Thought I would post this here and see what people think. Is it a crime to drive a Mini GP up here in Canada through the winter? Not sure if it would be any worse for the car than someone driving around all year in a super humid climate like Florida, or baking in the west coast sun.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

 

I think it depends on what your plans are for the car. My wife stores her Porsche every winter because she wants to keep it for a while and because it's a convertible that she pretty much only drives it with the top down...which doesn't always make sense in Michigan. It's a 2006 in perfect condition due in large part to lack of salt and slush. She drives a Toyota mini van in the winter (which is another reason she hates winter). I do occasionally see a car like hers during the winter and I always think to myself that the person has more money than brains (I'll probably take some heat for that comment).


I'm sure your car could survive the winter, but you should take some precautions like snow tires, lots of wax, and frequent visits to the self-spray car wash. My biggest concern when driving is always other people...does the guy coming up behind you have good tires? It is an added cost to store a car and maintain a winter car, but if you want to keep your GP nice for a really long time, it might give you some peace of mind. Plus, during the winter you can go really long times without really enjoying a nice drive anyway!

For the record, I have a plain old "Justa" that's wintered five Michigan winters and still looks great...except for some salt chips on the front end.

 

Thanks for the insight!