Good evening,

I would like to buy a mini and use it all year. I live in Quebec. As I don't have an other car, I would like to use my mini under sun, rain and snow. Do you think it's possible ? I could put winter tyre with nails ?

Thank you !

The choices that I get are :
1. 1994 Mini Classic Mini ROVER SPORTPACK 1.3 L
2. 1994 Mini Cooper, black, 1300 cc
3. 1993 Mini Austin Grey, Manual, 1000 cc
4. 1993 Mini Tuning Cooper, Red, manual, 1300 cc
5. 1992 Austin Mini : blue with white roof. Automatic.
6. 1991 Blue Austin Mini, manual, 1000 cc
7. 1984 Mini classique 1000 E CITY Coupé
8. 1975 AUSTIN MINI, Turquoise, manual, 1000 cc

What do you think ?

 

Bonjour Luc;

We use our MCS convertible all-year long, no problems at all (and we live in the hills).

Getting snow tires with studs would certainly be helpful, but snow tires are so good nowadays that it may be overkill unless you are in a area with a lot of freezing rain.

 

Thanks Dede, if I understand you have a new Mini. My reflexion is about an old classic mini.

 

I know you can use them in the rain and regular weather, but I'm not sure about winter driving. I can't think of any winter tires made for the Mini although I have heard that they are fun to drive in the snow.... I'd say that a Classic Mini isn't a very good car to has a daily driver since they do tend to break often, including the newer ones (pre BMW redesign).

 

Ever owned a classic British car?

Many people have posted here with interest in a classic Mini for their only vehicle. The general consensus is that it's a bad idea unless you have the skills, budget and tools to repair the problems that always seem to be part of the ownership experience that us classic Mini owners deal with. Classic Minis can be much more expensive to repair than domestic classics because (1) the parts are more difficult to find, and (2) there are very limited number of repair shops that have experience working on them.

Yes, technically you should be able to drive a classic Mini year 'round. I was in Munich Germany this last winter and there was an '80s classic that one of the hotel staff drove every day. At one point the snow plows had nearly covered the car.

As far as the choices of Minis you listed, it's purely personal preference.

My suggestion - spend an evening reading similar posts on this forum. If I had to guess, members here answer this question about once every couple months. Good luck! Let us know what you decide to do.

Cheers,
Jeff

 

Hi Jeff, thanks for your advice. No, I ever owned a classic British car. I have a new triumph bonneville.

If I decide to use the mini all year' round, do you think it's better to look for a mini with carburator or by infection ?

Thanks.

 

I don't have experience with fuel injected classic Minis, so I can't say. My experience has been with a carburetted classic in Arizona (no snow). From what I've read the fuel injection is costly to repair due to lack of parts and lack of trained mechanics that have the necessary tools. Not sure about Canada, but that's certainly the case in the states.

I personally have never seen a fuel injected classic in person, but most of the owners I know have 60's era classics, which were of course not injected.

Jeff

 

because i was going to be doing my body work this summer, i drove my 79 mini all year, normal tires, perellie does make a winter tire in the 12inch size. the car runs like crap till it warms up, you will want carb heat on... all the time. cover up the front grill, try and keep the heat in.

it is do able, but a bad idea, i drive my mini as an everyday car... I also have a honda, because the amount of times the car has been off the road for one reason or another. i was looking at your options, are some of those minis from rvwestfalia in quebec?