# RWD model 3 in snow



## Randolph

Hi. 
went to get a Tesla model 3 AWD yesterday and the sales man told me the RWD is as good in Snow. 
i live à region with heavy snowfall. 
is this a true statement? Anyone out there with a Tesla model 3 RWD that performs good in the snow?


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## TrevP

Yes, they're all good in the snow but you should consider snow tires in the winter. Rubber gets hard when the temps are below 50 and you lose grip. AWD is NOT a singular solution for winter and snow


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## D. J.

Yep -- I have one of the Mid-Range RWD models that were produced in late 2018 and regularly use it as our Ski car in Colorado. And ditto with dedicated snow tires - I have a separate set of factory 18" aero wheels with Michelin X-Ice snows. I carry chains to be compliant with the traction law here in CO but have never had to put them on.

The traction control is amazing. I've only ever needed a helpful push to get out of a spot that was surrounded by 8" of heavy wet spring snow in a lumpy ski area parking lot - it's always been rock solid on the road. Of course, when there's more than a foot of snow on the road, I break out the old Land Cruiser -- I think an AWD Model 3 would get as stuck in that snow as my RWD since the underbody clearance is the same.


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## lance.bailey

true winter/snow tires (not just M+S) and some real winter driving experience (learned to drive in Ottawa Ontario winters) have kept me going even in the occasional dumps we get out here in the Vancouver area. This was the first of several dumps out here one December. 








Until I married into a Honda FWD all I've ever driven was RWD volvo 245s. Then a couple of AWD volvos and back to RWD with the model 3
A big bag of kitty litter (better than sand) across the axles gave me enough traction, although one trip over the mountains did see me put my 155lb anvil over the back axle. Lots of traction on that trip.


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## iChris93

lance.bailey said:


> A big bag of kitty litter (better than sand) across the axles gave me enough traction, although one trip over the mountains did see me put my 155lb anvil over the back axle. Lots of traction on that trip.


I did this with ICE RWD but with the more evenly distributed weight of the Model 3, I haven't done that.


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## garsh

Randolph said:


> went to get a Tesla model 3 AWD yesterday and the sales man told me the RWD is as good in Snow.
> i live à region with heavy snowfall.
> is this a true statement?


Yes!

Read this post. It explains why a RWD electric car is good in snow even though RWD combustion cars are not.
Worried About Snow? Don't Dismiss Getting Rear Wheel Drive!


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## JasonF

I don’t get a lot of snow here, but I used to live in Ohio. What helped there with snow traction was quite simply having as even as possible weight distribution. AWD helped more with cornering, and getting you out of trouble once you’re already in it.


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## M3OC Rules

AWD will be better getting going but you're still going to get going with RWD with confidence and without drama. I've had no issues with RWD in the winter using winter tires that I got from Tesla. For me they are good tradeoff between traction and freeway feel when the roads are dry. One day there were others struggling to get up our shared driveway. I didn't realize what was going on and stopped in the middle of the hill. I had no issue resuming climbing the icy hill. The only time in the last 2 winters I almost got stuck was due to clearance. 

Combine the awesome traction/stability control, excellent throttle control, fast heater, remote temperature control, no standing outside filling up the gas tank, and you've got an amazing winter car. Totally changed winter for me.


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## Francois Gaucher

I live near Montreal and have my m3 since July 2018. It's a long range rwd.

Before this I used to drive Audi q5, Volvo and BMW, all of them are AWD. And honestly, I have the same level of confidence in my Tesla than every other high end AWD gaz car.

But, I have Nokyan hakkapelita winter tire.


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## sduck

I grew up in the snowbelt in upstate NY back in the day when RWD cars were all we had. And my RWD model 3 is light years better than traditional gas rwd cars, as has been mentioned already. If you use common sense, you'll be fine.


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## slasher016

I have RWD and don't use winter tires. Now I'm the Cincinnati area, and we don't get a ton of snow, but I've had zero issues. If we ever get a huge one (it's been several years for that) then I could have some issues, but in general I'm not even in the least bit concerned.


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## Needsdecaf

I'd much rather have a RWD car with dedicated snows than an AWD car with All seasons. So if budget constrained, get some snows and you'll be fine. 

Grew up in North East, plenty of snow driving on RWD cars. Put on some Blizzaks and was 100% fine. My 2002 Pathfinder came with the worlds crappiest All Season tires and even with the 4WD locked (it had 4WD auto or 4WD locked for high / low) I could not make it up a moderate grade in a light snow. I put some Michelin Pilot Alpins on that sucker and it was a freaking tank in the snow.


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## Kimmo57

AWD will get you going better, but won't stop any different.
A Swedish study actually discovered that accidents in winter are worse with AWD than 2WD, because it makes drivers over confident and drive faster.


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## Taney71

D. J. said:


> Yep -- I have one of the Mid-Range RWD models that were produced in late 2018 and regularly use it as our Ski car in Colorado. And ditto with dedicated snow tires - I have a separate set of factory 18" aero wheels with Michelin X-Ice snows. I carry chains to be compliant with the traction law here in CO but have never had to put them on.
> 
> The traction control is amazing. I've only ever needed a helpful push to get out of a spot that was surrounded by 8" of heavy wet spring snow in a lumpy ski area parking lot - it's always been rock solid on the road. Of course, when there's more than a foot of snow on the road, I break out the old Land Cruiser -- I think an AWD Model 3 would get as stuck in that snow as my RWD since the underbody clearance is the same.


I have a LEMR as well. Live in Michigan and never have had problems with RWD. It handles very well in the winter.


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## lance.bailey

while i agree that AWD will increase the "i'm superman" invincibility attitude of some drivers, it's the attitude that causes crashes, not the AWD. Using AWD for the purpose designed can make it a good thing to have as "another hammer" in the tool bag.

another good thing to have in the tool bag is a clutch. I got out of a lot of snow in my RWD manual shift 245.


that said, possession of good driving skills are even better than weight over the rear axle in a RWD, or AWD, or a clutch or one tire versus another. The skill to know when to stay off the roads being one of the best driving skills.


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## Needsdecaf

lance.bailey said:


> while i agree that AWD will increase the "i'm superman" invincibility attitude of some drivers, it's the attitude that causes crashes, not the AWD. Using AWD for the purpose designed can make it a good thing to have as "another hammer" in the tool bag.
> 
> another good thing to have in the tool bag is a clutch. I got out of a lot of snow in my RWD manual shift 245.
> 
> that said, possession of good driving skills are even better than weight over the rear axle in a RWD, or AWD, or a clutch or one tire versus another. The skill to know when to stay off the roads being one of the best driving skills.


100% it's the attitude. But it's not just an attitude, it's more of disinformation / lack of knowledge. People think / assume / are told that AWD makes you invincible in snow. Forgetting that it won't make you stop or turn any better. And usually, it's the lack of stopping or turning that gets you into an accident, not a lack of go!!


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## AutopilotFan

Randolph said:


> Hi.
> went to get a Tesla model 3 AWD yesterday and the sales man told me the RWD is as good in Snow.
> i live à region with heavy snowfall.
> is this a true statement? Anyone out there with a Tesla model 3 RWD that performs good in the snow?


Yes, this is a true statement. I owned my RWD for 3 months when I drove it in a heavy snowstorm. The car stayed in control on some very slippery and treacherous roads. The traction control is excellent and while I slid around a bit I never lost control. And this was on all-season tires!


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## tencate

I'd rather drive my RWD Model 3 with snow tires than _anything_ else we own when we get snowstorms. (Our other cars include a Subaru Forester.) Caveat: a Model 3 tends to make tracks like a tobaggan if the snow is deep. Not as much ground clearance as the Subie.


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## lance.bailey

tencate said:


> Caveat: a Model 3 tends to make tracks like a tobaggan if the snow is deep. Not as much ground clearance as the Subie.


but can it make snow angels?


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## AutopilotFan

lance.bailey said:


> but can it make snow angels?


Judging from the videos I saw -- only if you turn off the traction controls and turn on slip start!


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## cemoz101

I live in Norway and have a M3 SR+. 

RWD is perfectly fine as long as you have good winter tyres. I have the Hakkapelita R3. Works great. 

In general the traction control on the Model 3 SR+ is very good.


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## adam m

I have a Mid-Range and live in New Hampshire. I ran the stock tires in the snow and I think all things considered it performed very well. The stock tires by the way or horrific in the snow. I think that says a lot about how good the RWD M3 is in the snow. The car was so good, I'm trying all-weather _(the ones with a Mountain/Snowflake Symbol_) tires before declaring I need summer and winter tires. On my ICE cars, I always ran snow tires.

Just for the record, I'm trying Toyo Celcius tires.


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## djejnyc

Thanks for all this info, we live in Brooklyn and never really think about snow but will be spending a week upstate for christmas and there will be snow!


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## D. J.

We got our first significant snow in Colorado back in early-ish October before I had switched out to snow tires for the season. With about 12k miles on the factory Primacy MXM4 tires, my RWD was all over the road in the fresh wet snow. Very squirrely with poor stopping ability. Would definitely NOT recommend. Once I switched to our Michelin X-Ice, she was back to being confident and sure-footed - it will spin for about a foot before the traction control kicks in and roll on.


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## tencate

D. J. said:


> With about 12k miles on the factory Primacy MXM4 tires, my RWD was all over the road in the fresh wet snow.


This is my 3rd winter with Max. First winter was with fresh MXM4 factory tires and it actually did OK. But I agree snow tires are really the only way to go, Max's 2nd winter was with X-Ice and that's what's on this winter too.


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