Ask MF: Is the MINI a Good Winter Car?
MotoringFile reader Cynthia S writes:
>I have been considering buying my daughter a MINI Cooper but I’m concerned about how it handles in the snow. What experience do you have with this?
I can’t speak for DB (since I don’t believe he’s ever seen snow) but I’ve driven all my MINIs over the years in snow and never had an issue. While I personally prefer RWD in low traction situations (call me old-fashioned), I’d say the majority of drivers out there will do better with a fwd car like the MINI – provided it isn’t equipped with the optional high performance tires. As long as you have all-seasons (or better yet) winter tires, the MINI can be a little bulldog in the snow. But I’m sure our readers can share their experiences as well…
i wouldn’t worry about the MINI in the snow. make sure she has DSC and good set of winter tires and she’ll be all set!
That exhaust looks vaguely familiar…..
If you live in a very snow area, like around the great lakes or in the rockies, then snow tires would be recommended. I have a set of 15″ steel wheels with Bridgestone Blizzak tires, that I switch out every spring and fall.
Let me tell you, the MINI is a tank in the snow with these tires. I live in the snow belt around Syracuse, NY, (can you say “lake-effect snow”?), and I have no problem getting around up hills, around turns, etc.
The DSC, ABS and EBD are all great safety features, and help this little car drive great in the snow.
NO WORRIES!
I don’t think DSC is a must – mine has ASC and it’s fine in the snow. 15″ wheels with 175-series snow tires (I prefer the Pirelli’s) will help a great deal, plus it saves your “good” wheels/tires for the better weather. And the cold weather package continues to be a good value for those who live in the north…
Remember that 15″ wheels won’t fit on the front of a Cooper S because of the rotor size…
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I have a 2005 MCS with LSD and all the traction goodies, and it does quite well in the snow until the snow gets so high that it starts plowing it. My main complaint is that if you have to park outside (even if it is only to go to work/shopping/whatever), the side windows sometimes freeze open and makes it difficult to get in/out for fear of busting the glass (basically shutting it in the door). Does anyone have a good solution for this problem? I’ve been trying to make sure the window is scraped clean before trying the handle, but I don’t always remember or get it completely clean.
2002 MCS. Great in the snow with a set of Blizzaks. And this is from someone who lives in Western New York, again, Lake Effect Snow area. Of course, almost any car is good in the snow with Blizzaks. My wife’s Mazda 3 (hatchback) was criminally bad with the OEM tires. Now she has Blizzaks as well, it’s almost as good as my MINI, it’s just that her traction control is not as good as the ASC on the Cooper S.
I lived in northern indiana and experienced quite a bit of snow so i purchased a set of snow tires and the MINI turned into a snow mobile. with the DSC it performed flawlessly an effortly. I found myself pushing snow down ruel roads where other cars could not go. I have since moved to VAbeach and have no use for them now. any takers? Send me an email for pix of the set at <a href="mailto:iespich@yahoo.com">iespich@yahoo.com</a>
My MINI Cooper S with DSC performs far better than our SUV in the snow. The system works very well to manage traction and keep you straight rather than just cutting power when spinning is detected.
You might actually be doing your daughter a disservice, though, if she doesn’t already know how to drive in the snow. If she does, than I wouldn’t worry at all.
I live in Massachusetts, drive a stock 1995 MINI Cooper with the stock tires, no traction control, etc. It’s just OK in the snow. I would NOT recommend this car for someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience driving in the snow unless you plan on also getting real snow tires as mentioned above. I would also recommend a traction control option.
I have done well with the car as I’ve been driving in snow for 20 years, but there is definitely an occasion for slipping and the car doesn’t do very well in heavy snow (2″ or more of fresh snow and you’ll be slipping all over the place without snow tires or traction control). I will most definitely be getting snow tires for next season and may actually upgrade the car to a Cooper S with DSC.
My 04 Cooper S JCW had all weather tires on 15″ rims for the winter. (clarification to above: only the 07 MCS rotors prohibit 15″ rims) these after three seasons on snows. Though not as sure in snow as the snow tires, the all seasons were quite sufficient. The MINI is weighted well for snow.
I often disarm DSC in snow.
Should be 2005 MINI. No idea why I typed 1995.
Tires. Tires. Tires. Although snow/winter tires aren’t your only option.
I’m in Minneapolis (where it’s currently -6º F!) driving my 2006 MCS with DSC and LSD, both of which are incredibly helpful but to echo what others are saying, your tires will make much more of a difference than DSC or which FWD car you’re driving for that matter. At the beginning of December, I was just coming to the end of the tread life on the OEM runflat all-season tires. I don’t have a second set of wheels, so I replaced them with Khumo Ecsta ASTs and the difference is amazing. I can start in snow, slush, or ice in 1st gear and can most of the time get going without the DSC kicking in. So I’m not even on full on winter tires and my MINI is doing just fine. The OEM all-season tires (Goodyears), when they were new, weren’t bad either.
I say LSD is a must as that’s maximizing your available traction in any conditions, but I also recommend DSC as it does an amazing job of breaking one rear wheel and rotating the car in a way it just wouldn’t do otherwise. I also recommend DSC for the rest of the year as it’s helped me avoid a couple of nasty accidents. Turn it off for the track or a fun twisty road, but leave it on for when some knuckle head in a pickup truck turns left in front of you. In the snow and such, DSC lets you almost drive the MINI as though there wasn’t any snow…almost.
It’s also worth noting that the MINI, small as it is, has a little more ground clearance than many small cars. I drove a Honda Prelude and an Acura Integra previously and both would drag the oil pan and under belly in much shallower snow than the MINI does. The MINI is also nice and flat underneath so it’s a little tougher to high-center it.
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<strong>Dave Z</strong> Jan 2nd, 2008
That exhaust looks vaguely familiar…..
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yeah Dave… from that angle… 🙂
I haven’t hit a pothole as big as Gabe (yet…watching those holes on LSD..) but this is the 3rd CHGO winter in my MCC. Have driven it through a couple of really good snowstorms here on stock run-flats. No issues what-so-ever. I drove a Saturn for 10 years and the handling was 100% better in the MINI.
We’ve had 41 inches of snow so far this year and no problems. I did purchase the 15 inch R87 rims that do fit over the MCS rotors and have installed the Dunlop Wintersport runflats. Similar to my old 325XI, the traction control (DCS) can be a hindrance at times due the braking action on the “slipping” tire in loose snow, so there are times that I turn it off to improve driveability. But, this car runs great in snow! We took a run down to the Twin Cities in 1 inch/hour snowfall at the beginning of Dec. and had no problems on I35 at all (though we watched an SUV kiss the guardrail right in front of us) My only concern is the low ground clearance that can be an issue getting into and out of parking lots right after snowplowing, at 3-1/2 inches there isn’t alot of room, but easing it across the windrow seems to work.
’07 R56 MCS Astro Black, Sport Suspension, winter kit, Alta Intake
I have an ’06 MCS automatic with 196/60/15 Semperit winter tires. It has never failed me yet with its spectacular grip. I only get stuck when the snow gets too hard and the front chin starts to become a snowplow.
If you’re caught in a rut, disable the DSC and then you can do the good old fashioned back and forth rocking.
I can say Cynthia that I consider the Mini actually above average in snow and ice. I run a set of dedicated winter Blizzak tires. With DSC and a good set of winter tires I have been in snow that has sidelined a majority of full sized and SUV’s. I believe that the car does well but for me I think the big three for winter driving are Winter tires, DCS, and the big one is driver training.
Most drivers learn their winter driving skills on the job with a wide variety of results. Take for example skidding, while in traffic or on the street this is the wrong time for person to learn how to instinctively drive during a slide. I say with confidence that most driver are woefully unprepared for winter driving.
is that really a GP in that picture up there? Color looks a little off.
The only thing I don’t like about driving my MINI in the winter is the windshield wipers. And the washer fluid nozzles are a joke. Other than that, I love the MINI in the snow. Big SUVs with 4WD may get going, but their mass is working against them when they try to stop. The small light MINI can get around with no problem. I have also driven in 8 inches of snow in my Classic Mini. Even with the front bumper plowing the top inch or two of snow, it got around just fine.
Owned three Cooper S’s (two R53’s and an R56) and have never ever had an issue or gotten stuck. My first 2003 Cooper S had 17″ S-Lite’s with Goodyear All Season Run FLats and was very good. My last two with 16″ MINI V Spoke Wheels with Blizzaks have been awesome. All cars had DCS. Anyone check out <a href="http://www.MINI.ca" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.MINI.ca</a> for the winter driving worst case scenarios? How hillarious is that? It really gives someone like this reader more info into the various different systems that MINI’s offer to allow safe winter motoring. If you haven’t seen it yet do go check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
MINI + DSC + Winter tires = fun in the snow.
As long as you drive slow… she’ll be fine! I was really concerned as well because I used to drive a Toyota 4Runner (SUV), and it was a great summer car since I got him around May, but cold weather comes, and I’m scared to drive my car. Considering this would be the first winter I’m driving stick! So this is my first car, and my first car in manual. But it wasn’t a big deal! It drove fine! If she’s experienced driving in the snow she’ll be fine. And like others have stated, the traction control helps a lot! Didn’t have that in my 4Runner, and it could be better than my old SUV.
And go <a href="http://www.MINI.ca/" rel="nofollow">here</a> to give you a visual demonstration on how good they are. I wouldn’t try those on my MINI, but least I know it works :).
I have a 2004 MC and it’s a trooper in the snow. Standard 15″ with all season Contis, and it does very well. Never had a problem.
If the snow gets high, the MINI is a low car, so you scrape bottom more readily, but no worse than a 3 series. My wife’s Civic is crap in the snow, I’m hoping it’s just the tires- we’ll be switching them soon.
I have an early build 05 MCS with DSC and 17″ OEM All-Season run-flats. Handles great. Deep snow is annoying to hear scraping along the bottom, but handles great. I was driving my wife’s Acura TSX in snow yesterday and wished I was in my MCS – handles better, more precise!
Which model of Blizzaks are you using?
My MINI (Cooper) handles pretty well in the snow, even with the runflat tires. My main issue is with clearance. I have to park outside and when they plow our parking lot, they leave a ridge of snow behind the cars. If I don’t shovel the ridge to almost level, my MINI can’t get out of the parking slot. Am I just being timid here?
Let me add one more thing: Get the manual transmission. My MINI went in for service over lunch and I’ve got a Cooper S convertible automatic (go figure) as a loaner. I don’t know if they’re all-season tires or not, but I can say that the way the automatic lays down power and especially the way DSC kicks in when things get slippery is much different and much worse. My manual transmission Cooper S is much smoother in the slick – gives me much better control of wheel spin and turning. But the most surprising difference on the automatic is how jerky DSC is when it kicks in.
It works fine in the snow as long as the roads have been plowed. More than 6 inches and it packs up under the car and lifts the wheels off the road. When I lived in NJ I had to park it at the bottom of the hill till the snow plow came through.
My ’06 Cooper S handles better than average in snow. I don’t have any extra traction equipment other than a set of snow tires, but the factory standard ASC does a pretty good job of keeping things under control. I can pull away from a stop on ice or snow by just flooring it and allowing the ASC system to throttle the power back, resulting in a nice smooth takeoff with little or no slippage. I’m sure the DSC and LSD systems work better, but the ASC does just fine for getting me up hills and away from stop signs.
i love driving MINIs in the snow. they are so easy to control (with the right tires). especially when you get a big parking lot and use the parking brake, drifting is so much fun, swing it to the right, now back to left, to the right again, weeeee, THUMP! i hate curbs… :o)
I have a 2007 MCS-manual, with the standard traction controls, plus LSD and DSC. I have 16″ Dunlop winter performance run-on-flat tires.
This is my first MINI, so I have headed for vacant parking lots and back streets at every snow (just to try it out, of course) and the car has handled great.
I see overconfident 4WD and SUV drivers fishtailing and going into skids, while the MINI stays true on course. Accelerating, braking, cornering: excellent.
No problem in snow with winter tires, as most have said. Regarding the freezing windows, I have discovered that the problem is where the window meets the rubber strip along the bottom of the window. If you scrape this area clean and bang your scraper firmly against this rubber strip a few times, along the total length of the rubber, the window will free up and drop down as normal when you open the door.
I really prefer FWD in snow. Once when in college in Charlotte I had to drive across town in my Honda 600 (tiny two cylinder car) after a 10 in snowfall. No problem. Years later (87) living in DC we had a freak 16 in snow fall on Veterans Day. Went and picked my trapped wife up at work, to the grocery store and home, all in a 88 Escort. FWD just kept on plowing through. IF I didn’t have AWD in a snow area , I’d at least have FWD.
over 40″ of snow last month alone, never got stuck once. Daily drive the car evey day to work and back and going shopping and going out at night…never a issue.
I have a 2003 Cooper S and live in central Oregon were we get a lot of ice.
Stock 17″ Goodyear all-seasons: Good, got around ok.
Upgraded to BF Goodrich KDWs: NOT GOOD, put the car in a ditch.
Got a set of 15″ Blizzaks: Handles like a snowmobile.
NO. At least that is my impression. To be fair, I have runflat all-season tires (terrible). My ’05 S hates cold weather and slips and slides all over the place with DSC, Ltd slip, and prudent driving. I am very disappointed in the winter driving performance of this FWD car.
I was surprised to find that my old 2003 Z4 3.0 sport with 17″ Blizzak runflats handled the snow better than my 2006 MCSC with the same tires. In 3 years I never had a problem with the Z4 getting through snow. In my first year with the MINI, a slight incline – packed with very icy snow, I’ll grant you – was practically impassible for the MINI.
So maybe the Z4 roadster is a better winter car? It’s definitely a better winter cabrio than the MCSC – it is MUCH easier to keep the Z4 cockpit warm and comfy with the top down in 30 degree weather than the MINI.
Anyway, the MINI is definitely usable as a winter car.
My 2002 Cooper had no DSC or ASC, no LSD.
On stock Conti allseasons (175-15) it was fine in slush or light snow at or just below freezing.
For winter trips I got a set of Blizzaks and drove on snow and ice down to -40 degrees. The MINI was unstoppable. The quick turn in steering response is still there on hardpacked snow. Snowtires are much better than allseasons when the temperatures drop far below freezing.
There are MINI Arctic winter expeditions, hundreds of miles one ice roads, some with fresh snow covering.
Just remember to use the rear wiper before the back of the car is totally caked in thick snow/ice.
<a href="http://arcticmini.com" rel="nofollow ugc">http://arcticmini.com</a>
in car video: <a href="http://www.oxfordmotorsports.com/gallery/video/Ice%20Dragon.mov" rel="nofollow">http://www.oxfordmotorsports.com/gallery/video/Ice%20Dragon.mov</a>
My Dad was worried about the Mini’s reliability in the snow too. But I proved him wrong even on Dunlop sport tires. After having too many problems with a rear-drive bimmer last winter. The Cooper S seemed invincible in the snow. Given that I kept my stock summer tires for the winter (it only snows once in St.Louis) despite a little Wheel spin, it trudged thru the snow. I like the DSC off too, cuz it interferes w/ my counter-steereing instincts.
First time out in the snow, find a parking lot and do some fast starts, slides, skids, stops, turns etc. Do this as a learning experience to see how the car handles and learn how you should handle the car. I did this the first winter I had my MCS Vert. It was the best experience I ever had. I now have a better appreciation for how the MINI handle the snow and find I’m that much of a better driver from learning about my car.
I have to agree with the bulk of the comments. If you use Blizzaks or another good winter tire, know how to drive in the snow, and don’t have packed snow in excess of 6″ to plow through, the MINI is a tank in the snow. I drove mine for 3 years in Rochester, NY and never had any problems as long as I cleared the caked up snow the plow left at the end of the driveway. My neighbors with SUVs had far greater difficulties, particularly with controlled stopping.
I actually drove on that first MINI Arctic winter expedition from Hudson Valley to Hudson Bay and it was a blast. A full day of over sixty-five miles per hour on an ice road was amazing. All but two minis made it up without a hitch. One pushed the speed too far and lost control, but despite an amazing crash in an open top cabrio, not a scratch on the driver and relatively minor damage to the car (even drove it home). The other tried driving with studs on summer tires and ended up throwing studs through his wheel wells and at other cars. Proper tires are a must, but the MINI is great winter car.
My MINI is just sort of OK in the winter. From reading this thread, I guess a lot comes down to tires. I have 16″ Goodyear Eagle Ultra-Grip GW3. They are phenomenal for very wet roads (and dry roads, for that matter), but so-so in ice and snow. (I think fresh snow might be ok, the problem is likely when there’s a bit of ice).
This is a performance runflat tire. If you’re in an area with lots of snow, maybe Blizzaks (from the sounds of it) are the way to go.
Ditto what Jon said. I, too, have 15″ Blizzaks for the winter only, and I’ve never had any problems. There’s less snow in Western Mass than in the Finger Lakes region, but we get our share. Last winter I drove out of our driveway and down the street while the guy across the street was stuck in his 4wd pickup.
I’ve been driving a Mini for 5 winters, and it works great — with snow tires. The summer tires were useless. I haven’t gotten stuck and it tracks really well. Plus, winter is a great time to practice hand-brake turns!!!
Buy a set of Nokian WR all season tires. Nothing like them in the snow.
I previously had a 2004 Mini Coooper S with the 16″ Dunlop tires. The winter performance was adequate, but fellow Miniacs with winter tires did great.
I found having a manual helped control the car even better. The ABS, ASC and DSC all did a commendable job in keeping things in check! I would not worry about it. The only, and only, time I ever had an issue was in 12″ of snow- I started to snowplow with the front end a bit. Fourtunately, I was going through a parking lot and continued moving so I didn’t get stuck!
I see idiots in AWD or 4WD suvs every winter cracking up on the roads, so imho winter driving is a combination of prudent driving and good tread on tires, winter tires or all season.
Remember, AWD/4WD does NOT equal 4 wheel Stop.
<p>Are ’06 GP suitable for winter driving?</p>