I'm new to Mini and need help deciding if I should use all season or winter tires this winter. I have summers now, so purchasing another set is crucial. I have a set of 17" rims for winter.

Winters in central Illinois aren't severe. But when it snows, there's a good amount of snow drift. Roads around here are plowed, but not salted much. They can get icy. On the flip side, there are a lot of mild days at the begging and end of the winter.

I only drive a few miles to work. Stock suspension aside from polyurethane control arm bushings and a 19mm rear sway bar.

I'm worried about the short wheel base on the Mini. Is this a legitimate worry?

What tires would you get?

 

Winter tires make a big difference. Worth it to save an accident. Here we can skip chains if the tires are rated for that. But in truth we get so little snow that I tend to stay home if possible because it is the out of control SUV hitting me that is of most concern.

 

+1 snow tires make a huge difference in the MINI, if you get them, a dedicated set of steel wheels it will save your summer wheels and make an easy swap to winter.

I had studded Pirelli winter carvers and for non studded blizzaks ws 60


Have MINI do you have ? gen 1 and gen 2 4x100 wheels

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...now-tires.html







Gen 2 Countryman / Paceman here :

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ntryman-s.html

 

I went three (pretty harsh) years in Michigan with all-seasons and managed. Last year I got a set of "steelies" with snow tires and we had a very mild winter. I'll keep putting the snow tires on if it encourages mild winters! They did help, but first time in my life I've ever had a dedicated set of winter tires.

 

A set of studded winter snows will give you peace of mind.

 

I have done 20+ winters in Michigan, and last winter was the first with winter tires (and the mini). I wish I had know just how much better the driving was 2 decades ago. I am not sure how many seasons they will last, so if money is an issue, perhaps a good set of all seasons may work for you. However, the worst winter tires are still better than the best all-seasons (or no-season tires, depending on who you ask)!

Edit: saw you had summer tires. Go winter with the cheapest rims you can find. Steel if they fit.

 

Firm believer in winter tires. Not just for snow/ice traction which is tremendous, but on a FWD lightweight car like my Cooper GP2, it is a must since the traction and grip from the rubber compound is far superior in cold temps. The car can break free sticky summer rubber on hot days; A/S tires will struggle in the temperatues we see here. Granted I am in Minneapolis, but even when I lived in IL, I always ran two sets of wheels...including my AWD cars. I converted the stock 17s from the GP2 with Pirelli Sottozero Series II from Tire Rack in the same size as the OEM Kumhos. $309 for all 4 before shipping? Unreal!! That is the equivalent of one winter tire for my Volvo V60 Polestar.

 

I should have said three harsh winters in a Mini...I've been driving in Michigan since 1976 without winter tires and never ended up in the ditch. While last year was mild, the snow tires did help a lot!

 

I second and third this, but will add... if you find yourself a GOOD set of all seasons, it can save you the hassle of having to put the new tires on if you don't buy yourself a cheap set of wheels for the winter (which I also highly recommend). And don't buy just any snow tires. My Pirelli all season tires fare much better in the snow than my Hankook snow tires did.

I went through last winter with a set of Pirelli All Season tires on my 08 JustaCooper and was very pleased with the results. Honestly, the Pirelli tires were a better choice in just about any weather.

 

Once you drive on a set of real winter tires (not all seasons) you will wonder how you ever got along without them. The difference is that great.

 

this will be my 1st winter in my Mini (for it is april of this year) Im pretty confused on the tires size with the Steelies on ECS site - https://www.ecstuning.com/News/MINI_...els_2014_2015/

Is is the stock tire size I have? 2016 Cooper S

The description is confusing, or at least to me it is.

 

My wife had a 11 justa Convertible and has a 12 hardtop now. I run snowtires or nokian all weather tires on all my cars, NW Chicago burbs. I made the mistake of swapping out the dunlop wintersports on her mini early one season, got stuck big time in only 2 inches of snow, these were the stock conti all seasons- forget which one now.
Ive got a set of nokian WR D3 runflats for her mini this coming season. I ve had great experience with nokian WRG all weather tires on a variety of subarus and minvans for over a decade, they are snow rated and as good as the performance snowtires like the wintersport or blizzak LMs (CR actually one year rated them best in snow against "real snowtires") but the Nokians can be run all year and are better than any factory all season Ive ever had on a series of subaru outbacks/legacies, tribecas, sienna and windstar minivans.

If you want decent (by winter tire standard) snow traction and good summer tires and never have to swap tires every season then splash out some cash for the Nokians.

Only downside besides cost is that the latest generation directional tread WRG3 SUV for our outbacks get crazy noisy after a while, I dont have the problem with the asymmetric tread non suv version I use as my winter tire on my WRX but I had to replace the daughters WRG3 SUV on her 14 outback after 32K miles and still have half tread left . It was so loud I thought the bearings were gone! My wife took daughters car out for a drive and texted me immediately there was something wrong. This from dearly beloved one who when we were first married managed to run my Integras brakes to metal on metal and not notice the grinding! Put an old worn set of WRG2s left over from our totaled 09 outback on and it was quiet as a mouse! Her alignment was off but my wifes 13 outback with same tires is starting to make a similar, though much less loud, noise after 20K. Had the asymmetric older WRG2 on that car for 40+ K with no noise.

I think all the WRG3s for all likely mini sizes are asymmetric as they are car sizes as opposed to SUV sizes, the runflat WR D3 is directional. The D3 was raking in all the top winter tire test results several years ago in europe - (Nokian only sell one size D3 in the US and its specific for the mini as a run flat) but tread is slightly different from the WRG3. Will see what happens with her mini next few seasons. I guess with these new WRG3/D3s, alignment and rotation will need to be even more OCD. Or as my son said when I told him I was buying big sister a new set of tires - "why cant she just turn the radio up, its not dangerous, just loud".

 

Hello,

Those are for the :

Fits:
F56 MINI Cooper Base (2014+)

Not for the Cooper S or JCW. MINI did not make a steel winter wheel for the Cooper S, just a spare which can fit on the rear. You would have to get a set of 16" oem wheels and rund snow tires on those. If you have JCW brakes you would have to run 18" with spacers or the JCW BBK wheels.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2014-Cooper-F56-S-3_Door-B48A20A/Wheels/OEM_Alloys/

 

Hi everyone, thanks for reviewing. To clarify, I have a set of winter rims, just need tires.


It looks like winter tires are the recommendation. The Nokian WRGs sound like the perfect tire for my situation. I'll look into cost and decide from there.


I guess what I've been trying to ask is: Does the Mini struggle in snow any more than another fwd car? Does the short wheel base make it challenging?

 

I have Pirelli Sotozero 2 I believe. (Not sure on the number).

Handled well last winter, no issues at all.

I went with them over the blizzaks as most of my driving seemed to be wet and slushy instead of snow and ice.

They did seem to wear a bit more than I had hoped (November to April) but I will likely get 2 more seasons at least.

 

Ive driven some pretty small FWD cars in europe and the mini isnt really that small by world standards. I dont think length is an issue. Weight is more relevant.

 

Four winters with my Mini and I've never been stranded. My biggest fear is running into "ice boogers" that fall of cars or trucks in front of me, but even that hasn't been an issue. I have skipped driving across the state for a few meetings if the weather was lousy and used my Mini as the excuse...and the world went on just fine without me (probably better).

 

The weather was way too good 2 weeks ago. Went out with my 18 year old daughter and we put the winter tires on wifes Mini and my WRX. Little early perhaps but better than when its wet and cold.
After @500 miles I think the Nokian D3 runflats on the Mini run softer than the all season Bridgestone Driveguards (or stock Conti all season non runflats but thats from over a year ago now) and from memory they are softer than the Dunlop Wintersport runflats we had before for winter.
Will see how traction is this winter and the road noise after they have worn down a little.

 

remember that the good grippy rubber wears off the snow tires pretty quick, so a set of used ones might look OK, but they will not be as good as new.

 

Oops. Wrong thread

 

RDMELO - I live in central Iowa and likely have similar winters to what you experience. Given you have summer performance tires for your MINI, I'd definitely suggest you go with separate wheels/dedicated winter tires. The winter tire compounding will optimize your MINIs winter performance..even in dry/cold winter conditions. Personally, we purchased the Pirelli Sottozero III tires for our Roadster.....my calendar says I should be swapping them out now (was done Nov 1st last year) but our unseasonably warm early November has me delaying the swap for a couple of more weeks.

 

Hopefully it will be a warmer fall/ winter and I will not have to swap over soon. But just saying that, it might snow here soon

 

How low do you run your winter tires?
I have Blizzak LM 60 rtfs

Just had them put back on yesterday, (I have two sets of rims).
After getting home I actually read the service sheets.
It states that the tires have 3mm left on all four.
It's says that it is recommended to replace, wondering if it's close or not as they might wish to sell me a new set, should I purchase now?

I get my tires from tirerack, and live in the Chicagoland area!

 

Hi Bubba! Having lived through many Chicago winters the value of good tread depth was pounded home to me, usually the hard way. When you start getting near blizzard time you may wish to replace. If there's a sale going on go ahead and do it. If no sales, ask if they have a price guarantee.

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Given that your Blizzak LM 60 RF's had 11 or 12/32" of tread when new....3/32 is not much tread....I suspect all their multi-cell compound is gone and you have very little tread left to deal with any snow....I'd be shopping for replacement winter tires before the white stuff arrives...you can likely find some rebates if you act soon... Here's what Tire Rack shows currently in effect: http://www.tirerack.com/specialoffer....jsp?tab=Tires