Just a quick introduction to say hello to everyone.

This is my first Mini of the BMW era. I purchased last year (2013) a JCW Countryman All-4 from Mini of Loveland. I have been using the car all winter and was greatly surprised to discover that in all their wisdom the All-4 was still mounted with summer performance tires. Driving it the first time in snow was the scariest driving I have ever had to do! Why Mini do this surprises me because typically on an All-4 you are actually looking to be driving in very adverse conditions! Anyways, another $1200 later the thing now behaves just the way it should in snow

 

Welcome to NAM, Nigel_Aves and congrats on your new MINI JCW Countryman, even if it was purchased last year. I can totally relate to your experience. I got caught off guard in one of the first midwestern snow storms with performance tires on my Roadster. I finally knew what it was like to drive a turbo sled. Some $$$ later, all-seasons were installed and all was good. I'll be back to the summer tires shortly. We'd love to see a few pics of your MINI, so post a few why don't you. Happy motoring and please don't forget to promote the MINI wave.

 

Not completely. The All4 system is fantastic in good weather on nice twisty roads. Having the rear end under power at all times really helps it rotate around through corners very nicely. I can toss our R60 JCW into curves at speed with total confidence, knowing the rear end won't get light and step out on me.

So we actually enjoyed the performance RF's last summer and fall, then switched to A/S during the winter....

There are good reasons why high performance cars(i.e. Lambos and Audis to name a couple, as well as the Porsche Carrera 4s) are going to all wheel drive systems....winter driving is only half the equation