On a recent road trip from Mammoth Lakes to California, my wife and I encountered some crazy blizzard conditions. Knowing the storm was coming, we decided to put chains on our Tesla Model Y to be prepared for the morning. Little did we know, the conditions on the road were not as terrible as we expected, especially with the all-wheel drive of our Tesla.
In hindsight, we probably didn’t need the chains, but we had put them on for extra grip. The decision to buy cheaper chains off Amazon instead of the expensive Tesla chains seemed like a good idea at the time. However, it turned out to be a mistake as the chains ended up damaging our wheels.
The snow chain damage was significant, and we needed to find a solution to repair the wheels. We decided to try out a mobile wheel repair service in the Los Angeles area. The technician, Carlos, did an amazing job at repairing the damage, making the wheels look brand new again.
In the end, the cost of repairing the wheels was still cheaper than buying the Tesla chains. Despite the mistake we made with the chains, we learned valuable lessons for future road trips in snowy conditions.
If I were to do things differently, I would opt to not use chains at all in similar conditions, relying on the all-wheel drive and all-season tires of the Tesla. I would also consider using snow socks for added traction in certain situations.
Overall, the experience taught us the importance of being prepared for road trips in snowy conditions and the value of investing in quality equipment for the safety of our vehicle. Don’t make the same mistake we did, and always be prepared for unexpected weather conditions on the road.
