Hello,
I'm pretty new here, and I did attempt to look for this, but if it exists here and I didn't look hard enough, I apologize in advance.
I was just wondering how do anyone that lives somewhere with harsher winters deals with driving their mini in the snow, or with the salt that is inevitably on the road after. Getting a winter car isn't an option for me. I live on Long Island, where the winters aren't catastrophic, but they're not easy either.
My real concern is the salt's effect on the car

 

I owned a 2008 R56 S (Pepper white too!) in Wisconsin, I bought it in 2013 but it was in Wisconsin its whole life. There was a decent amount of rust on the frame underneath the car, so much that I could not move the front subframe into service mode. But besides that the car was running great and probably still is (sold it in May of 2016). All you need are winter tires and it's fine in the snow.

 

if they put down salt the next day I find a "laserwash" that sprays down under the car

and a beater car helps, I do not miss living up north at all

 

You think if I used a powerwasher under the car I would be alright also? I'm just not sure how many of those we have around here.

 

Nothing will make your car 'all right'. Anything and everything you do will 'prolong' the life of the sheet metal and the exposed components. I lived for 40 years in the Detroit Metro area and know of what I speak. I feel sorry for any car enthusiast living in the rust belt. That's just another advantage of living in the Tucson area. Cars don't rust here, they petrify.

 

I'm in Wisconsin, also. My MINI became the winter car because it handled great with snow tires. Keep in mind, that living in the metro Milwaukee area helps out, we plow the snow quick. My FJ hasn't seen much winter because of it.
MINI also took car of ALL and any rust. I'd say the last year they have probably spent about $5K-ish. And mine wasn't a rust bucket. No dents or dings, other that the chips on the hood.

 

What are you driving? Is that under the warranty?

 

Don't go OCD worrying about getting 2 cars....
MINI's are sold as cars... transportation....they function as such and do fine in poor weather. Just like any car, when it is super cold, let the salt sit, but as it nears freezing, rinse it off. It not going to destroy a car in a year or two....I used mine for 10 years....ZERO RUST. Some are not do lucky, but most are, just like any car, about 13-15 years is when rust tends to start at nicks and scratches, or plugged drain holes....the factory rust proofing IS really that good...that's why they have a rust warrenty.

As for handling and performance...
All comes down to tires....
MINI's generally have tires that give up wet or slick handling for more dry grip...makes them poor in the snow, etc...so a second set of rims/tires is the best fix imo...that way come summer, you have great grip...
I used all seasons on a second set of rims, and a few years with snow tires on a second set...the snows were better imo in the snow by tons, but wore fast....
Just a calculation you need to make...at the height of the storm, can you wait a bit...let the loose do their thing, or are you going to be on the road. Choose accordingly.

 

you got lucky

 

P.S.
POWERWASHING you car in the winter is a recipe for disaster...
Pushes water into places it should NOT be.....starts corrosion...
And if the car does not sit in a heated garage, things freeze up...doors...locks...windows..etc.
Just a rinse when close to freezing...I did when it hit the mid 20's to get the salt off...a decent no touch car wash is fine...then park in a attached garage, or maybe 20 minutes of driving....no semi heated garage...wash carefully...if the temps are dropping or in the evening...the doors might be frozen shut...so wait.

 

Remember...if the salt and water combo is DRY, it NOT HURTING YOUR CAR.
It when the salt is mixed with water that it's active....that's what I just rinsed off when it got to the mid 20's...colder, the salt is a hard DRY crust, no issues. When you see puddles forming EVERYWHERE, and car wash lines are long, it's time.

 

I have a 2005 R53. I've taken it to MINi several times. The corrosion warranty is unlimited miles and 12 years.
I started with them covering the door seams under the weatherstripping. Then, when getting a dent popped out, I noticed slight runs on the tail light seams. Very deep inside and under warranty.
The entire rear hatch for replaced, too. Also a slight rust spot around the gas tank, or it looked like a bubble tarting to form. They fixed a chip I had done, too. And the bubble may have been rust, not sure, but they took care of it anyway.
MINI will try to cover anything before it becomes a hole, and food to visit the dealer for them to just look. Obviously, you can't drive in something that rust had eaten like crazy, they will (more than likely) deny it quickly.

 

I live in the buffalo area, they use a lot of salt up here, my car is pretty clean underneath. It's been in PA most of its life however, I've had it up here for 3 years. Aside from some fused up ball joints when I had them replaced, no issues with rusting underneath. I did however get the common rear hatch and door sill rust replaced under warranty.

 

Look up product "Fluid Film"

It is available in aerosol cans. Apply it fall & spring.

You can spot treat areas starting to show rust or coat the whole underside. I touch up my cars each oil change, spraying any surfaces starting to show surface rust. Also spray exposed threads & even bolt heads so future repairs will not have corroded fasteners to fight. You can also spray (via supplied "straw") it into your doors/gate through the drain holes in bottom, only need to do that once every couple of years. It helps a lot. One can for touch up or two for full coat of underside. If you can't/won't do it ask your service guy to do it while car is in the air, takes 3-5 minutes for touch up, double that for overall coat.

BEFORE you do fluid film it might be helpful to coat any body rust with POR-15 paint. Brush it on w/ acid brush or small, cheap disposable paint brush from here store. Silver for floor, black for suspension xmembers & control arms where they get a bit sandblasted & surface rust.

 

It's important to note that cars driven on gravel and sand roads have the underside chewed up pretty fast...never had an issue with the little bit of road sand local towns use...all state roads are SALT only up here, as are the highways unless it's pretty crazy out...

If you look at the underside of your car, and touch up worn areas every few years, you can keep a car in GREAT shape from the underside.
And remember, in the last 10+ years since the gen1 cars were made, rust protection has continued to improve...heck the warrenty more than DOUBLED during the gen1 cars production life...