Here in south-coastal Maine, we got our first actual snow. I know... we got a little bit last week, but that didn't count as schools weren't cancelled and we didn't go into full "snow panic" hyper-ventilation mode. But this morning was the real thing! Lottsa SUVs in ditches!!! (that's where they belong anyways).

How many of you hearty Northeasterners drive your MINIs year round? I drove mine in this morning. There were a couple of places where traction was (momentarily) a little "iffy" -- especially at stop signs where lesser cars and in-expert drivers had spun their wheels (SUVs again I suspect). I traded my "sensible" Volvo in to get the MINI, so I don't have much of a choice. I guess I could drive my TR6. but I'd have to be really crazy to do that -- what a handful that would be!!

Anyway - don't let a little snow keep you from enjoying your MINI, after all, it's only frozen rain!

 

"down" here in Gloucester, MA, it wasn't "real" snow - probably less than an inch. I drove GBMINI instead of GPMINI.

MINIs are excellent in snow, so long as you have the right tires. All seasons for not-so-snowy places and proper snow tires "way up north"

 

That happens around here at the merest mention of the "s" word!!

I guess from a design physics standpoint you are right. "Long-live the Backlash!!!"

Lesser cars? Absolutely!!! They are scarcely worthy of sharing the same road.

 

I love, love, love driving in the snow. I loved playing in the snow as a kid and it just never wears off.
It's especially great on days like that where everyone is freaking out, SUVs (and plows!) in ditches, and your mini whizzes by them at full speed.

 

Odd to read this from someone who lives in Maine, but Winter in general and snow in particular really suck!! Every time we get more than a dusting, the highway crews are out spewing sand, small stones and salt at every car unlucky enough to be on the road. No matter how far back from them you try to drive, there's always a "bouncer" that hits the front of your car.

I know that if they weren't sanding the road (their term - I call it more like a "stoning"), then the jerks in the SUVs would all be calling on their cells to complain that they have skidded off the road. But really! I have only had my MC for a little over a month now. It's not time to accept the dings and windshield damage that this causes.

I washed both my MINI and my wife's black Honda Fit yesterday and before I even got them home, some bozo who couldn't be bothered to avoid it drove straight into a pile of slush spattering the cars with schmutz. And even if I could have avoided the slobs, the air itself was full of grit and pulverized salt dust.

Not only that, but I have a driveway that's just too long to shovel, so I have to hire a guy to plow it. $30 @ storm is the price this year.

During the Winter, I can hardly remember why I live up here, but then the Summer comes again and it all comes back to me.

 

I just put snows on mine, and not a day too soon! Drove it in rather heavy snow on the mass pike friday night, not one problem. It actually did better then the Tahoe I traded in!

 

My TR250 is all tucked up for the winter! Was driving it till 1st week of Jan though - top-down too.

It's really snowing here (west of Boston) - 6-10 inches in the forecast. Still driving the Mini, installed snow tires on it this winter, and am very impressed. These things really work! So long as the snow is less than 6 inches, I'm O.K. More than that and I might be stranded. Ditched the run-flats and have Goodyear Eagle F1's to go on once the snow is gone for the year.

Rob.

 

I drove through the storm on Valentine's Day, and had no problems at all, the DSC kicked in once in a while when traction was sketchy but my BRG '06 S carried me through it all! I did motor past several over confident and now stuck SUVs! Happy Motoring

 

I drove into work in the Valentine's storm too. Stayed a couple of hours to take care of any "Face time" issues and then headed for home again. I'm glad I did because the plows weren't keeping up with the snow fall by then and the MINI was doing just a little "plowing" itself!

I hope the Winter's almost over now. There was a weather forecast I saw on the 'net (so it must be well researched and true) that said most of the country would have a warm March and April including the Northeast. WooHoo!

Maybe I'll be able to wash my car one of these days and have it still look good the next day (or is that too much to ask). In any case, with all this snow piled up on the sides of the road, the streets will be wet and salty for some time to come. Patience is a virtue I'm a little short of! :impatient

 

More snow forecasted for tomorrow. Sadly there's still several inches of solid ice in my driveway.

I made it into work on time with no problems. All my coworkers drive big trucks and I love snow storms and watching them get in very late and complain about the conditions, while I just sit there and smile.