Ask MF: How to Make a MINI Better in the Snow

Joshua Puetz Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Snow tires have made a huge difference on my Clubman S. I’m in southern Wisconsin where we have wet roads and occasional snow buildup, so I opted for Blizzaks on the performance end of the scale (versus out and out raw studded or ice tires).

But even with snow tires, I still have to watch how hard I accelerate. The Mini has so much power for such a little, light car that it’s prone to spinning those tires like crazy on snow or ice. Slowing down and taking turns at normal car speeds has really helped as well.

Reply

JonPD Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Having spent more than a few years in areas of the world that see massive snowfall the two biggest recommendation I would make would be getting a pair of dedicated winter tires. My preferred winter tires are 16″ and narrow on the width. Keeping the width down helps the tire not snowplow the snow in front of the tire, it also increases the weight of the MINI with a smaller contact patch. I use the 16″ tire for getting a taller side wall to better protect the car from hidden road defects.

The second part of the equation for me personally is driving smoothly. A great part of this is taking a deep breath and relaxing, tension doesn’t do anything to smooth out a persons driving.

Also knowing when to turn off dsc is needed as even with the best tires your wheel is going to slip some and fighting your dsc can often cause more issues than whats its worth.

Reply

Andrew Feb 5th, 2010 Link

I think one of the best things you can do is to get really good snow tires. I have four Nokian Hakkapeliitta snow tires, and I love them. They give me quite a bit of good traction, and I think the only time that I’ve had trouble in deep snow is when I’m getting out of my driveway.

Another thing is to really know how to drive in snow – I’m in Vermont, where I learned in winter. Don’t ride your brakes, look and plan ahead on the road and use your speed accordingly. Too many times, I’ve seen people speeding up and then slowing down for someone in front of them. I’ve found that giving it a bit of gas while going around a corner helps in the times that I’ve lost a bit of traction. The mini’s pretty good in the snow – it’s a small, front-wheel drive car, with all the weight and traction in the front tires.

Reply

Steve Rosenblum Feb 5th, 2010 Link

My 2002 Cooper.. Stick Shift with 15 inch wheels and Goodyear Tripletreds (now mostly worn out), and DSC does very well in the snow. I seldom turn off DSC because I figure if I am spinning the tires when I don’t want, I should be driving easier or smoother.

My 2003 Cooper.. CVT with 15 inch stock Continentals and no DSC is a handfull in the snow. It is difficult to tell when the wheels are spinning. It will be getting better tires this spring, but we tend not to drive that car much in bad weather.

Reply

Sideways Eh! Feb 5th, 2010 Link

I like the MONSTER GARAGE mod…where you mount a pair of snowmobile trax under the rearend…

Honestly though…aside from the obvious (being tires) there is no mod that can improve how smooth you are behind the wheel…the best technique I have is to go to a snow covered parking lot and just let lose! Find the MINI’s limitations and what it can do…this will get you used to what you can expect when you get out on the roads. Most of all, this is fun time :) in a controlled environment (insert closed course caption here) that will be forgiving should you screw up…unless you hit a lamp post…those things pop up from time to time…

Reply

alpinamike Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Here comes the snow, great timing gabe. I have Nokain H1 but my studs fell out. Snow Tires a must, steel rims help bends and put more weight on the tires.

Remember skinny and 15″, 16″ narrow tires for the JCW people.

Reply

alpinamike Feb 5th, 2010 Link

BTW for heavy Snow MINI has Chains that can be order through parts department, they are for 30 mph and under driving, there are also corded chains that are for faster driving and are not so rough.

MINI also has the grip cloths. Like TireRack.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=RF33&mospid=48018&btnr=36_0697&hg=36&fg=95

Reply

JP Dunphy Feb 5th, 2010 Link

i strike a balance between traction and control for snow tires setup. i have two dedicated sets of wheels and tires, light wheels with summer tires, and my stock wheels with winters. i also go one size smaller on tire width than recommended, because thinner tires will cut through snow rather than plow through it (like when you’re on the highway and you put your hand out the window… if you’re making a stop signal with your hand it’ll fly back because of a high resistance, but if you do that dolphin thing, your hand is “thinner” to the air and it just glides around it. similar thing happens with boats too, when you water skii. but anyway, back to topic.)

if you have coilovers you can raise them to increase ground clearance for more snow… if you can fit then, grabbing smallest stock wheels will be good. i happen to have the 17 Crown design wheels, so i run 195/50-17s on mine (recommended 205/45-17 normally… and summer i run 225/40-17, but the wheel is 17×7.5 rather than 17×7 of stock wheels. i personally would prefer the 16×6.5 stock wheel to run thinner tires, but ya go with what you got :)

Reply

JP Dunphy Feb 5th, 2010 Link

oh and putting more weight in the car can help too with traction

Reply

Dusty S Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Hey Mary – I live in Minneapolis and roads here can be down right nasty, lots of snow and lots of ice. The first year I had my MINI, I ran it with the all-season run flats the car came with. That was a nightmare to say the least. Since, I got me a good set of Blizzak snow tires and like Gabe said, it’s a night and day difference. Snow tires are a must. They make winter driving pleasurable. The grip, they corner, they stop, they are wonderful. I’ve gone out in 7″ of snow with no problem. I don’t think I’ll push the snow depth anymore than 7″, though the winter driving worries are now just those other people on the road who shouldn’t be on the road.

Reply

Melis Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Snow tires are great. But also having the Cold Weather Package is great. And even more importantly than that, the right washer fluid. I once drove someone else’s MINI with the Cold Weather Pack but summer mix washer fluid. It turned a blizzard From 6 inches of snow into a very scary experience. Definitely get -20F blue or something like Prestone Winter Yellow. You can also switch to Bosch Icon wipers as the stock ones sometimes cake with ice. If you can’t see well in the winter, snow tires, DSC, etc won’t help much.

Reply

that.guy Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Good narrow snow tires are a given, but the best winter driving upgrade I have made: LSD. Went from OEM open diff to a Quaife. (My car is an 04, so a factory LSD was not yet an option.) Night and day difference in terms of traction and SO much more fun. Winter rally stage, anyone?

Reply

tompetro Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Dude!! Put on some 195 wide Nokian Hakka’s……

End of problem!!

Reply

John Richards Feb 5th, 2010 Link

living on the west coast we get very little snow but have to travel over mountain passes. i use spike spiders that pop on and off in min. plus DRIVE SMOOTH

Reply

fms Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Anyone have steep hill experience w/ their MINI? I haven’t put snow tires on mine yet, mainly because I live on SERIOUS hills, and I doubt the ability of such a lightweight machine to hold the hill w/out sliding, as it does now with any icy or slick situation. I drive the RAV 4 w/ all wheel on the few days when it’s nasty driving.

Reply

Andrew Feb 5th, 2010 Link

@FMS – sometimes? If there’s deep snow, going up my driveway, I’ll have to stop and back up, because it comes right over my windscreen. Sometimes, I have to drop into a lower gear.

Reply

Ken Suzuki Feb 5th, 2010 Link

We went with 15″ Pirelli SnowControls and they work fine for the limited snow we get.

Slow down and adjust your speed well in advance. If there are tracks in the snow from the car in front, keep your tires within those tracks.

Reply

Bernie Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Go skinny, and do NOT add weight to the car! Adding weight will increase your braking distance and make it harder to recover from slides. For traction, how can you add weight to the the front of this FWD car?

Does anyone know of any 15 inch wheels that will fit on a Cooper S?

Reply

Chris Feb 5th, 2010 Link

Not that you shouldn’t be anyway driving a mini. but downshifting instead of breaking can be a help.

Reply

Melis Feb 5th, 2010 Link

@FMS I’ve attempted to drive up steep driveways with all seasons and gotten stuck. And also hand grip problems in fresh 4 inches of snow going uphill from a stop. Def get snow tires.

@Bernie For the R53 Cooper S, the stock 15inch wheels from the Cooper fit. For theR56/55/57 Cooper S needs 16 inch wheels minimum due to the larger front brakes.

Reply

page Feb 6th, 2010 Link

I live at the bottom of a steep cobble stone road in Pittsburgh.. the tires that came with my 2007 mini R56 have been perfect. I have not failed to proceed ..yet… the last 20 feet of the hundred yards up the first of two steep slopes is the challenge as the grip begins to wane but second gear is perfect for this part.

The stock tires have worked well for me.

Reply

Jason Feb 6th, 2010 Link

Move the MINI to FL. The handling will greatly improve; you can even autocross in the dead of winter.

Reply

CraigE Feb 6th, 2010 Link

I live in CT. I had a 2003 Subaru Legacy sedan with the manual trasmission, before my ‘06 Cooper S. I prefer driving my MINI in the winter. I put snows on my MINI and it runs rings around the Subaru with all seasons. I never once had more than a little drama with the MINI. I did however, spin my Subaru. I’d say my MINI has about twice the traction with snows than it did with the standard Dunlop 16″ all season tires.

Reply

Fredric Haberer Feb 6th, 2010 Link

If you’re the guy in the photo, put on earmuffs and/or close the ragtop and/or disable your Openometer. Winning isn’t worth it, man!

Reply

Evan Feb 6th, 2010 Link

2004 Cooper with OEM 15″ all season Continentals and manual, no DSC. Never had an issue with traction in NH and Massachusetts snow, over hills, etc. My only problem is because the front is so low, it can snow plow in deep stuff. But who’d raise the ride height?

Snow tires are never a bad idea though, and with them on for only winter, they’ll last a few seasons and probably extend the life of your other tires.

Reply

Paul Morgan Feb 6th, 2010 Link

Nice to hear advice for snow. My ‘03 MINI seems squirrelly on the freeway during infrequent Southern California rains. Some posts make it sound as though this wagging tail is to be expected. Feels like the start of trouble. Instinct is to slow down. What’s the consensus? paul

Reply

Kevin Weinstein Feb 7th, 2010 Link

snow tires all the way. my first year with my 07, it snowed like crazy in Chicago. put one inch on the ground, or less, and I was slipping,m sliding, going 5 MPH. Then a friend suggest snow tires. Damn. it was like having a 4WD!

OK, maybe not that good, but i could drive safely and a hell of a lot better than before.

Reply

MadisonKobalt Feb 8th, 2010 Link

Get Ken Block or similar Rally America / WRC driver behind the wheel. See the following clip from the recent Rally America – Sno*Drift Rally in Michigan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K37p0vw9cU. :)

Reply