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R56 What is your winter set up? R56 MCS

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  #26  
Old 10-09-2008, 08:42 PM
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Winter Michelins on the oem 16's. My wife's MCS normally looks like this:

 
  #27  
Old 10-10-2008, 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Pinky Demon
Hmm...that's funny, because I drive a RWD truck in the winter and I put snow tires on my rear wheels, and had my normal all seasons up front. Guess what, I was getting around no problem with weight on the rear axle. Other cars were not, one of them being a Mini. And weight on the rear will help with on a FWD car, because it will help tires maintain contact at all times, especially since there is little to no weight on the rear wheels. An excessive amount will hinder braking, but a reasonable amount will not. But then again, what do I know?. I only own two pickups, work for a company that does snowplowing, and work on cars and trucks all the time.
Well you are wrong on this account.
 
  #28  
Old 10-10-2008, 06:38 PM
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Snows on the rear only should be fine on a rwd vehicle. front traction will suffer a little but i dont see it being that bad. That being said, 4 would still be better. 2 snows only on the front in a fwd car will cause too much oversteer to be safe. On my R53 MCS, I have used a set of 15" wheels with Pirelli Winter Carving, and with the factory LSD, the car is unstoppable in the snow. Winding uphill roads, no problem!
 
  #29  
Old 10-11-2008, 07:02 AM
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Personally, I'd rather be able to stop and turn than go, in that order of importance. Tires with traction on the FRONT will give you the first two, tires with traction on the drive axle will give you the last.

I ran a winter with snows only on the front of my Alero and it was lots of oversteering fun. 4 is always safer.
 
  #30  
Old 10-11-2008, 07:33 AM
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Originally Posted by pilotart
Please Motor with Caution

A look at Wx Forecasts would be a great idea, nice to have 4x4 or awd, but remember that when you lose it in four wheel drive, you have Really Lost It.
If it gets that bad Pilotart we'll park it and stay Home!! The Winter of '93 I had an '96 Chevy 1500 Extended Cab Shortbed Stepside...that thing kept me home for 4 days straight...and our Winters really aren't that bad.
I couldn't get it to climb a small hill once I got it out of the driveway, then when I tried to re-park it in the driveway it slid back a few feet...little to dicey for me I'd say!!
 
  #31  
Old 10-11-2008, 07:41 AM
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my winter setup? A car cover. I drive an old beater Toy PU for all my winter motoring needs.
 
  #32  
Old 10-11-2008, 06:42 PM
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Originally Posted by iwashmycar
i ordered the 17s with All-seasons so we'll see.... Hope they work out...anyone had experience with them?
I used that setup last winter here in northeast PA. Ordered the car in late July and picked it up in late August. Didn't have much trouble and I have to travel over a 2,000 foot mountain to and from work which gets real dicey in snow storms. Took it easy, drove smart, the traction control did its job and I did all right. Not sure what I'm going to use this year though. I may just rotate them as the tires still look pretty good. But I definitely want to get some serious snow tires at some point.
 
  #33  
Old 10-11-2008, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by AutoCoarsen
Sure you were "getting around", but you can't deny it would be even better with four winter tires.
Oh of course, but the difference isn't worth $200 bucks or so more. And, this setup gives you the best of both worlds. Winter tires won't handle worth chit, so mixing the two can sometimes have good results.
 
  #34  
Old 10-11-2008, 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by DanF
Well you are wrong on this account.
That's wonderful, but with no counter argument, you're assertion has as much credibility as the politicians in Washington right now.
 
  #35  
Old 10-11-2008, 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by misslindsey
Personally, I'd rather be able to stop and turn than go, in that order of importance. Tires with traction on the FRONT will give you the first two, tires with traction on the drive axle will give you the last.

I ran a winter with snows only on the front of my Alero and it was lots of oversteering fun. 4 is always safer.
And I agree. 4 is always safer, but not always necessary. And to answer the statements of "oversteer" that people are posting. I've never once had an issue of oversteer. How fast were you going?
 
  #36  
Old 10-12-2008, 03:34 PM
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I have the Performance Run Flats on my car currently, the sales manager said they were a no go in the snow, what are your thoughts?

I don't want to go through the hassle of going somewhere to have them just change the tires round, would it be fairly cheap to get some steelies and winterish tires? Snow around here (Delaware) isn't too bad.
 
  #37  
Old 10-12-2008, 03:50 PM
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^I drove around on summer's for a few winters in my accord with no issue back in West Chester, you just need to be careful and know how to drive in the snow.

I'm lookin at picking up a set of Dunlop M3 winters with a set of SCC snow cables since chains won't fit. They're apparently required here quite often to enter the mountain passes, and as an avid snowboarder I will not hold back from driving. If this car starts to present an issue with getting to the mountains, it will be sold asap for a WRX.
 
  #38  
Old 10-12-2008, 04:10 PM
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16" Borbet LS with studded Nokian Hakka 4 tires.

Last winter, there weren't any steel wheel available that would fit the 2007+ MCS.

Please run the same tires on all four wheels. It's much safer that way.
 
  #39  
Old 10-12-2008, 11:06 PM
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Well I ordered a 2009 Landrover Defender 110. It should get me through the next German winter.

http://www.micoche.com/especiales/sa...der_110_sw.jpg
 
  #40  
Old 10-13-2008, 05:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Pinky Demon
And I agree. 4 is always safer, but not always necessary. And to answer the statements of "oversteer" that people are posting. I've never once had an issue of oversteer. How fast were you going?
Fast enough to get me through the inches of snow on the road without getting stuck. I went to college in Houghton, MI where they get 300" of snowfall a year. When there's little to no traction on the road to begin with, if you have a big difference in grip in tires front to back, you end up swinging the rear out quite a bit. Never anything I couldn't control, just a little extra fun. And lots of donuts and sideways slides through empty parking lots.
 
  #41  
Old 10-13-2008, 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Pinky Demon
And I agree. 4 is always safer, but not always necessary. And to answer the statements of "oversteer" that people are posting. I've never once had an issue of oversteer. How fast were you going?
Maybe he is suggesting to "motor with reckless abandon" advice you originally gave on your 1st post on this subject. Not good advice with just snows on the front and extra weight in the rear.
 
  #42  
Old 10-13-2008, 11:31 AM
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my plans are for global warming so the snow melts fast or doesn't snow at all, otherwise I'm forced to walk or steal one of my parents suv's and leave them stranded at home :P
 
  #43  
Old 10-13-2008, 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by steve216
my plans are for global warming so the snow melts fast or doesn't snow at all, otherwise I'm forced to walk or steal one of my parents suv's and leave them stranded at home :P


dude, the snow isn't that bad. I lived in exton and drove around no issues for over 8 years.
 
  #44  
Old 10-13-2008, 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by steve216
my plans are for global warming so the snow melts fast or doesn't snow at all, otherwise I'm forced to walk or steal one of my parents suv's and leave them stranded at home :P
Nah, global warnings done, the earth had a natural response, melting polar ice created the reduction of salt in the ocean, causing a cooling effect in the current and in a nut shell we're in for global cooling at this point, we might even get another ice age.
 
  #45  
Old 10-13-2008, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by steve216
my plans are for global warming so the snow melts fast or doesn't snow at all, otherwise I'm forced to walk or steal one of my parents suv's and leave them stranded at home :P
Global warming predictions for the USA are for hotter summers, and colder winters. Better adjust your plans.
 
  #46  
Old 10-14-2008, 05:48 PM
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Originally Posted by 4xAAA
Close the sunroof, roll up the window, and use the defroster.
Nah--winter for me is sunroof OPEN; heat and bun warmer ON if lower than 50 degrees. And if we get this:



sunroof is CLOSED. Roads are closed anyway.

That takes care of about 3 months--the rest of the time it's:



And for you Yankees:

 
  #47  
Old 10-15-2008, 11:04 AM
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I've been looking pretty hard for cheap steel wheel for SWMBO's R56 and I haven't been able to definitively find one. I have however found that the steel wheel from a Scion xB has the correct bolt pattern (4x100) my only worry is the offset is likely different, but is that difference large enough to make a difference.

Got any suggestions anyone?

http://www.roadwheels.us/04scxbstrim.html
 
  #48  
Old 10-15-2008, 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by manris
I have however found that the steel wheel from a Scion xB has the correct bolt pattern (4x100) my only worry is the offset is likely different, but is that difference large enough to make a difference.
Chances are it won't clear the front brake caliper.
 
  #49  
Old 10-16-2008, 05:41 PM
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I love the snow, but not in my Cooper.
 
  #50  
Old 10-26-2008, 09:42 PM
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with performance runflats on my new MCS, and the factory LSD, and given i get annoyed when the mini gets dusty.... sounds like i need to get my 4runner fixed!
 


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