Well it looks like my All-Season tires are just not going to cut it this winter. If my driveway is a little slippery, I am not getting out. Therefore, I would like some advice on some winter wheel and tire combinations. Ideally, I would not like to spend a lot of money but that doesn't appear to be the case.

 

you could just get a set of blizzaks in the same size as your stock rims and swap them over. i don't use them, but i haven't heard any bad things about them.

they come in at what? $100-$150 a piece? + $25-$50 to mount and balance?

 

if you have bigger than 16" stock rims you can pick some up in the Marketplace usually for like 200 or so. thatll make the tires less expensive... or find some 16" steelies w snows...i think tirerack does packages...

i would advise putting snows on the stock rims if they are 16s and then maybe save a little this winter and get yourself some nice summer rims with better tires come spring

 

It will not be really cheap but for around $850 you can get a set of blizzaks and rims from tire rack and all you have to do is put them on the car. They come mounted and balanced.

or you could go for just the tires and spend in the range of about $400 plus local mounting and balancing.

 

Clubman S is horrible in the snow no matter what tires you put on it. Recommend turning traction control off when driving in the snow, because every wheel spin will cut power to the wheels leaving you going no where.

 

I have a JCW clubman.. just went through a big snow storm last week.. I was quite surprised how well the clubbie did in the snow, I do have snow tires and rims i purchased from tire rack.. Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3..

 

I just ordered the Blizzak WS60's on OZ Adrenalina rims (cheap on closeout) with the pressure sensors and mounting, it came to $1226 delivered from Tire Rack. Painful, but after going for a spin (as it were) in the same storm as the OP it seemed clear that the Clubman stock tires weren't going to cut it for the MA winter commute. (My 330xi had me spoiled, it seems) Hope they work well!

Question: I'm changing over to non-runflats, so I need to add a spare tire (after you've bent a rim on a Cambridge chuckhole there's no way spraying gunk into the tire will cause it to hold air). The well in the back looks very close to big enough to hold one of my summer tires, it looks like it's within 1/4" as far as I can measure (it's cold out so I didn't want to pull a tire off the car just to test the fit) Anyone know if a full size standard tire fits in the well?

Thanks!

 

I live and play in New England where we get lots of bad weather and thru one full winter and part of another winter and have only had the traction control come on by itself about 3-4 times. If you know how to drive in the snow there is no reason for the traction control to come on.

I have driven thru 10+ inches of snow on the streets around my house where there are many hills and have even passed 4 wheel drive vehicle stuck in the snow with no problem. Passing 4 wheel drive vehicles in my Clubman is rather a great time as they tend to get very upset that I am going up the hill and they are stuck just spinning their wheels.

The Clubman is a VERY CAPABLE car in the snow as long as You Know How To Drive In Snow. ANY car is bad in snow if you Do Not know how to drive it in snow.

Now with that said you MUST have good snow tires on it to do this, NOT All Season tires they DO NOT work well in snow, and high performance summer tires will get you no where.

Dunlop Winter Sport M3, Bridgestone Blizzak WD60, Bridgestone Blizzak LMm-60 RFT, Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 ZP, Michelin X-Ice Xi2. are all Very Good SNOW tires and will enhance your MINI winter driving experience.

 

Here in northern lower Michigan, we have almost constant snow covered roads, from around December onwards. I use the Finnish brands, which are not so great on the dry pavement, but really stick to snow. They are hard to spell, but they make my Clubman into a snowmobile.
- I've used Hakkapellita and Gishliveds over the past few years and love them. The Hakkies are pricey, the Gishliveds are not so.
I had one trip on snow with my summer tires , to get my winter wheels mounted, and it nearly caused my first accident!

 

I live in the Midwest and had driven through bad snow storms in IA, NE, SD, MN, WI, IL and IN (blowing snow, lake effect snow and banks/accumulations in the wrong areas of the road) with front traction, rear traction, 4X4 and AWD and agree with “schatzy62's”: all depends on how you drive (seen too many AWD and 4x4 on the ditch). The important is to remember (every year) how to drive in snow (or rain, dirt, etc).
I have not drive my Clubman S on the snow yet (only a week with her, but family is already in love!), but I switch the performance summer tires for a set of Blizzak WS60 based on recommendations on the forum and reviews at “Tire Rack”, consumer reports and some other sites. To be honest, I cannot wait to try my Clubman this winter!

 

LOL. Are you trying to sell one? Very capable? If you cant give honest feedback you are really doing a injustice to everyone on this form. Some people might believe you... You have never driven up a steep hill on a slippery surface with the traction control on..... My guess is it must be perfectly flat in New England. Why would you suggest driving in 10 inches of snow when the mini has only 5 inches of clearance, you make it sound like its camparable to a lifted jeep wrangler. LOL at 4WD vechiles stuck in the snow getting mad as you drive by.... You should put a plow on the front to clear the way for them.

 

+1 (but in Iowa) Memorably, one Jeep driver got upset enough to recklessly pass me, once he actually got moving. Sorry the MINI caused this kind of behavior

 

Obviouslyyou do not understand how to drive in snow or do not have the right type of tires on your car.

What Brand and model of tire do you have on your car?

Many people here drive their cars in snowy conditions and if you were to actually read what people say you would know the MINI performs very well in the snow. In fact there are a number of people here in this thread alone that say they like the car and how it drive is snow. Just look thru the forums here there are very few that state the car is bad in snow and very many that say the car is good in snow. In Fact there are threads here about people in the northern states that autocross their MINI's in snow.

Now if the car was as bad as you say it is then no one would ever put posts here about how good they are in snow and they woudl not autocross them in snow. So the truth of the mater is that the MINI is good in the snow and that is based on the number of people that say it is compared to the number that say it is not.

And BTW the street I live on is a hill and is 34 degrees from level. I on a regular basis during last winter drove up the street and stopped behind a 4x4 at a stop sign and then drove around it as it just sat there and spun its wheels in the snow.

Yes the drivers of the 4x4's get very mad as I drive by and I get every thing from the finger to all out yelling and swearing at me but I just keep on going.

Also in this thread alone you are the only one that states the MINI is bad in snow and there are three that say others besides me that state the car is good in snow. No go and read threads form last year and you will find the vast majority think the car is good in snow.

I will also say this those that do like the car in the snow have done the right thing an put SNOW TIRES on the car and are not driving on their SUMMER TIRES. Summer tires just do not work in snow. Also many of the people that have had ALL SEASON tires have changed over to SNOW TIRES as they do so much better.

 

I'd like to chime in and say that I agree with everything Schatzy wrote. I'm running the Blizzak LM-25 RFTs myself and have also climbed hills and passed vehicles that were seemingly more capable.

Is my Clubman unstoppable? No, I'm not saying that. In fact, last week was my first experience getting stuck in the MINI - LOTS of snow, big winds causing drifts, and a nice layer of ice underneath it all. I couldn't get up one hill that I needed to; neither could anyone else.

That said, I think my car may be the best winter vehicle I've ever owned. Dedicated winter tires help and I think having the LSD is also a benefit.

 

The mini clubman is the most awesome vehcile I have ever owned. It drives better in the snow than any other 4WD vehcile on the road, hands down its the best. I am a dealer of mini's so I should know. Triust me. Its the best....

 

MINI is excellent in snow with the right snow tires and EXPERIENCE driving in winter conditions. It takes both!

 

Uh, no.

Where did you learn that, Troll University?

 

I just want to know why in Europe you can find steel rim/snow tire combos on MINIs but in the US you can't.

 

I think most of it has to do with the look. But I am sure price figure into it as well, i know it did with me when i purchased my set last year.

Steel Rims $93.00 each

Alloy Rims $ 95.00 each

I went for the better looking rims, the alloy.

 

Here's a question... I live/work in indianapolis/cincinnati area, while we usually don't get tons of snow, BUT I'm just worried about the hills and ice/snow here. I don't think getting snow tires is an option.
I think i'm pretty good at driving in the snow (i.e. no wrecks) but this is my first winter with a small car... any ideas? lol

 

What does the car have on it now for tires?

If they are Summer Performance tires (that is what came on my car) then even with no snow and just temps down in the 30's you will find yourself slipping around. The Summer Performance tires are not made for anything but summer warm weather use.

If the tires are All Season then you may be okay but there will be days that you have trouble getting around. All Seasons are a compromise tire and doe OK in winter and summer but do not give the performance of real Snow tires or summer performance tires.

 

I believe all weather. I've never had either summer or winter tires on my last car, pontiac gp.

 

I live in New England as well and I can tell you first hand its all about the tires. I had a friend who bought a Subaru STi and did nothing but complain about how crappy his car was in the snow. I had a WRX and couldn't get over how great the car was in the snow. He had summer tires on the car which are like rocks in the cold weather. Driving his car in the snow with summer tires was down right scary!

 

I finally had the chance to drive on the snow on my clubman and it is great
I am "hook" for a long time (until I need to buy a new clubman). Great advice about the Blizzak schatzy62; I bought a set and my car handles great! Thanks

 

My Clubman's about to experience it's first battle with snow, I'll let you know how it works out. My car is low enough that i'm sure i'll be plowing as I drive though. I didn't get winter tires, but I am rolling on the OEM Continental Contiprocontacts. I was contemplating taking her out tonight but ended up using my wife's car (Acura RDX) so ensure I get where I need to go safely. I was contemplating getting winter tires, but how many sets can I possible want for this car? I have another set of wheels/tires (R112's) on summer tires and the Pace wheels on the stock OEM All Season tires, I really don't want to go crazy and get yet another set for the winter. It's still a decent blizzard as of now, and we're expecting anywhere from 12"-18" of white stuff. That's a lot more than i'm used to in one shot. Let you know how it goes tomorrow!