Hi to all i am a Driving Instructor so do a fair amount of driving around and around in my cooper D. Last year i lost two weeks work with at the time my MK5 golf tdi sat on the drive while it snowed, it was fitted with Goodyear energy efficiency tires, to say these tyres are useless in Snow is an understatement, so when the Mini arrived i decided to try the Winter tyre route, promoting road safety etc and not being sat at home doing nothing next time it gets a bit snowy, i chose to stay with the original Crown 17s compared to steelies, tyres are Bridgstone Blizzak LM25 rft, 205/50/17 i know the size is not popular but another member has run these and no problems found to date. Performance is quite good on the dry roads, noise a little louder but ok, temps still a little high for time of year but thought i would act before to late this year. Not too sure of pressures to run so went for 30psi to start with, any recommendations anyone greatly accepted, also looking at a replacement set of alloys for summer, would a 17 alloy with a ET of 35 be ok or would it stick out a tad, will try to post pics soon.

It looks like it would be all benefit for you:
- you keep working in snowy spells and learners can (probably) cope with them too;
- learners won't be driving at the sort of speeds that wear out winters even in warm weather;
- you may avoid a silly little slide-and-bump that comes from an inexperienced driver stamping on the brake suddenly when it's cold.

Maybe you should advertise this - how about "Please keep back - winter tyres fitted" in the rear window. It might get you a few extra pupils just by catching drivers' eyes.

"Please keep back - winter tyres fitted" in the rear window. It might get you a few extra pupils just by catching drivers' eyes.

Perhaps everybody who has winter tyres should put that in their rear window, that way raising the awareness or lack of it of many drivers?

I would think there are distinct advantages to having learners using winter tyres in poor conditions?

I would think there are distinct advantages to having learners using winter tyres in poor conditions?

I agree but not only for the inexperienced drivers others would benefit too, returning from a local Rally this weekend i had chance to try the emergency stop on wet greasy forest commission roads 7c, i am convinced if my summer tyres were still on it would have took much more time to stop, so a positive already.
Still don't like the ride of RFTs but see the benefits of them, and yes learners do not get enough practice of driving in poor conditions but it is a hard one, do you put your life/ car at risk trying to help them gain a small bit of experience and £20. Then if the difference in grip from Winter to Summer tyre is so significant then does it mislead the driving experience for the learner so it might lead them into a false sense of security. We will see this year if there is a difference once temps are below 7c then they will help safety of ALL drivers not just them using Winter tyres.

Winter tyres have the same problem as, historically, disc brakes, radial tyres and ABS - you can stop but the driver behind can't.

And of course the driver behind isn't capable of making their own decision about stopping distances - they've got the full 'drive like a lemming' programming that says if there is a car ahead, follow it within one car length and switch off your brain.

I've found myself on winter tyres in snow driving ultra-carefully when someone has come up behind me - are they a loony with a death wish or someone else on winter tyres?

In the 1950/60s disc brakes had their own special symbol (see attachment) to warn following drivers - though I wonder if any following drivers knew what it meant.

Winter tyres have the same problem as, historically, disc brakes, radial tyres and ABS - you can stop but the driver behind can't.
And of course the driver behind isn't capable of making their own decision about stopping distances - they've got the full 'drive like a lemming' programming that says if there is a car ahead, follow it within one car length and switch off your brain.
I've found myself on winter tyres in snow driving ultra-carefully when someone has come up behind me - are they a loony with a death wish or someone else on winter tyres?
In the 1950/60s disc brakes had their own special symbol (see attachment) to warn following drivers - though I wonder if any following drivers knew what it meant.

Yes I just about remember those, I think some cars had rear mud flaps with the disc symbol on?
I also remember the coaches, mainly that, were fitted with electric retarders to suplement the friction brakes, they had warning displayed for following drivers.

Hi to all i am a Driving Instructor so do a fair amount of driving around and around in my cooper D.


A Driving Instructor with a Cooper D! I have to ask...

I am assuming this is a manual transmission car. Being an instructor's car, how many km/miles on the car (equivalently, how old is the car) and how many times have you changed the clutch on it (if at all)?

Reason I ask is because I have serious transmission problems on a 2009 Clubman D (75,000km on the clock) and I don't think this is normal at all. (Clutch is gone, possibly flywheel and throw-out bearing as well, maybe more, not sure yet - car is currently in the garage)

So, I'm trying to find out if mine is an isolated issue or if this happens on the D models.

Thanks.

A Driving Instructor with a Cooper D! I have to ask...

I am assuming this is a manual transmission car. Being an instructor's car, how many km/miles on the car (equivalently, how old is the car) and how many times have you changed the clutch on it (if at all)?

Reason I ask is because I have serious transmission problems on a 2009 Clubman D (75,000km on the clock) and I don't think this is normal at all. (Clutch is gone, possibly flywheel and throw-out bearing as well, maybe more, not sure yet - car is currently in the garage)

So, I'm trying to find out if mine is an isolated issue or if this happens on the D models.

Thanks.
Hi yes its a Driving Instructor Car, as thousands of other ADI's use it's a very popular car, good mpg, visibility, quirky, smallish but still big enough, reliable enough and with the TLC pack make good scene.

Mine is a 2008, done 30000m still on original brakes gears clutch etc, been there before with the DMF (golf mk5 tdi) so i know all the pitfalls if you Google DMF loads of cars do have issues but more and more have a DMF now fitted so i think that's normal, you have to accept the benefits from using DMF's, keep on top of them, replace first sign of any prob, the golf had clutch, bearing, slave cylinder, and dmf, changed as a precaution at 69000m, cost nearly £1000 but better than blowing up and being of the road a week loosing even more money....

Hi to all i am a Driving Instructor so do a fair amount of driving around and around in my cooper D. Last year i lost two weeks work with at the time my MK5 golf tdi sat on the drive while it snowed, it was fitted with Goodyear energy efficiency tires, to say these tyres are useless in Snow is an understatement, so when the Mini arrived i decided to try the Winter tyre route, promoting road safety etc and not being sat at home doing nothing next time it gets a bit snowy, i chose to stay with the original Crown 17s compared to steelies, tyres are Bridgstone Blizzak LM25 rft, 205/50/17 i know the size is not popular but another member has run these and no problems found to date. Performance is quite good on the dry roads, noise a little louder but ok, temps still a little high for time of year but thought i would act before to late this year. Not too sure of pressures to run so went for 30psi to start with, any recommendations anyone greatly accepted, also looking at a replacement set of alloys for summer, would a 17 alloy with a ET of 35 be ok or would it stick out a tad, will try to post pics soon.

I am curious about the size you use. I also changed to winter tyres, 205/55/16 and I was curious if you had any rubbing isuess ? Cause the overall diameter of wheel + tyre in your case is a bit larger than in my case.

Regarding handling, on dry roads and wet ones, I always found winter tyres a bit tricky. Maybe it's just me. For a good all round feel, better on dry and wet road, less good in snow but acceptable, I drove our familly;s bmw, with DUNLOP SP01 All Season.

I am curious about the size you use. I also changed to winter tyres, 205/55/16 and I was curious if you had any rubbing isuess ? Cause the overall diameter of wheel + tyre in your case is a bit larger than in my case.

Regarding handling, on dry roads and wet ones, I always found winter tyres a bit tricky. Maybe it's just me. For a good all round feel, better on dry and wet road, less good in snow but acceptable, I drove our familly;s bmw, with DUNLOP SP01 All Season.

Hi no clearance issues at all, no rubbing on arch's etc, the only problem i have found is how bumpy Runflats are, after changing to Non-Runflat summer tyres when i 1st got the Mini these are bumpy as hell, i do a fair amount of Emergency stops, all pr-meditated in training and have found in the dry and not too cold temps the winters do scrub on the road,(like they are about to loose grip) but never do, i will be using my Summer rubber when any winter has gone i would not to want to use these winters all year round.

Hi no clearance issues at all, no rubbing on arch's etc, the only problem i have found is how bumpy Runflats are, after changing to Non-Runflat summer tyres when i 1st got the Mini these are bumpy as hell, i do a fair amount of Emergency stops, all pr-meditated in training and have found in the dry and not too cold temps the winters do scrub on the road,(like they are about to loose grip) but never do, i will be using my Summer rubber when any winter has gone i would not to want to use these winters all year round.

ok thx, i installed them 2 days ago, and since then i've been worried. But, if you have 205/50/17 as winter tyres, and it doesn't rub, mines shouldn't rub either.

Welll, for summer I use summer tyres, during winter i would preffer those Dunlops, rather than anything else. Well, anything else except Syron Everest 1, a german tyre, which beats the crap out of anything else.

Besides Michelin PS2 and PS Cup, nowadays you will always find better non premium brand tyres, which are also way cheaper.

Hi yes its a Driving Instructor Car, as thousands of other ADI's use it's a very popular car, good mpg, visibility, quirky, smallish but still big enough, reliable enough and with the TLC pack make good scene.

Mine is a 2008, done 30000m still on original brakes gears clutch etc, been there before with the DMF (golf mk5 tdi) so i know all the pitfalls if you Google DMF loads of cars do have issues but more and more have a DMF now fitted so i think that's normal, you have to accept the benefits from using DMF's, keep on top of them, replace first sign of any prob, the golf had clutch, bearing, slave cylinder, and dmf, changed as a precaution at 69000m, cost nearly £1000 but better than blowing up and being of the road a week loosing even more money....

Thanks for this. Dealership called me, apparently the clutch is history and the DMF will also be replaced. Cost to me: €1900 without tax. I will be posting an update in the Clubman section probably Friday or Saturday.

Still have original brakes, but I'm on my 2nd water pump in 3 months (and apparently 2nd clutch in as many years)

I finally fitted the winter wheels/tyres on Tuesday, I have to say the difference so far is quite noticeable, it's very very grippy :D.
The job was made easier with a couple of special tools, a BMW/MINI specific jacking block that fits in the socket under the sills, needs a slight mod to make it more secure on the trolly jack though and a wheel guide pin that screws into the hub and makes fitting the wheel a breeze, slides straight on to the hub centre :).
A couple of the wheels were a little reluctant to come off the hubs, but a bit of applied pressure alternately on opposite sides of the wheel soon had it freely moving :rolleyes:.

I finally fitted the winter wheels/tyres on Tuesday, I have to say the difference so far is quite noticeable, it's very very grippy :D.
The job was made easier with a couple of special tools, a BMW/MINI specific jacking block that fits in the socket under the sills, needs a slight mod to make it more secure on the trolly jack though and a wheel guide pin that screws into the hub and makes fitting the wheel a breeze, slides straight on to the hub centre :).
A couple of the wheels were a little reluctant to come off the hubs, but a bit of applied pressure alternately on opposite sides of the wheel soon had it freely moving :rolleyes:.

Hi i must say i have also noticed a difference since fitting mine, the fuel consumption :( its gone down a fair bit, but guess i new that would happen anyway, we have had at last a few days below +7 degrees and oh so wet, the tyres really do clear the water away, just need another set of alloys for the summer tyres.

Hi i must say i have also noticed a difference since fitting mine, the fuel consumption :( its gone down a fair bit, but guess i new that would happen anyway, we have had at last a few days below +7 degrees and oh so wet, the tyres really do clear the water away, just need another set of alloys for the summer tyres.

I've not done enough commuting miles to see what the difference in fuel consumption is yet, I did notice a slight drop last year when I changed over, but they were 175/65R15's so the rolling radius was a bit smaller, so lowered the gearing slightly.
My 16"s are on another set of alloys so changing is easy, I've bought the wheels in pairs with worn out tyres fitted, they're much cheaper that way, I did get one servicable tyre thrown in with one pair and a good pair of intermediate race tyres with the other!
The 4 four G/Y Ultra Grips came from two different sources 6mm + tread remaining and no damage/punctures or repairs.
Went into a MINI dealer whilst out yesterday, they want £1150 for a set of 16" wheels with winter tyres fitted, mine cost me well less than 1/3 of that :D.

It might be dangerous for you if you are using winter tyres in poor condition. You have to careful when you fix it. Its my personal experience that i used damaged winter tyres in my car then i faced many problems like Bubbling of tyres, wheel balancing problem etc.

The worn out tyres were disposed of when the winter tyres were fitted, which were all in first class condition with 6MM+ of tread remaining.

The worn out tyres were disposed of when the winter tyres were fitted, which were all in first class condition with 6MM+ of tread remaining.

I did the same thing and bout some Bridgestone winter part worms off eBay for £120 for 4. I'm very impressed s they all have 6mm+ of tread and no issues. It would have cost me that much for just be tyre new.