Does longer DWS life change the answer?

The default gives DWS 40k miles versus PS4 30k. Test the conclusion below: each row temporarily uses the same DWS life on both axles, keeping all your other inputs fixed.

Each cell shows total cash and consumption cost per 1,000 miles. Earlier tire wear can trigger another purchase before the plan ends.

Longer life is plausible. It is not guaranteed.

Continental advertises a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty for the DWS 06 Plus; Michelin advertises 20,000 miles for the PS4. Those figures support testing a longer DWS-life scenario, but do not establish a 2.5× real-world lifespan.

Blueberry has staggered front/rear sizes. The published warranty summaries halve rear mileage coverage for staggered fitments: 25k for DWS and 10k for PS4, subject to terms. Coverage is not predicted wear, and original-equipment warranties can differ. No speculative warranty payout is deducted here.

Continental product & warranty · Michelin PS4 product & warranty · DWS staggered warranty summary · PS4 staggered warranty summary

Tahoe plan: choose the weather, skip chains.

No chains or winter-wheel budget is included. Trips are postponed or avoided when snow, ice, or chain controls are expected. Check conditions for the entire route and return trip; turn back or delay if they change.

DWS 06 Plus is an all-season tire designed for cold-weather use and light snow, making it the more appropriate option for clear but cold trips. It is not a dedicated winter tire and is not a promise of grip on black ice. Neither option overrides the decision to avoid adverse conditions.

While any PS4 tires remain, Blueberry still has summer tires. DWS rears alone do not remove the front tires’ cold-weather limitation. Financial rankings do not score safety or assign an invented dollar value to weather capability.

Michelin temperature guidance · Continental seasonal use · Caltrans conditions & chain rules

What the ownership numbers mean

Total cash: all tire purchases, shaving, installation, entered tax and visit costs needed to drive the selected distance. An axle reaching its replacement point exactly at the finish does not get charged for a purchase needed for the next mile.

Consumption cost: total cash + usable tread value already owned − usable tread value left at the finish. Opening value is identical across plans: two existing fronts and one healthy rear. It is not a new bill. Including it accounts for consuming or discarding the fronts rather than treating their remaining service as free.

Usable tread value = number of tires × entered replacement tire price × remaining-mile fraction, including entered tire tax. This is a linear service-value estimate, not resale proceeds. Mounting, disposal, shaving and visit charges are expensed when incurred and receive no ending credit. Shaving waste and early replacement already affect the result; do not add the displayed discarded-tread value again.

Rear-first DWS plan: replace rears now, then replace the existing fronts with DWS when they reach their service limit. This gets all four onto the same model without discarding usable fronts, but wear dates only align when the remaining rear life at that switch matches the new fronts’ life. The plan card calculates this gap. No tire is held past its service limit to force alignment.

Continental generally recommends matching tire models; mixing may change handling balance. The rear-first plan is a financial comparison, not approval of a summer/all-season combination. Keep matched tires on each axle and confirm vehicle compatibility with a qualified tire specialist. Continental mixing guidance.

Back in phase: the two transition plans install all four DWS tires at the first exhausted axle, never run an exhausted tire longer to wait for the other axle. Afterward, each axle is replaced when due. Different front/rear lifespans can separate their replacement dates again.

Constant prices, linear wear, no financing or discounting. No resale, rebates, unconfirmed warranty credits, surprise punctures, fuel-economy difference, alignment, age-related retirement or seasonal equipment costs are assumed. Add known cash extras in the controls. Annual mileage gives elapsed time only; if the plan spans many years, tire age may require earlier replacement. Remaining miles should be estimated to your chosen service limit, not to bald tread. Tire fitment, current condition and any shaving target need installer confirmation. Sources checked September 18, 2026.

Purchase & installer links

• One Michelin PS4 rear · Tire Rack · $276 before shaving
• Two Michelin PS4 rears · Tires Easy · $256.53 each
• Four Continental DWS 06 Plus · Tire Rack · $938 tires only
• Rolling Stock · $34 installation per tire

For the single PS4, request shaving in the Tire Rack order comments; $35 is the entered allowance. Confirm the target with the installer.