in Seattle. However, we're moving to Denver next year and was planning on buying them there. Since we would actually get snow in the city and the mountains, unlike in Seattle, it seems worth it.

We sold our 2018 LR RWD to get a MYLR but took it skiing a bunch on the stock all-seasons. I grew up in New England but it was still a bit sketchy when the rear broke loose a little. We definitely got stuck in the parking lot at Stevens a few times and had to deploy the snow socks. We were reluctant to go in on buying winter tires since we had already ordered a MYLR but it took much longer than expected to get the car.

The MYLR seemed solid going up to Stevens yesterday through the snow and I figured the AWD definitely helped a ton. How much better is the RWD w/ snow tires? I'm worried that even with the traction, the lack of AWD would mean that we would still get stuck in snowy parking lots. We need a second car for around town (moving to Denver soon) and was hoping a M3 RWD w/ snow tires would work but might need to buy a used dual motor.

What settings such as off road assist etc do you suggest for icy road? I am on east side of Seattle and with snow yesterday car slipped while taking a turn and fortunately stopped few inches away from curb. It’s 2023 Model Y LR with 19” Gemini wheels and all seasons tires I believe. Quick google search only shows results about battery and other items but not necessarily driving related controls/settings.

 

[PNWLeccy]

What settings such as off road assist etc do you suggest for icy road? I am on east side of Seattle and with snow yesterday car slipped while taking a turn and fortunately stopped few inches away from curb. It’s 2023 Model Y LR with 19” Gemini wheels and all seasons tires I believe. Quick google search only shows results about battery and other items but not necessarily driving related controls/settings.

The real answer is that it requires more driving skill than anything else when it comes to icy conditions. My biggest tip would be to change to Chill mode and make all movements very slowly and gradually. Point your tires where you want to go. Chill mode helps by reducing the instant torque so you don’t spin the wheels. Also, don’t stomp on the brakes as that will cause the tires to lock up and slide. Try to pump them a bit to catch some grip. Also since you don’t have any regen control you need to let off the accelerator very slowly or else that will lock up the tires in the same way as slamming on the brakes.

Off road assist helps to get going but it shuts off traction control so it’s not really advised on street driving. I used it to get out of a snowy parking lot just taking it easy. It does however force the car into 50-50 AWD. The problem is that the car is rear biased by default and acts like a RWD (generally bad in snow) until it activates the front motor. An update from last year has improved this so that now when it identifies your tires slipping it puts the car into AWD for the next ~30min before reverting to rear biased.

Snow tires and AWD help the car go and snow tires help with stopping but ice requires a little technique.

 

[ATPMSD]

However, we're moving to Denver

I am jealous as I loved Denver, but you do NOT need snow tires in Denver! I lived there for 14-years and the roads were rarely snow covered. The Sun in Denver is very powerful and with 300+ days of sunshine, snow melts so fast that snow on the roads is rare for more than a day or so. Even after a major blizzard you will be hard pressed to see snow anywhere in Denver after about a week. I kept a set of chains in my trunk and used them only once, and that was to get out of my neighborhood to the main street - once there I needed to remove them as too little snow was on the road.

When you get to Denver talk with your neighbors.

 

[jcanoe]

What settings such as off road assist etc do you suggest for icy road? I am on east side of Seattle and with snow yesterday car slipped while taking a turn and fortunately stopped few inches away from curb. It’s 2023 Model Y LR with 19” Gemini wheels and all seasons tires I believe. Quick google search only shows results about battery and other items but not necessarily driving related controls/settings.

The OE 19" Continental Procontact RX tires are not well suited to driving on snow and ice. Set the Pedals & Driving to Chill Mode and that will help. Best bet, stay off the road until the roads have been plowed and treated. The real answer is to get better tires.

 

[Brian-MS90D]

T Sportline - Tesla Model S, 3, X & Y Aftermarket Upgrade Accessories Tends to be a little premium priced but is convenient. They arrive with TPM already installed and ready to go.

Don't forget you'll need to get the proper jack, pucks, breaker bar, torque wrench, etc.

 

[rwiegand]

Also, don’t stomp on the brakes as that will cause the tires to lock up and slide. Try to pump them a bit to catch some grip.

This is contrary to most recent advice and to my New England driving experience. Since the advent of ABS, and especially in the last decade with improved feedback, the car will do a much better, more consistent job of "pumping the brakes" than a human can possibly do. I find letting the ABS "do its thing" to give much shorter, straighter stops than other ways of managing the car. Go out in an icy parking lot and play with it

 

[ATPMSD]

You absolutely should not pump the brake pedal in a car with ABS.

How Anti-Lock Brakes Work

Stopping a car in a hurry on a slippery road can be challenging at best and at worst very scary. Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) help alleviate the danger. Learn how anti-lock brakes prevent skidding, check out what that sputtering is, and find out h

auto.howstuffworks.com

 

[PNWLeccy]

You're right... pump the brakes is not the correct way to describe it. Stomping on the brakes is a problem on ice and I've found feathering the brake pedal off and on so that you let the wheels roll a bit works much better than locking up the wheels.

 

[Ricky K]

Hey guys, new to the forum and Telsa. Just picked up a MYP. Living in Michigan, I am looking at some winter tires. Do you think spending the extra money with T Sportsline or Tesla is worth it? I have priced wheels and tires with a couple local shops, they are 30%-40% less. Both places indicate they will be like factory OEM with the Tesla TPMS. I'm just not familiar with T Sportsline. Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[804son]

Hey guys, new to the forum and Telsa. Just picked up a MYP. Living in Michigan, I am looking at some winter tires. Do you think spending the extra money with T Sportsline or Tesla is worth it? I have priced wheels and tires with a couple local shops, they are 30%-40% less. Both places indicate they will be like factory OEM with the Tesla TPMS. I'm just not familiar with T Sportsline. Thanks in advance for any insight.

There's no reason to have to buy specifically from Tesla or T Sportline (although both great product offerings). Only word of advice I have is ensure that if your vehicle is equipped with the new Bluetooth TPMS sensors, that you get the same sensors so that they function with the vehicle.

 

[jcanoe]

Tesla states that the 19" Gemini wheels will not fit the Performance Model Y (PMY) while many Tesla PMY owners have installed the 19" Gemini wheels with no fitment issues. TSportline sells aftermarket Tesla wheels and accessories and has filled the void by offering 19" and now also 18" wheels that are guaranteed to fit all Model Y (including PMY.)

For winter tires many prefer a smaller wheel and a tire with more sidewall. The 18" TSportline wheels for the PMY have been popular as have the TSportline wheel and tire packages. Tesla's wheel and winter tire package for the PMY use the 21" wheels and Pirelli Sotozero winter tires. Many Tesla owners have a preferred winter tire, i.e. Blizzak or X-Ice or Nokia and don't want to go with either Pirelli or another brand.

Discount Tire (aka America's Tire) also has a stake in Tirerack.com.They sell winter wheel and tire packages for the PMY. Many of the winter tires in a spec for the Model Y sell out by the fall so there might not be a wide selection of winter tires right now. The Vredestein Wintrac Pro is another option for a winter tire for the Model Y. The Vredestein Quatrac Pro has been well reviewed as being a good all-season tire for the Model Y (much better than the factory 19" Continential or 20" Goodyear tires.) In Europe Vredestein is known for offering good value winter tires. Tesla changed from fitting summer performance tires to the PMY to the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires, a very capable all season tire (but it is not a winter tire.) So if you can't decide or locate your preferred winter tire this season you may be able to get by with the factory Michelin PS AS 4 on roads that have been plowed and sanded.