I have never been in a car that was so squirly on snowy roads. I have even owned two-wheel drive trucks that did better in the snow. I dread the mornings when it snows. I do have the performance tires, I wish I would have gotten the all-season tires. Anybody else experience this?

 

all season or dedicated snow tires would make a world of difference. Performance tires don't cut it in icy conditions. . .

 

I'd be happy to give it a winter residence here in sunny SoCal if it'll help.

 

MASH in the pedal and let the DSC sort it out

 

What car do you have to trade for the winter?

 

why drive your car with summer tires in the snow?
There are many people selling their wheels here at the marketplace
forum. Might as well get some decent snow or all season tires to
finish off your MCS for the winter. :smile:

 

I drove off the dealer lot was into a snowstorm and the car handled better than I expected. Ours has the same wheels and performance tires. It's even black/black :smile: Maybe I just wasn't pushing it that hard.

 

Got 15" Holies with the Continental all season tires for winter for my MCS. They were take-offs, got them at the dealership, I think for $300. Handles awesome in the snow!!

 

This year I'm running Blizzaks.
There are a must if you are faced with snow and ice ...!!!!
Well worth the investment of $$$$.
My MCS now handles and tracks .... incredibly well :smile:

Peace,
D

 

Never drove mine in the snow with the performance runflats, but I ordered a set of Rota Slipstream wheels from RSpeed with Falken 512 all-season high performance tires and have had no problems in 3 storms in the Northeast so far (knock on wood). I turn off the DSC when I am at a complete stop and turn it back on once the the car is moving.

 

I bought a set of holees and put Michelin Arctic Alpins on them. It drives great in the snow and ice.

 

I'm like scooterboy, but I used steel wheels from tirerack.com

Best $500 I've spent.

I have had Arctic alpins on steel wheels from tire rack for the last
three of our card here in MN and it makes them completely different
winter cars.

 

>>I have never been in a car that was so squirly on snowy roads. I have even owned two-wheel drive trucks that did better in the snow. I dread the mornings when it snows. I do have the performance tires, I wish I would have gotten the all-season tires. Anybody else experience this?

It's all in how you drive, I'm on my second winter with the Pirelli's and I've had no problems driving in up to six inches of snow and this is in my hilly, twisty road area. Keep the tach below 2500 RPM in the first 3 gears and be smooth with your power application, on inclines you may need to switch DSC off to get going, hitting the switch is second nature on the 1-2 shift to turn it back on.

X2

 

Night and day!... That's the difference between tires with some tread
and tires without. Just replaced my two front all-season runflats with
the same. I had 36k on the old ones. Last week- sit and spin. This
week- I'm movin' and groovin'! Lot's of snow here in northern Indiana
and I'm lovin' it!!!

God speed.

 

I drove on performance tires all last winter and only had one accident. You can bet I put on serious all-seasons this year.

 

In the winter I run Pirelli 210 Snowsport tires. They are a great match for my MCS, and I can go just about anywhere with confidence (5" snow yesterday = no problems). I'll admit that Pirellis might be a bit quirky as far as brand recognition goes for winter shoes, but hey we are part of the MINIons that drive MINIs, so its ok to be different.

Pity the MINless.

 

MCS + snow = HUGE grins

My MCS is amazing in the snow, takes all the fun outta thinkin I'm gonna die every time it snows. Though, I would not want to run performance tires, I love my baby too much to lose it at an early age. Dealer, Prestige in Mahwah, hooked me up with 15" holies and dunlop winter/sport tires. was like 160 apiece installed. Best money I've spent in a long while.

 

M3star, it is definitely your tires. Here in New York State I get the opportunity to play in the snow on a regular basis (more coming today) and the MINI is great.

My choice of cars today were my AC Cobra Replica (no roof? I don't think so!), a Mercedes 420SEL or a 1998 Toyota 4Runner. Most people would think that with a foot of snow coming the 4X4 would be a no brainer, but I chose my MCS for the day.

I have the All season tires, NOT the performance.

Now, here's how you fix your problem for onlt $550.... Go online to http://www.tirerack.com and navigate to the winter package specials. You will be able to buy a new set of four rims AND tires for your MINI equiped with Blizzak winter tires that will even out-perform my all season radials.

The final benefit of this is that your nice alloy wheels can avoid the salt and grime of winter; wash them well when storing and give them a bit of wax polish or a spray of WD-40 to keep them sweet.

I recommend that anyone who is running performance tires in winter should consider this. Your performance tires when cold are worse than a good winter tire. So why wear them out when they don't stick anyway?

 

I bought my 03 MCS in Italy and it recently arrived in St Louis. I flew down from North Dakota to pick it up and drive it back this past week. I have to admit I was pretty freaked about driving back up in freezing temps, snow, and ice. After the first snowfall I hit in northern Illinois I knew this car could handle anyhting. I drove it like it was 85 degrees on a spring day. It does get a lot of spray on the back window though.

 

Looks like after I get my new Mini Cooper S this summer the first thing I'll save for after would be the new tires :smile:

 

>>MASH in the pedal and let the DSC sort it out
If you do that you will just sit there with nothing happening. DSC will "shut the motor down"

The only solution to Winter driving is Winter tires.

All seasons are bad Summer tires and bad Winter tires so I would never recommend them. If you are going to keep the car for more than a couple of years the costs of two, sets of tires (and wheels) will even out.

 

Danp,

I do not think that it was your tires that caused the "one" accident. I think you were trying to take pics while your were driving! (LOL) Good to see you again this past Sunday.

Dan

 

must be your tires...here yesterday and today, the weather dumped 5-6 inches of snow in dc, i drove the mini to work today and there is no problem. i think my tires are all-season...it went through slush and freshly packed snow with aplomp.

 

another unfinished thought...usually rear wheel drive cars that have problem in the snow. definitely the tires on yours.

 

Any car with summer tires sucks in the snow. In fact, they suck in the cold b/c the compound gets gets hard and non-sticky at like 40 degrees. You really shouldn't try and make it through a cold winter with summer tires on. It's just asking for trouble.

I have a couple friends with S4s (all wheel drive) - they all have to get winter tires.

And don't believe the hype about all seasons, either. A real snow tire is as much better than all seasons in the snow as the all seasons are better than the summer tires.