I got my 15-inch steelies, with Blizzak tires mounted, balanced, inflated, and ready-to-install from the Tire Rack. The entire process could not have been any easier. I was astonished how well they have their sh*t together there. I recommend them!

My snow tires and steelies are now on, (boo hoo).

CAN'T WAIT FOR SPRING!

 

i know, i am just venting

that said, it wont be long before we get some snow here, forcast to have quite a bit tonight! eek!

 

I just put my winter rollers on today...excuse the craptastic cell pics compared to my normal cam (didn't seem important enough to run back upstairs three flights ). Refinished some rashed R91's and put ZIEX912 in 205/45 on them (about $700 spent all total). Seems to handle great from my quick shakedown around the block.

 

PGT - I'm an R91 fan - and I'm lovin the look of those in that color on your car... it's you-rific

 

Word. But only occaisionally.

Sympathies to those who experience a real winter.

 

Fleur just got her winter boots on on Monday.

Sport Edition CD 16x7.5 with Conti Winter Contact TS810S SSR

 

thanks. I'm a fan too ever since my wife had a set on her Cabrio. They came out ok....a bit too much texture, but I did 12 coats of clear

 

what did you end up using on the curb rashes? i am hoping to re-finish my winter wheels after this winter

 

aluminox. it's an aluminum epoxy putty. you have about 7-10 minutes to work with it, full cure in a couple of hours. It's easy to trim with a razor knife and blend with sandpaper. After priming, you can't even tell where it was.

 

 

Polizei: Instead of steelies, grab some used 16" alloys, they're available all over the place and some are pretty inexpensive. Try also the 4x100 forum on www.VWVortex.com, I've also seen some pretty good wheel buys on Craigslist, with quite a few snow tires on there right now.

The Dunlop M3s are fantastic snows, a little slippery compared to bald runflats on dry pavement, but the pavement's not always dry... My M3's really quiet, and my last set seemed to last forever. Once worn about 50% they actually make really good all-seasons too. My Dad's had Blizzaks and they seem to wear more quickly and were squirmier, but I've not driven the new versions. I had Semperit Sport Grips that I loved, but theyre not made anymore. Heard also that 205/55/16 will fit jus' fine, and there are a TON of those available.

 

Have my blizzack's mounted on 16" 5-spoke convertable rims all ready to install. Maybe this weekend?
Toyo all-season were ok in the snow when new but once you loose a few 32's of tread the grip gets poor!!
Hope the winter is mild and quick!! COME ON SPRING!!!!

Happy Motoring , Jeff

 

You guys are crazy. Slapped on my steelies + blizzaks a couple days ago and am loving it. The car is 25x as tossable with the skinny b#$ches. And this means many more grins as you can get the rear end to rotate at much saner speeds.

Plus, I'll say it. 15" black steelies are the hottest wheels on a MINI. Period. Maybe a pair of black holies, but.. Don't see them often.

 

thanks, just gotta go find it now locally...

 

I ordered it online though the best place to find it is either an RV shop or a Marine shop.

 

Out here in Phoenix, we're waiting for the first snow forecast before we mount our winter tires!

 

Like Blimey mentioned earlier all-season tires are okay down here. Really don't see much snow. When it does snow, its the idiots playing in the 4x4's that you have to worry about not the snow.

 

we get a lot here but only a few times a year. I had winter tires last year and didn't like the tradeoffs, so, all seasons this year. the summer tires I have aren't allowed below 35F so running A/S is as much about the rubber compound as the tread.

 

Where are you located?

 

VA, an hour west of DC near Mt Weather. We got 12 inches when DC gets 2inches usually. In 2003, we had 34 inches in one storm. Even my Jeep Wrangler got stuck

 

If you can't find that try Devcon for Aluminum. Two part Epoxy putty with powdered alum. in it.

 

34 inches I would be afraid the roof would collapse. If we get 5 or 6 inches it complete shutdown around here.

 

PGT, I actually agree with you for your area and circumstance... and I'm a HUGE fan of winter-specific tires (not a big fan of all-seasons as winter tires). In snow/ice there's nothing better, but it IS frustrating to grind good winter tires to dust when it's not snowy/icy and a decent set of all-seasons would do the trick nicely.

Around here, on these hills and in some of the cr@p we get, I'm sticking with the M3s, but do recognize I'm getting only 60-75% of the life I'd have gotten out of all-seasons.

I think I need ANOTHER set of wheels!

 

the other issue is once there's so much on the ground, the MINI isn't going anywhere anyways due to ground clearance. I'm working from home now and have an FX35AWD as our second vehicle, so, not much reason for the MINI to go out in the white stuff.

 

I'm hoping we don't get too much snow this year, it's not the snow that I mind, it's the damn road salt. This winter the MINI will spend most of the time in the garage, not looking forward to it.