Mini Cooper On the Ice - Me or the Car?!

Jakg

Are you a very good driver as in "i like to indicate a lot" or are you a good driver as in "I can comfortably detect, anticipate and control under and oversteer" or are you just a good driver as in "I can do 110 on a motorway without dieing"?

The first thing I did when the snow / ice came down was take my car to an icy car park and get sideways - most people never get their car over the limit and so when they do usually they have no idea what to do and end up hitting stuff.

(for this sort of thing i'd like to think I have a lot of experience, if I can hold a Caterham sideways then I think I can do the same in my car )

Indout96

I can hold a Caterham sideways then I think I can do the same in my car

Then as you are so good I assume you realise you would need completely different skills to catch a Front wheel drive Mini and that no skill in the world is going to help once in a 4 wheel slide rather than a controlled drift. The Bradford Skid pan was my second home in the early 90's when we used to drift rear wheel drive cars but a total waste of time in front wheel drive.
The only safe way in front wheel drive is not to loose it in the first place and the best way to do that is slow and steady

flyingscotno1

A diesel engine IMHO also helps in snowy situations (for FWD cars) as the extra nose weight is a benefit as is the different way power is applied.

In the office car park which was fairly snowed in (and good fun!) we had to push folk reversing, but diesels just seemed to have better grip didn't need help and could go left up the hill instead of being forced down.

gilbert_and_sullivan

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

A diesel engine IMHO also helps in snowy situations (for FWD cars) as the extra nose weight is a benefit as is the different way power is applied.

In the office car park which was fairly snowed in (and good fun!) we had to push folk reversing, but diesels just seemed to have better grip didn't need help and could go left up the hill instead of being forced down.

I wonder how many of those Diesels had reasonable higher profile tyres fitted, though i take the point...many years ago i had a land crab with the 2200 engine, that car was so heavy at the front that it came specified with 6 ply (reinforced) tyres...the snow was really bad that year late 70's, and that car simply would ot get stuck anywhere...in fact it was one of the few vehicles capable of moving at all with 12" of snow on the ground.

The only good thing about that car mind, one the biggest heaps i've ever owned, and there's been a few.

Radsteral

we got a 2003 mini, esp is lined up where the electic mirror switches are.. its a one diesel , which is the lowest rank of minis, so if that has it, all the others must have it

Rallydriver

Modern cars have tread patterns to cope with higher speeds. If you look at them you'll see most of the tread edges are sharply angled more to running lengthways round the tyre. This is because at high speed the tread is more stable so doesn't heat up as much.

Older cars with (generally) lower speed rated tyres would have more open tread patterns, more sipes and the edges of the tread would be closer to running across the tyre, these give better grip in snow, slush etc.

Hence why things grind to a halt more when the snow comes now than they used to and people say that their old cars were great in the snow compared to now.

Add to this that the old tyres would churn the snow surface more leaving something for the next car to grip on whereas now snow just gets compacted leaving a skating rink.

*Vikki*

Hi there fellow MINI owner. I have had my MINI ONE 2004 for 6 years now and ditched the runflats years ago. Horrid ride and too expensive. I now have 205 45 r17 good years. Fab tyres but my MINI still prefers to skate on the ice lol. It has no DSC which is a bummer as it has every other option ticked? More than an S! lol

Wig

I don't agree with space savers, they save hardly any space, they are ugly, restrict your speed limit, and have very little tread (the ones I have seen maybe they had just been used a lot) You might aswell get a proper spare wheel.

DaveMacD

Jakg wrote: »

The first thing I did when the snow / ice came down was take my car to an icy car park and get sideways - most people never get their car over the limit and so when they do usually they have no idea what to do and end up hitting stuff.

I'm the same on this score. Every time I get a new car, and the first snow arrives, it's straight out to my nearest empty car park to find the traction limits. I don't spend my time donutting or burn outs (In a pick up, come on) but but get a feel for the indications the car gives you before it starts to let go.

mark5

I ditched the runflats on my Cooper,I still spend £100 per tyre though but the ride is much nicer and it grips better now.
What I find with the mini is you go through front tyres in no time but the rear tyres last years so it averages out.
If you do decide to get a spare wheel the jack is in the boot ready for you.