I am getting so many mixed messages about getting snows.

I have a darling 06 Mini Cooper and this will be the first winter with snows.

My size is 175 65R15 but I really cannot find snows in that size, except one pair of Conti's that look too cheap.

I would like Blizzaks, but am wondering what will happen if I go up to a 185 or 195...what does that mean??

Also, shouldn't I stay with a 15" and not go higher?

One more thing, what about this letter rating. The manuf told me to stay with H or "higher" which means V,W, Y, or Z....but NOT Q, they said...what does all that mean???

My brother also said if I leave the tires on rims all summer, they'll get dry rot???

Thanks for any feedback! Maria

 

First, get a set of wheels with your tires, steel rims are cheap. The letters are all about the speed rating. Narrow tires will tend to work better in deep snow than wide ones, you won't "float" on the snow so much and they will dig down for better traction.

These folks can answer all your questions;
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/trug

My MINI with steelies


Mark

 

Ok, Great. I just called your extension. Can you return the call??

 

Mark

 

Hello again!

Problem. Tire Rack says that I canNOT get steels for my snows. None will fit...I can only get alloy! That is bizarre!

Maria

 

Hi, and welcome to NAM Try your MINI dealer, they should have some.

If you store your winter tires in a cool dry place they WILL NOT get dry rot, many of us have 2 or more sets of tires, and store them for months on end.

Mark

 

I have been garaging (unheated) my summer tires/rims, mounted track tires, and mounted winter tires when not in use for about 10yrs and never have had a problem with dry rot.

Try contacting our sponsor, Alex @ Tirerack.
or looking here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=30473

The way tire / wheel sizes work is (very simplified) as you go up in rim diameter (from 15" to 16") the side wall should shrink to keep the overall rolling dia. (or outside dia.) the same... this way your speedo & mileage are accurate, and you gearing doesn't change to decrease fuel econ.

Lets take you tire size of 175/65R15
175 is the width in mm of the tire
65 is the aspect ratio or width vs height number... generally its how "tall" the tire is or the distance from the rim to the tread.
15 is the wheel (metal portion only) diameter in inches.

So if you go from 175/65R15 (23.95" dia) to a 16" rim you should get 185/55R16s which have a rolling dia of 24.01" (almost identical, or less than new to used tire difference)

VERY GENERALLY, larger wheels weigh more than smaller, which increases unsprung weight which hurts handling.
But a lower sidewall generally means better handling... so its a trade off.

narrow tires work better in rain and snow.
And increase fuel econ.
But hurt handling (lower overall grip).

The letters are speed ratings...
here's a link to tirerack to show you what they mean:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=35

Now if your head has not exploded... lets get into the crux of your question:
What snow tire to get?
I'd def. get snows mounted on a spare set of rims, so you can change them out quickly.

If you are driving on mostly dry roads all winter, you do not need a supper-aggressive winter tire, like Nokian Hakka's. (my current winter wheels are 215/40R17 Hakkas, bought used on their current rims... and the car was unstoppable on packed snowy roads)

I have had good experience with Dunlop M3s and 3Ds as well as Bridgestone Blizzak LMs (but really did not like the WSs)

You can also go to your Mini dealer and just get a set of 15" rims with Michelin Alpina's already mounted and save your head from exploding.
(I saw a set at Morristown Mini last night when I was picking up my car, and they have great prices...)
If you do buy from them (and I only live in the area, and don't work for them) tell them Jason with the '06MSC says 'hi'

I hope this helps!

 

HI Jason,

I got my Mini in Morristown!! Thanks for your awesome response.
Why didn't you like the Ws in Blizzak's??

Maria

 

The LM Blizzaks are the sporty version... they handle pretty much like the summer tire did.

the WS Blizzaks were very squishy in terms of ride and handling, and during panic stops, they caused severe panic as they started to fishtail when the treads compressed... they also degraded the feel of turn-in... its was like someone put a rubber band between my hands and the wheels.

The main thing was the fishtailing when having to stomp the brakes on the highway though.

 

I had these when I lived where I needed them;
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....+210+SnowSport

Mark

 

Check out a local MINI club in your area. They may have discount (sponsorship) arrangements with tire dealers in your area.

My local club recommended a local dealer and I got 15" aluminum alloy wheels for about the same price as steelies. Also there may be club discount on the tires themselves. My wheels came out to a few hundred dollars less than what my local MINI dealer was charging for a similar set-up. However, I did get a less expensive snowtire than Blizzaks.

On the other hand, I also found TireRack's pricing to be very reasonable if you buy a tire+wheel combination.

 

Thank you all!
I finally got a set of Blizzaks from Tire Rack and a set of steelies from a Mini dealer. I will have my local garage put everything together!!

Stay warm!

 

I've run snows for years on lats of cars including my Mini.. Here's my suggestion. Call Alex at Tirerack and get his recommendation on tires. Buy a package of rims mounted with snows. Running snows will give you much better traction, and thereby increase your safety. Plus, they will also save your "normal tires" because they won't be racking up mileage while your snows are on your Mini. I wouldn't go through a Chicago winter without them.

 

I lucked out with a set of 215/45/17 WS-50 Blizzaks i had from my old focus. They fit the mini perfectly and did quite well the past snow storm.