Hi all! I am in the market for a new car and am considering the mini. I've owned an 86' VW Jetta and a '00 VW Jetta and love both cars. However VW has changed the Jetta to the point I am no longer interested (is it just me or does it now look EXACTLY like the Passat?) I love little cars, fun, sporty, etc. Single and enjoying it and I like a car with some zip. I commute 60 minutes each way to work, enjoying my car is a requirement. The mini certainly fullfills the cute factor and I have no doubts about the fun factor either. My questions are a bit more pedestrian in nature.

1. I live in Michigan. We get snow, a lot of snow. We also get ice. We are used to this and it doesn't really bother us. As such plowing isn't the highest priority in the world. At 6AM I am often driving very sloppy roads. We've nicknamed my Jettas "my little German Jeep" because they have slogged their way through everything wit no complaint. I've driven home in 2' of snow, plowing snow with the bumper all the way. I've had them drag themselves slowly but surely up steep icy/snowy hills that defeated SUVs. It is a requirement that any car I drive be as reliable in the winter. How does the Mini handle rough winter driving. Not a skiff of snow or a patch of ice, REAL winter driving.

2. I also live in the middle of no where. Lots of unpaved back roads. And this is MI so not only are they unpaved, they are rotten. Huge potholes as far as the eye can see. I ride and often end up parking in farm fields/horse pastures/sides of dirt roads (read edge of the forest). I am a bit concerned that the Mini's lower clearance won't allow this. Are those deep potholes and farm field parking going to defeat this cute little guy?

Those are my two big concerns. Hoping you folks can address them for me. Thanks guys.

 

Welcome. Where in Michigan are you from? I would highly recommend picking up an extra set of wheels and mount a set of snow tires for the rough stuff. I have Bridgestone Blizzaks and love them. At some point depth is going to get you. As you mentioned, ground clearance on a MINI is not to be confused with that of a 4x4. I'd say anything up to about 5-6 inches of snow and you're going to be fine. Much after that and it's getting out of its elements. If your roads are that rough, maybe consider sticking with the 15 or 16 inch wheels to get a bit more sidewall for protection.

Hartz

 

Never had a 4x4 (I hate big vehicles) so I'm not too concerned about that. I just want to be sure it can manage as well as my Jettas have. The 2000 Jetta doesn't have a ton of clearance but enough that it hasn't blinked yet at either the roads or the snow (it is a very heavy car though and that has probably helped a great deal). I'm just seeing folks talk about 3" of clearance and thinking we have potholes twice that deep out here.

I'm in the Metamora area. Which is umm, sort of half way between Saginaw and Detroit. We get a good deal of snow and the roads are still definately "country". Its also a swamp which means very poor road beds. They go to pot very fast.

 

Hi Tandaina

I live in Michigan too and this is my 3rd Winter with the MINI. I have snow tires for the first time this Winter and it's been great. Of course we haven't had much snow either!

My all-season runflats were fine the last two Winters. The MINI will do anything your Jetta did. Get the DSC for an added measure of safety.

Also, check out michiganmini.org! We're a fun club with lots of activities throughout the year. Many helpful people there too to help with your questions from a Michigan point of view.

 

Given the winter driving conditions you'll be up against, I it may be a very good idea to order the Limited-Slip differential!

 

Thanks for the replies guys! I've been NOT having fun car shopping, small, fun, sporty cars at a reasonable price seem very few and far between. The Mini was the first car I actually got excited about this time around! I'll check out the Michigan Mini group and here's hoping I'll be joining the club soon!

 

Welcome to NAM. I wish I could help you, I forget what snow actually looks like. I hope that you find the answers to the question. Good luck, and have fun.

- KP

 

WOW, That sounds like a bad A** place to live in the winter, come on down to Florida for the season.

 

I consider the MINI an adequate snow car, but not a good one. Definitely get DSC. If you plan to run only one set of tires year-round, avoid the high performance tires because the traction on snow/ice is virtually nonexistent.

You will not regret buying a MINI!

 

We live in northeastern Ohio and have a set of snow tires that work really well! So far, no problems.

 

I am in Midland Ontario Canada, we get 10-20cm in one snowfall. In a snowbelt. If you wanna know where on the map, mapquest me. No problems thus far. I love winter driving in my mini, I do have a set of BLizzacks for the winter, and my potenza's for summer.

Last year, I came out of the house and all I could see was my antenna...

J