We're happy with the Dunlop 17" high performance tires on our new MCS, but I'm wondering how happy we'll be when we get some snow/ice this winter. Does anybody else in the DC area have experience running the performance tires in the winter? Good experience or bad? I've driven in snow for many years, but never without at least a mud/snow (all season) tire. Thanks.

 

I drove on Mich Pilot Sports one year during the winter (on my Quattro A4, not MINI) because I was working on Boston for most of the winter and was never at home with the car.

Summer, performance tires become hockey pucks when the temp starts to get below 40 degs or so, and that's without any snow. I wouldn't recommend it. I actually wanted the all seasons, but the order came in with summer tires and I decided that I'd rather have the summer tires and get myself a set of winter tires too.

I picked up some inexpensive 16" rims, and Dunlop M3s for the winter. Figured that sliding off the road into a curb just once would cost me more then the new set of snow tires. Shipped it was in the mid $700s I think.

I picked the M3's since we end up spending a lot of time on cold dry pavement around here and I was told that the Blizzaks are really meant for full time snow and ice. I put them on about two weeks ago and they drive very well on the dry roads. I've even had a panic stop on the toll road yesterday and I don't think the ABS even kicked in, the car just stopped.

 

What you're saying is about what I expected. Are the winter tires you got runflats or not? If not, what do you recommend doing in the case of a flat tire? Thanks.

 

I would have gotten the runflats, but TireRack was out of them pretty early.

At this point, I'm carrying a fit-a-flat and a pump with me. I'll probably get a spare tire to take with me on long trips in case of a full blowout. I hear that one of the Honda spares will work on the cheap.

I was worried at first, but looking back, I've had less then two times where I had a tire go bad enough that I had to change it right then and there (ie filling it with air wouldn't get me home). The odds on actually needed a spare right then and there are pretty slim. I've been driving since '89.

 

I too have the M3s for the missus' MCS, but I just purchased them this year, so can't report on their efficacy.

The stock runflats were pretty good to me last winter, but after 15 years in California, I have no frame of reference for what is "good" or "bad" traction on ice. I anticipate some slippage and drive carefully. /shrug

 

I never could understand why anyone in DC area would by snowtires .... how much snow you get, maybe 3" a year? (except for a blizzard or two). Even when it snows, its gone in a few days.

Never use high performance tires in snow

All-seasons work fine. They work optimally in 20 - 40 degree weather which is DC weather 95% of the time in Winter.

Snows are overkill (IMHO)

 

i've got a set of dunlop winter sport M3 runflats.
they work great on dry pavement and worked great when visiting
the inlaws in rochester, ny over the thanksgiving holiday. (think snow)

the M3's give up a bit of ice/snow traction for dry performance.

one crash is more expensive insurancewise than a set of snows.

 

This thread came at just the right time, I too have been shopping for Winter Tires and Wheels. The prices for the tires are all fairly close, so it seems to come down to which brand...

Hopefully I can learn something from the posts here... Thanks all

 

Because 3" is a helluva lot if you're used to 0". I can manage, having lived in North Texas, but my wife is all Cali: Never driven in the stuff, so $500 for her peace of mind is worth it to me, but hey... different strokes.

 

Since you have the high performance tires and need to get another set of tires anyway, just get the snows over the all seasons. I went for the M3s as well. They are high performance snows and should hold up well.

Sure some winters around here are light with snow. But there are times when we get lots of snow or sleet and the snows will work much better than all seasons. I drive 40 miles each way to work. There have been times when it started to snow while I was at work and then everyone panics and floods the roads. The trip home can end up taking twice as long and the snow can really pile up during my drive. In cases like that I'm sure glad I have good tires under foot.

Better to be safe than sorry.

 

When I ordered my MINI I was still living in Oklahoma so I opted for Summer tires. When I found out I was coming here I decided just to get another set of tire/rims for winter. My summer tires had less then 6K on them so it was pointless to pay $200 or more just to have them dismounted in addition to buying all seasons.

I am using Pirelli Winter 240 SnowSports on a set of 17" BBS knock of rims. I know people have an adverse reaction to runflats, but it they are easier then haveing to call a tow truck They seemed to work just fine.

I even had to put them on a little early this year because I busted the sidewall on my front passenger tire on a pot hole right before a bridge in Annapolis. I had never hit something so hard. If I hadn't had a run flat I would guarntee the tire would have popped right then.

On the same note, anyone recommend a place that will mount and dismount 17" runflats for a decent price around Howard county? MINI in Annapolis wanted $75 or something. I just about hung up when they quated me over $400 for new tire.

 

Actually, outside of the city, we get four or five snow storms a season. Somewhere between 3 - 8 inches each on average I'd say. (With the odd 12" storm about every 3 years). Plus I take a road trip or so during the holidays etc. It also tends to get into the teens once we hit Feb, and stay there for at least a month. The weather here is a bit more brutal then you're giving it credit for. I grew up in Conn. and NY, so I do know what "real" snow can be like.


The reason to get snow tires is that if I've already got summer performance tires I'm going to use those when it's warm (9 months out of the year) so I might as well get snow tires for the months when it's cold and there is nasty weather. Why compromise and get the all-season tires? The snows should last me several seasons.

 

I'm from Northeast Ohio, so I get all sorts of winter weather - just got the Dunlop SP M3's and have so far been extremely impressed.

 

By the way, Dunlop does make the SP M3's in Runflats. A fair amount more expensive then, of course.

 

DC weather is far from brutal. The actual number of days your actually driving ON snow is minimal. Most years zero. A blizzard in 96, and one 03 along with a couple in the early 80s when snow was on the ground for more than say a day or so without being plowed makes snow tires overkill.

As to all-seasons, I am not advocated buying all-season but many MINI come with all-season alreay ... so in a border area like DC, I do not see the point of ALSO buying snows (and ALSO buying performance tires). To me this is a total waste.

 

These guys can do it but I wouldnt expect cheap http://www.glenelgservicenter.com/

Also Benchmark Motors will do it off Red Branch Rd. They get a lot of tirerack customers for BMWs and Mercedes

 

the all-season are basically JOATMON's (jacks of all trades; master of none).

i'd still rather have good ice/snow tires, especially if i were heading
south (richmond is notorious for bad ice storms) or into the maryland
panhandle (up by FROSTBURG).

of course, for really bad weather, we pull out the land rover which also
has dedicated winter tires.

 

Looking to purchase a snow tire package for our MCSa. Is it better to get the package now or wait until later this fall? I was surprised that the online dealers didn't have better prices in the summer - figured they'd want to get rid of their inventory. Any recommendations?