Hey All, I'm thinking about driving my 03 Cooper S (17" wheels) in the Colorado winter this year. I will definitely get snow tires but am worried about the clearance once the snow starts to build up (I ran over a big mac box the other day and didn't clear it). Does anyone have any experience with this? I would rather not use my Mini as a snowplow and end up losing a bumper

 

Where in CO? I can't even drive my 4x4 on some snow days out here in Falcon, east of Colorado Springs. I do know a few in Denver that drive MINIs all winter. You may want to consider dedicated snow/wheel combo 15" or 16", 17" winter tires may be real pricey.

 

I'm in Ft. Collins CO, most days aren't too bad but yeah, once in a while it can get nasty.

 

I run my 04 S year round, we dont get the Snow here on the east coast the way you do out there, I was actually based in Ft Collins and Greely back in the late 90s and yea the weather can get a little rough, I run dedicated 16s on all 4s for the Winter months so far have not been stuck, and I am about 1000 Ft above sea level.

 

IF they plow in your area and you are only talking 1-3" on the road you are probably fine. Any more than that i'd park the MINI. PS arent autosocks legal in CO?
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...09-post12.html

 

I live in the Boston area, and we, on occasion, get a boat-load of snow.
Right after I got Emily ('02 MCS w/17" wheels), I invested in some cheap 16" steel wheels and mounted Bridgestone Blizzaks, and have yet to get stuck. As I remember, the wheel/tire package was about 500 bucks.
Money well spent.
Just watch out for Big Mac boxes....

 

FWIW....They do sell MINI's in Canada

 

Wow that's cheap, I can barely find 4 new 16" snow tires for much under $500.

 

check out the nam marketplace there are several snow tire sets right now. i live in ohio and with the blizzaks it is not a problem in the snow. although mine is not lowered. i lived in durango for a spell and from i remember colorado uses plows and sand so there is a layer of pack on the roads, right. in ohio these guys love the damn salt, no snow on the road, but no grass by the road and you are washing the undercarriage twice a week if you're lucky, and spraying the car with some light weight oil to prevent the rust!

 

I have a 07 MCS with snows mounted on 17" wheels. I've had no problems with snowy Chicago winters.

 

dont they salt the roads in chicago? i still wonder how it would do on a non salted road like what they hae in colorado, of course there is a lot of sun during the winter in that state so maybe the road snow melts pretty fast.

 

i drive mine everyday but if they dont plow and its more than a couple inches im not gettin anywhere i just call in.

 

I live in Canada, and drive a lowered MINI in Canadian winters, and I am in the snow belt in the middle of the country (country as in the middle of nowhere) and live on a dirt road.

MINI is amazing in the snow and will truck through almost anything provided you have excellent snow tires, I have never once been stuck, or unintentionally lost control, and I go out driving on un-plowed roads in 1.5 foot accumulation overnight snowstorms for fun

Heres a pic of one of my daily drivers 2 years ago for an idea of what the MINI goes through now.