Hi All!
I have been coming to this website for some time while I waited for my new Mini Cooper and have read posts to gather information. thanks to all of you, I knew which programmable options to ask for when I picked up my new car.

Mini Performance: I live in North Dakota and arrived in Minneapolis this past Monday via Amtrak train (my wife came with me and wanted to ride home in the new car..isn't that sweet?). We arrived in the Twin Cities during an ICE STORM

Needless to say, I was VERY apprehensive about driving a brand new freakin' car under such conditions and wreaking it before I even get it home!! Let me say to all who are waiting or wondering about this car and winter driving...you have absolutely no worries with the Mini Cooper. The Mini drove like it was on dry pavement...I passed car after car (none Mini's ) that had spun out or worse wreaked. it's sometime during this first drive that I truely began understand the amazing performance and handling of this car and fell in love ...don't tell my wife.

Let me also say, I've been reading with amusement the astonished posts regarding outside temp readings recorded on their Minis and how the Mini handles cold weather. The very 1st day with this car I recorded -7. I expect before January is over, I will record -20...the car has operated flawlessly...all three days I have had it! .

BTW for you northerners here, the first aftermarket item that I have located and am considering installing is an oil pan heater that is made of vinyl and glues to the oil pan...about the only block heater that I have found so far that will work on the Mini Cooper...anybody else have another alternative that they are happy with?

Thanks for all the info everybody! You all have been a great help! I will post back here to let you know how the Mini operates as the North Dakota temp plummets. For Now...I'm off Motoring!

 

Great report, Pat...and I enjoy your spunky spirit, too! How'd your wife enjoy motoring in the new MINI?

I live in Southern California and have yet to hear the 37-degree bing that warns of black ice on the roads! LOL! Returning home from my six-week cross-country Spring Roadtrip, and as we left fellow NAM member, 2minis' home in Albuquerque at 4 am just before this past Memorial Day, I napped out, but hubby heard the bing, dangit! HA HA HA!

Happy holidays motoring in your new baby!

Clover

 

Unfortunately I didn't hear the chime that accompanies the flashing temp because I had my new Harmon Karden stereo waaaaaaay too loud! . By the way, black ice in North Dakota is no problem because it buried too far under the glacial ice .
Okay, now I have to go ask the wife if she has any night errands she wants me to do...there's got to be something!

 

Welcome to NAM.

OK, Now you sound like me, always ready to go in my MINI, don't like taking her car

Earl

 

Pat,
Congratulations.
You have to give us all the details about your Christmas present before we tell you any more SoCal horrible winters stories. Hey, my three bird baths frooze last week - do you have any idea how hard it is to chip a Morning Dove out of a bird bath. Oh, and yes it dinged; the Mini, not the dove.

 

Pat, great story! But (he said in a scolding tone) you must share some pictures so that we can share your excitement! Welcome.

 

Congrats!! We are waiting for ours to get across the pond. Was Gretchen your sales person? What did Motorwerks do for you when you got it. Get any freebies

 

Congrats on the new MINI! That ice storm on Monday was my MINIs first dealings w/ frozen precipitation and she handled it like a champ.

 

Absolutely no freebies!

Doesn't matter to me though I'm not one that goes for the bling! I just buy the frivolous add-ons like rain-sensing wipers which I won't even get to see work until spring.

Amy was my MA at MiniWerks> I recommend her highly...very efficient! Something I really value. She also was very tuned into me; realized after a miserable train trip (bad wx delayed the train by several hrs) that I didn't really want the complete new owner orientation and just coverered the basics and let me go on my way :smile:

Pictures will come..I promise. Have to figure out how to upload...hell I haven't even totally figured out how to create my profile yet. Don't as a rule do a lot of mssg boards; until recently with this damn addicting site.

P.S. Yes that ice storm was a GREAT introduction to the safety features of this little car!

 

Great report! I completely understand your apprehension to drive in icy conditions! I live in So Cal, have had my coop for 13 months now, and I still am apprehensive every time I have to park my car near anyone. A parking lot in California can be as bad as an ice storm in the North. Yes, ice and parking aren't quite the same, however any damage is damage, so take it easy out there!

Oh and BTW, I have heard the chime almost every day for 6 weeks here in Sunny So Cal, so it does freeze here too! Today the low was 29 where I live, no black ice, but plenty of people who wouldn't know what to do if they encountered it.

Enjoy your ride and keep the reports coming!

 

Welcome Pat. Glad you made it home safely in your MINI. We haven't had any of the frozen stuff yet but Monday morning it got down to 9 so I had to forgo the motorcycle and drive the wife's MINI. This morning the low was about 50. It seems to be a NC thing for the weather to change so quickly.

Rick

 

Hmm, doubt I'll ever hear the ding, living here in Florida and all. However, our version of "black ice" is the first rain shower after a long dry spell. The oil from all those non-Mini's floats on the surface of the fresh rain, making the roads extremely slick. So far, no problem in for the Mini!

 

I did ND for 3 years and some type of block heater is a must. I hope you enjoy the time there because as a beach kind of guy I didn't. And you won't have any twisty's either - I know.

 

Welcome to NAM,and have fun with your MINI
I live north of Winnipeg,about an hour,and it gets cold here,as I'm sure you know.The MINI started all last winter,first crank,everytime,no block heater.
One morning the MINI temp guage said -47C,or about-51F.
MINI CA. now has a block heater,part is worth $80.00 Can.but by the time you pay for the install it would cost about $350.00,before taxes.
You could look at an oil dip stick heater,but you may have to pull it out and put the regular dip stick in to drive the car.
This winter I'm using a battery charger I got from my dealer that plugs into the cig.lighter and trickle charges the battery,costs about $100.00 Can.and is a smart charger,so it will stop charging when the battery is charged.The slow charge keeps the battery warm,and the car fires on the first crank.
Now at these cold temps everything is frozen,bearings,moving parts,belts,but the synthetic oil does not get thick.You will get a rough idle for the first 30 seconds or so,and don't release the clutch right away,as the thick tranny oil may cause the car to stall.I let the idle even out,at about 1100 RPM,takes less than minute,than I throttle up to 1500 RPM or so and let the clutch out,by that time I have turned on the blower,heated seats,and the radio,which sometimes has a display that kind of looks like this,AIII 9IIII,till the dash warms up.
If you have all-seasons tires you will find the work well.If you get snow tires,they WORK GREAT

 

Thanks for the info, Lot.

I've thought of the Battery Trickle Charger or warming tray for crank also some kind of oil warmer to keep it a bit thinner..good to know that synthetic doesn't gel up as much as the natural stuff. My main worry now is oil pressure. The first day or so that I had my car it stayed right in the middle or pretty close, now it seems to be wandering quite a bit.

Part of the curse of going with the chrono pkg (other than the obvious sacrilage!! ) is that since we hit this cold snap in ND this past week (-15 night, -7 to maybe 0 day) and I look at my many gauges CONSTANTLY! I've noticed great movement in the oil pressure when cold..more than I've noticed before with other cars....well below half mark idle and climbing close to 70 psi at speed. I DO let the car warm up...but oil is the last to heat...in this cold could take half hour or more. I've wondered if this much movement in pressure is right. I've checked the oil level...(damn! that's a cramped bonnet!) and it's fine..but still, I expect the pressure not vary so much! Any ideas?

I haven't yet recorded below -7 w/my temp gauge yet, mainly because I haven't gone out at night to see what it's recording...that isn't to say that I WON'T!

The challenge is on Lot! Who will record the lowest temp before the winter is over!? Sandy Hook Manitoba Canada?? Or Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA!!

PSA for all you MINI adventurers: Winnipeg Man is an absolute destination! My wife and I go there frequently. Stay at the Fort Garry (historic and wonderful buffet) and visit the Forks...or theatre district. Worth the trip!

Sandy Hook I haven't had the pleasure of visiting yet...but you can be sure by summer I'll give a full tourist report

 

Congrats on the new ride!

I am picking up my MCS from Sarah at Motorwerks. So far has been great. I made sooo many last minute changes. Glad to hear you were happy with the experience there. How long did they need to prep it once it arrived at the dealership?

I will be getting mine the end of January and driving it back to CO. I figured the weather would be too nice in December and wanted a bit more of a challenge

Enjoy the heck out of that new car

Stay warm!