So after reading various winter tire threads, I have a question about which direction to go. I should mention that this is the first car I've had with performance tires so I'm out of my comfort zone. I just picked up a 2009 Clubman JCW with around 19k miles. It has Dunlop SPORT 01 DSST 205/45R17 tires on it now. I live in Cincinnati and the Mini is my daily ride (by choice, I have another option for really messy days). The snow here is not terrible - we can get 1 or 2 bad snow days, but then I just stay home So my question is do I go for a set of winter tires with or without wheels, or do I go for a new set of all-season tires to replace the Dunlops since they are getting old (20k is getting old isn't it?). I'm not planning on going to the track or anything like that, so getting high performance again is not a must have. Thanks for any advice! Ed
First off, the Dunlop Sports are terrible in even Southern Ohio winters. We get a little more snow in Columbus than you do in Cincy, and based on the availability of another vehicle, I would go with a set of All Seasons.
All seasons should work just fine. Only real advantage to a second set of wheels is to change from summer only tires to winter.
I agree with the second set of wheels. It makes it much easier and you can keep the performance tires on until the all seasons are truly needed.
Cincy and St. Louis is pretty similar winter wise I believe I'm gonna get a set of Continental DSW's All Season's installed next week, Top of the charts on Tire Rack for what it's worth. In Spring I'm gonna get some Summer ultra stickies
You're right STL and CVG are similar (kids went to school out there). I guess what I'm trying to figure out is do I need two sets of tires or can I make a go of it with the all-season tires. I like the performance of my JCW but I don't want to be a slave to maintaining performance.
I'll tell you winter tires. If you are going to have two sets one for summer & one for winter why not buy a set of snows? Once you use real snow tires in winter conditions you will never use anything else. They will turn your MINI into a snow machine. Just my .02. :idea:
I struggle with just that issue since we are in pretty much the same boat One of the guys painted it pretty simple is that All Season are a total compromise, They are not winter tires and they are not summer performance tires. The'll give you middling results at the track or autoX Using some All Seasons on the upper end of snow capability and use summer performance seems to be the direction for me. And of course thats for me. If you haven't already tried em' check out some good quality all seasons and see how they meet your needs, if not you know what the next step is. MINI OCD Is a dangerous thing!
I have summer tires for the warm weather and snows for when it really gets nasty around here, but I also have all seasons for those late Fall and early Spring track days and general driving when it's too warm for the snows but not warm enough for the summers. SW Ohio weather is too unpredictable.... I'd rather have good tread all the time than tempt the weather gods!
I have tastefully arranged my wheelsets and tires in such a way that my wife never quite knows how many I have....:devil:
Thanks for the input... I guess I'll see what the costs look like as to whether I go snow or all-season. Need to guesstimate the life of the Dunlops as well. A quick look at TireRack had me at about $1200 for snows, wheels, and TPM. Not sure I want to go that much. Oh well...
Just some steel wheels and snows shouldn't cost you that much. After all, are looks all that necessary in the slush, ice, snow and crappy Ohio roads during the wintertime?
If you're going to spend $1,200 on snows and wheels you might as well buy a "beater" and drive it in the winter keeping your MINI out of the nasty stuff :beer
So were does one get "steelies"? All that can find are sport wheels - I've been using links from TireRack on that 'other' site. Like I said earlier.. I'm a noob at wheels & tires for a car like my Mini - my 'mini'-van was much easier.
I kept stock wheels and cheap tires.. I believe some Kumho's or something for winter. I got a pretty aggressive tread on those. I have a pair of "nice" rims for the spring, summer, fall time which I spend the money on nice wheels. Fate wasn't nice to me and right after I bought my rims and tires for my eclipse I lost a rod bearing.
I bet if you looked in the oil filter & oil pan you'd have found that missing bearing. :smilewinkgrin: