As I get ready to purchase a set of snow tires for my (non-MINI) second car I thought I'd throw out the snow tire question to some MINI owners. For those that do use snow tires during the winter months what have you had luck with and what would you recommend? Do you have any suggestions for the MINI owner that thinks they may need something but aren't sure where to start?

Since my MINI currently is adorned with all-seasons (Sumitomo HRT+) I've never felt a huge need for dedicated snow tires. This is especially true living in Chicago where large snowfalls seem few and far between during winter (not at all like growing up in snowbelt of northern Indiana). However in the thick snow I have had the pleasure to scamper through I've been relatively surprised at the amount of traction my all-seasons have afforded me. That being said this traction is absolutely nothing compared to what a true snow tire can offer.

Further from my experience the performance tires that come on the MINI (and BMWs for that matter) can be truly scary on any kind of snow covered road. In fact I once got stuck trying to pull out of a lot with only 1/4″ of freshly fallen snow on the ground!

In the past I had always relied on Bridgestone Blizzaks to see me through the worst weather. However I've found their dry performance to be very lacking – this is especially apparent in a place like Chicago that's dry for a good part of the winter. So with that in mind anyone have anything specific to recommend for the snow-belt living MINI owners out there?