Looking ahead to December when I have to drive from Portland to Missoula. I have 225/45xr18 all season tires on my 2012 mini cooper S Countryman ALL4. Has anyone successfully installed winter chains or cables on these size wheels on an R60? I can't afford $550 for 4 new snow tires just for this short trip and my all seasons are fine for Portland use, but I'm told that state troopers will insist on either "snow" tires or traction devices and won't allow all season tires over the passes even on an ALL4.

 

interested to see what you find.
I haven't run across any chains as yet for my 18's, but I haven't really looked much either. I have not seen chains or cables, but I have seen somewhere online, a set of "traction devices" for them. I apologize for not saving a link or remembering what they were called. But they were kinda weird! but they intrigued me.
They are a sort of slip on tire cover with traction belts built into them. They are almost like a fabric tire wrap, that then criss-crosses the wheel with bungie cord like fasteners. I cant tell you where to find them now, but hopefully a little googling can locate them.
Good luck

 

I've run SuperSox on that size before (though not on the Mini). If you're interested in saving some money but still having a legal tool (that won't scratch the crap out of your car if it lets go), I'd look to those.

The S42 size is correct for 225/45r18. Looks like a set of 4 is less than $100 these days.

 

Ending up buying a set of new snow tires and then found a set of used factory wheels on Ebay for a reasonable price ($380 for 4) that were local so i just picked them up. Turns out that they are the expensive Paceman/Countryman wheels that sell for $340 each new. Nice that i will now be able to just swap wheels when we want to go up in the mountains or leave the regular all-season shod wheels on for urban year round driving. My wife will be very pleased as she now will be able to get me cross country skiing now I will have no excuses.

 

I have a set of snow cables for my 18's. Ill have to look at the case they came in to see the brand name, but I got them from a local shop. I have yet to use them, as I haven't needed them, even in heavy snows. The All4 is typically a snow beast