Had a request to start a new thread so we can consolidate SNOW things. This probably gets discussed every Autumn about this time, so, to keep us from searching, and without further ado... the SNOW thread!

 

Tips, Tricks, and Tires:

1) Snow tires are TONS better than even the best new all-seasons in snow. Get some winter tires (a package for minis is under $600 at Tirerack.com, also located in South Bend, or check the tires classifieds I've seen several GOOD sets come up there). Seriously - there's NO better investment you can make in winter. Yes, they ARE that good.

Compare the cost of snow tires to the cost of your insurance deductible and the hassle of towing, repairing, etc. Ask some members who run snows about their experiences. Ask ME - I got to pass a Range Rover once while he spun his tires (he had bald all-seasons), climbed a hill my neighbor's blazer couldn't touch (he had new all seasons - and bought snow tires after!), and phoned the tow truck for a Hummer H2 (new car, but poorly driven on stock tires).

2) Drive like there's a raw egg between you and EVERY conrol in the car. Think "gen-tle". Leave lots of space. Don't slip the clutch too much though, just enough for a gentle start. Often you will want to ease off the clutch and barely (if at all) on the gas - you want to maintain that slim amount of traction you have.

2) a) Momentum: Pittsburgh has hills, some parts of the world don't, but momentum can be your friend. Use it wisely. Don't stop on uphills if you can avoid it! Conserve momentum. Reasonably.
2) b) Stop signs and intersections: Before the salt trucks get out, these get ICY - quickly. Be aware.

3) Use the HIGHEST gear you can for the conditions. Don't "lug" the engine, but you don't want torque breaking your traction. Upshift (to a higher numbered gear) far sooner than you ordinarily would. Lower gears give more torque, which is great for acceleration on dry pavement but can spin the tires uselessly on low-traction surfaces. Once you get better with the snow you can experiment.

4) Clutch in or neutral while braking, almost always. Don't downshift no matter HOW much it makes you sound like Colin McRae (rally driver). Being in N or clutch-in doesn't let the engine interfere with front/rear brake bias. Dwnshifting in a FWD car on slippery surfaces can cause the front tires to skid, reducing steering capability.

5) As soon as snow falls, drive carefully to a deserted parking lot with no light poles or potholes (DO scout it out beforehand). Drive the car, really DRIVE it, to see what it'll do and how it feels. Hit the brakes HARD to see how the ABS feels, then hit the brakes gently and see if you can tell when one, two, or more tires are starting to "lock" (brake pulsations). Leave lots of space. Be aware that police sometimes don't appreciate this activity, so be circumspect in your pursuits.

6) With snows on, try not to laugh too hard at the SUVs on bald all-seasons thinking they can go anywhere. You have as many tires with brakes and steering as they do. 4WD just allows a car to get moving in conditions where (arguably) one shouldn't be driving. All wheel drive (4WD, AWD, whatever) doesn't help stop or turn, and the additional weight usually hurts stopping and turning.

7) When it's cold, the rubber in your tires gets harder. Even on dry pavement, you'll have reduced traction. Your car will also make more noises since everything's stiff. Go easy, at least until things are warmed up. Snow tires have softer rubber to help deal with this - so if you leave them on when its NOT cold, they'll wear faster.

8) Keep an emergency kit in your car. Sleeping bag or blanket, jacket, gloves, a little non-perishable food, and a small bottle or two of water, maybe a small folding shovel. I've known people in New JERSEY (fer cryin out loud! Fuhgeddaboudit!) who've been trapped by snow/ice storms overnight.

I think that's about it...

Oh yeah – snow tire selection:

Use the same care in selecting snows as selecting all-seasons. Some are optimized for ice, others for more speed, still others for deeper snow. I'm a fan of the snows that are more performance optimized, trading off some deep snow traction for better rain/ice capability. Tires I like for the Midwest include Semperit Sport Grip (fantastic tire), Hankook Icebear ($580 for 4 with 15" alloys from Discount Tire Direct website, including shipping - just bolt on and go), and love the Michelin entries (I've had the X-ice and its predecessor, as well as driven the Michelin Pilot winter tire).

Not a huge fan of Blizzaks, they tend to be squirmy but the newer generation may be OK. Never driven 'em for any extended period.

Generally, if it's "studdable" you *may* not want it - that's kind of old school and can be noisy, but will still be better in snow than all-seasons, and will probably be best in heavy snow. It trades off too much, though, in wet performance, dry performance, and noise IMHO. I had Wintermasters and they were OK, a little squirmy in the dry and wet, though, and noisy.

Some random prices for the Mini:

www.TireRack.com (prices do NOT include shipping):
15" $488 Steel wheels with Blizzak Revo and wheelcovers
16" $712 Nice alloys with Continental ContiWinterContacts

Gotta hand it to the Tire Rack - excellent customer service, and they support the NAM site.

Another decent tire site is www.discounttiredirect.com (prices "shipped")
15" $580 Hankook Icebear with alloy wheels ($736 for 16")
15" $652 Michelin X-Ice with alloy wheels ($836 for 16")

Of course, prices are as of this morning, and prices and availability will vary... there are also wheels and tires available in the NAM classifieds...

Some research to brighten your dreary Snow day....

Good luck!

 

nice info... just adding a bit more

run the smallest and narrowest tire you can find in the winter... wide and 17s might look great when its dry, when it's snowy, the narrow tread lets you dig deeper (not exactly too sure about the mechanics, but it's true when you look at a Subaru rally car on a snow stage, they run bicycle wheels!)

 

If you have larger wheels for your summer tires, you can probably get a set of 15" steel wheels and snow tires for less than the cost of 17" snow tires and getting the tires changed over on your alloy wheels.

Steel wheels will definitely pay for themselves over a couple of years.

4 snow tires, not 2!

I'm a fan of the Nokian tires http://www.nokiantires.com/ They've got stuff for the true snow belt folks, and stuff for the "I live in the city but head up to the mountains for skiing" crowd too.

 

Great tips, DixonL2 and very comprehensive. I'm sending this off to my three driving age kids.

One other thing -- do a thorough job cleaning accumulated snow off the car, and especially off of the lights. I can't believe how often I see people driving cars at night with snow-covered headlights.

 

... and (importantly) taillights and rear windows!

Cleaning off the roof is important as well, since your "ice frisbee" landing on someone else's car is your responsibility, not the weather's responsibility.

 

Nice stuff

You might want a reminder that JCW (and other aftermarket?) upgraded brakes have limited wheel choices - you're unlikely to find a set of 15" wheels that will fit and even 16" wheel choices are limited.

Also of course, aftermarket snow tires on the MCS leave you stuck if you lose pressure. Runflat snow tires exist but they're expensive and probably not the best choice

 

You are Correct, Sir! Bring a donut spare, or one of your summer tires (both of which are kind of large), or just a can of Fix-A-Flat.

Be sure the wheels fit. The friendly sales advisors can certainly assist in that regard.

 

I have 16" Borbet CA's with Dunlop Wintersport M3 runflats (195/55/16). It rides great and grips like heck, plus after 2 winters the tires look practically new

Old pic from 2004...

 

I don't drive when it snows. I keep the MINI warm and toasty in the parking garage. I take a
cab, bus, or subway. I can get anywhere I need to on public trans in Korea.

 

Snow and the proper tires for it are not a big issue for me now. But I drove through 35 hard winters. So I may have some advice that works.

First, snow tires are the way to go if you live were snow stays on the ground for more than a month. If ice and snow are a long term issue, IMO, you nuts not to have them.

As to driving tips, spend as much time as you can in the early winter on parking lots, back roads, and get used to using the brakes, steering, and getting moving. Believe me this works to help get back the winter feel for the road.

I would take my MINI, from hard blacktop, to snow covered shoulder, and back to blacktop, at speed, to get used to having to deal with dodging traffic.

I read in a thread in the last few days to depress the clutch, go into neutral, when braking-steering to avoid something. I'm not so sure this is right, as I want power to the driving wheels ready to go, if I need to power up to make a move. Now by this I don't mean hard on the gas, but more a gentle throttle up, as any sudden, harsh change spells trouble in the snow.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

Mark

 

Amen to this tip - I've had too many close encounters with flying snow and ice coming off the roofs of vehciles on the interstate. Not to pick on van and SUV owners but they seem to be the major source of this - probably because the roofs are high and difficult to reach. One cautionary comment though - be careful what you use to sweep the snow off your buggy. I found out the hard way that the plastic bristles on my ice/snow brush would leave significant marks on my clear coat.

 

check tire pressure, use at least newer all season tires,
drive carefully (ie: driving slowly does not equal safe driving!!!),
and enjoy occasional sliding.

 

This is a lot of great info.

This'll be my first winter in the MINI and I'm feeling pretty great about it.

What I decided to do is get another set of wheels (got OEM 16" R83 wheels/tires off ebay) and then bought some winter tires from Tire Rack. Specifically I got Pirellis which seem to be pretty good considering the feedback I heard form them on TR's website. Later this week or so I'll take the wheels and tires and make the switch.

What's nice is the wheels/tires were off an '06 MINI and have maybe 50 miles on them. So when my current tires get warn out, I'll switch.

 

lotsie...I think the poster saying to depress the clutch or go to neutral was for a hard braking where if the wheels were to lock and you were in gear, then the car would stall...then really would have difficulty getting going fast....so yeah, in a panic stop on snow, I always depress the clutch

 

abs will prevent it from locking up though... (i too clutch-in by
instinct although i always wondered if it would actually lockup in the snow).

 

Under HARD braking on snow and/or ice, the ABS kicks in, and the car will not stall till you are almost stopped, as the wheels do lockup at slow speeds.

Mark

 

The old racing adage "both feet in" for a panic stop also applies in snow driving - for a different reason though. Having the driving force detached while braking allows the ABS to do it's job better. Of course, you're still in control, and if you need power simply clutching out gets you there.

It's really noticable in an automatic RWD car withOUT abs - on slippery surfaces the front tires can lock while the rears, still receiving power from the engine, do not. Minis don't have this problem, but it's still a good idea to go "both feet in" - AND remember to steer while braking! That's the main advantage of ABS - allowing vehicle maneuverability while under hard braking.

 

100% correct. It's amazing how many people don't know this. Mash the brakes & hit whatever is in their path.

 

Great write up. The only thing I would add is the circumstances you drive in (how often/much snow) should be a big factor in determining what's appropriate.

I grew up in Salt Lake and was a ski bum for a few years. Driving up and down canyons on snow covered roads mandated studded snow tires (with chains when needed) on my VW Rabbit. Like others have mentioned, this allowed better traction than 4WD vehicle equipped with "lesser" tires. Having moved to a area where driving in snow is a rarity, I don't change tires in the winter.

Just move South and forget about it.

 

A few things I've enjoyed on this thread:

- AMEN!! - Adapt your tires for your area: If you don't get MUCH snow, a good all-season will probably get you through
- "both feet in" and "steer around obstacles while braking"

 

snow tires + lots of speed + ebrake = enjoyable winter fun