So as I've mentioned in other threads - we just picked up a lovely fully loaded 17' Countryman S with the JCW. My wife is thrilled - it's her car. I'm now looking for snow tires and will run dedicated snow and summer wheel/tires. I'm not yet certain if I'll put winter tires on aftermarket wheels or on the OEM 19's and run aftermarket summers yet... but regardless I'm trying to pick which tires to go with.

What are the rest of your running for dedicated winter tires?
I've narrowed my search down to two.

Performance Winters - Blizzak LM 32's
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...cleSearch=true

Studless Ice and Snows - Yokahama iceGUARD
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...cleSearch=true

 

When we lived in Central New York (there was a ski place nearby where you would have 20' of natural snow base) I had studded tires on the wife's car. Now that was a FWD and you do not mention All4 on the CM.

Can you run studs in your area?

 

Not legal to run studs here. Studs are only any better in ice or hard packed snow. In the fluffy stuff or slushy stuff studded tires are not as good as studless ice and snows. I think we'll probably go with the Yokahama's

 

Oh come on... I know many "purists" hate it, but it's not THAT big.

You generally want narrower tires with a taller sidewall for your winter tires, so I'd leave your 19" wheels as your summers and get a set of 18 or even 17 for your winters, which would allow you to get a higher-profile tire. (Especially if you like your 19" wheels - winter (at least here in NY/NJ) can four-asterisks with your wheels, especially with the surprise potholes in early spring. Let a "cheap" set of winter wheels take the brunt of that abuse.)

As for tires... Blizzak's seem to wear pretty quickly, but are great while they last. I'm probably going with the Michelin X-Ice XI3 in 17" for this year on my 2017 Countryman S All4.

 

LOL - fully loaded as in every option... hahaha - not weight.

Hm yes - I think maybe going with 18's may not be a bad idea. I'm so used to super low profile tires on my other cars that I consider the sidewalls on the OEM 19's to be tall! LOL...

 

Not weight. Length.

 

>"Let's talk Snow Tires!"<

Lets not and just say we did.

I really don't mind snow but I hate the salt that they put on the roads afterwards.

 

lm-32. been using them for years, after dunlop screwed up the wintersport line with their revised tire. Its a very good performance tire, definitely erring on the side of performance from deep snow traction, but they are still decent in the snow.

 

^^^This is perfect advise. I also run dedicated Summer Tires and I run Pirelli Sottozero Run Flats Winter Tires on 17” rims to give me some cushion on those hidden pot holes and allow me to get to a garage in case of the unfortunates

 

Picked em up today. Plenty of sidewall rubber. Should make for a beast in the snow!

 

Skipping the snow tires. Gonna try to fit 17" wheels with oversized A/T tires today. Hoping they will fit without a lift kit. lol