Hello all. This is my first post here and I look forward to learning alot. I plan on buying a MCS in the next couple of weeks as my daily driver Cherokee has seen better days. I have a 06 Corvette that is my week end toy and the Mini will become the daily car which includes winter driving in NY. Ive read through a couple of posts on how the S does in the snow but looking for more first hand experience. I'll be getting an auto with the JCW package with the 16" all season tires. Any input would be welcomed. Thanks.

 

I drive my 2004 MCS all year long. I live near Syracuse, NY, and have to drive through some pretty heavy lake-effect snowfall on a regular basis in the winter. I take off my nice 17-inch summer wheels and grippy tires in the fall, and replace them with Bridgestone Blizzak's mounted to 15-inch steel rims for the winter months. It isn't the prettiest looking MINI in the winter, but it goes like a tank in the snow and ice.

The biggest problem is the corrosion factor. They salt the heck out of the roads here, to melt the snow. This make for safer driving, but also for shorter car lifespans. My MINI is doing okay underneath, but it is definitely suffering from 4 winters of salt exposure.

It is a necessary evil, as this is my only car, I have to drive it all year long. Do I wish I had a winter "beater" car? Only every day, but money wasn't growing on that money tree in the back yard, if you catch my drift.

So, be prepared for some heartache when you look under your car one day in a couple years, and see rust. Just try to wash it, or at least rinse it off regularly throughout the winter. That may help a little!

And if you live down near the city, you may not need snow tires. The weather is much different down there. Not as much snow, and I don't believe they salt the roads down there, do they?

 

If you get any kind of snow whatsoever the "all-season" tires are going to suck. My wife drives her '07 MCS all year 'round. I mount up dedicated winter tires for her in about November each year. She has no complaints here in Minnesota.

Although it doesn't move anything like my awd Subaru with dedicated winter tires, it gets her around just fine.

 

Tires make all the difference. I drove a 5.0 Mustang for many Minnesota winters. I just used Blizzaks for the snowiest months.
I'm going to wear out my all-season runflats on my MCS and then get a set of summer and winter tires to swap around. New Jersey is a lot easier on the snow.

 

you might get the tires siped they will grip better and last longer

 

Thanks for the heads up guys.

 

No problems...The MINI MCSa actually out performs alot of cars crossing a NY bridge with crosswinds (low to ground) and in the traffic during the winter. I haven't tried the Clubman yet in the winter.

 

im down by the city and havent driven it in snow yet but we only had like maybe 3 undriveable days this past winter and maybe 10 crappy days alltogether. snow tires will make this car perform better than any other car i have owned in the past.