i didnt get the ALL4 (i call it the ALL2) but the front wheel drive with traction control performed fairly well this morning as i ventured out for the first time on snow covered rodes into Boston (10 or so miles from were i live.) i took it slow, abs engaged one time in boston and also performed well. i have 17" RFT.

 

Buying a countryman this week....is the harmn sound system worth the money? thinking about the tecj package with nav...also was considering the all 4 glad to hear the 2 did well. May forgo the 4 and get the tech I amdriving myself crazy

 

to be honest, i never carefully compared the stock radio setup versus the H/K upgrade - it was a last minute decision for me. however, some posters who did not get the H/K upgrade later wanted to upgrade their speakers. so if you like to crank it up once in a while...the H/K maybe for you. i skipped all the tech/nav stuff...its a lot of cash and while i could afford it- i didn't place great value on it. if you drive a lot and travel in areas where its snowy and this is your only car (my wife's vehicle is AWD) then forgo all the tech stuff and get the AWD - (you can also get a GPS with Bluetooth all in one for less than $200 on Amazon.)

 

HK IS very worthwhile; the Sat-Nav isn't as better systems are easily available at a fraction of the price.

 

Wow! I've never seen a thread hijacked that quickly!!

 

Glad to hear that it did ok for you. I have snow tires on my ALL2 and it is a little tank. I plowed though 8" of snow like a champ, although so did my husband in his R56 except the snow went up and over his car and it just went under mine.

 

I'm on the other (western) side of the state from bostonterrier. Snow, ice, and mountains around here. Our CMS has the same set up and it also performed admirably!

I have snows on my '04 MCS JCW and it isn't as good as the CMS. Of course, the CMS's extra weight helps, but I think it also "communicates" its attitude a bit better in poor conditions. I found that I could easily feel the point just before acceleration, turning, or braking forces caused tire slip in the snow and ice. Very easy to predict.

That being said, I can only imagine how even more capable it would be with dedicated snow/ice tires. Run flat all-seasons are a compromise of factors for dry, wet, and snow handling. I'll let them be until next winter.

So, if you are in an area with moderate snow and ice and do not need dedicated snows for state travel regulations, you may find the all-seasons to be adequate.

 

North of 'Boston terrier' - NH - have CM SAll4 with continental Winter Xtreme contacts - handling has been excellent.

 

I picked up my CMS All4 on Saturday and it drove like a charm. I was nervous venturing out in our first snow this winter but didn't want to wait another day to pick him up. Drove back from Long Island to PA with no hitch. This is the reason why I opted for All4. I drove a Tacoma Truck 4WD for years and lost all confidence driving it in the snow here in the NE. Driving the CMS on the snowy and slushy roads was a breeze and I enjoyed the ride. Love, Love my CMS All4!

 

ALL2 is a oxymoron LOL I like it..

 

...sure they're adequate...until they're not!

No tire can save you in all circumstances....but you should always use what is most appropriate for the conditions to maximize safety.

 

Would find the AWD system better suited for winter driving than a 4WD truck!

Have fun with your new car!