Josh Wardell’s MINI Cooper S

Thanks to the $20 I spent on my Craftsman floor jack in the fall, changing wheels is so easy. Especially with the MINI where both front and back come off at one time! And to think for years I used a stock handcrank jack on my last car when changing wheels each season.

Yes after tuesday’s snow, and wednesday’s shoveling, today we had a sunny and “warm” (28F) break enough for me to move my worn fronts to the back. It had to be done today because, you guessed it, more snow predicted tomorrow and saturday! Now I don’t have to be worried trying to steer with bald tires…they’re in the back now for some fun e-brake turns! 😀

Saturday a bunch of us MINI2ers are planning to meet up for lunch. It will be the first I’ve been to for a while as I’m usually off skiing. I look forward to seeing everyone again…but unfortunately I can’t have my car sparkly clean!

All I wanted to do was rotate my tires before I had to drive in the snow, but NE Weather knows better than to give me that chance. Despite rain predicted till 6pm yesterday, it started snowing around 2 and the winds were incredible. Just when it was time to drive home from work, it changed to sleet and the roads were covered in inches of slush and ice. Slowly found my way home and then it turned to horizonal snow all night long:

Drifts were up to my thighs this morning despite this being one of the smaller snowfalls of ’05, making for a long shoveling job this morning before heading to work.
Oh and to note, the temp when I left yesterday morning? 46F. This morning? 11F!

In case you missed my photos of last month’s blizzard they are here.

I made all my car appointments yesterday for the end of the month. Oil change, HK amp replacement, JCW upgrade, alignment, and new tires. I can’t wait!

On Thursday I received this week’s issue of AutoWeek, and inside was another brilliant MINI ad. This time a rip-out brochure titled, “Are You Or Is Someone You Know a Gasaholic?” It even includes a glued on credit card with the Gasaholic’s Mantra.

But the ironic thing was, I had just returned from filling my tank. And with the exception of previous tanks that I had raced with, this was my worst gas milage yet: 20.00 mpg!

I had usually averaged 24, but now that I have made 10 fillups in 2005, the average of those ten is only 22.5mpg. Ouch.

Have a look at my gas milage charts here.

I’m sure the winter, snow, and cold has something to do with it. But I noticed something else today after returning from a ski weekend. My front tires are almost bald! And I’m only at 11500mi.

I’m sure partly is me spinning my tires. Not a day goes by without my DSC light flashing. Even on dry pavement.

But I think a big reason for all of this is my alignment. Since my accident it had been knocked off just slightly. Steers straight with the steering wheel at 11 o’clock. Almost undetectable pull to the right. It was the only think not fixed when the car was returned to be due to lack of time, and I had been planning to get it done in a few more weeks with my oil change etc.

Think about it. Both wheels are pointed inwards just slightly. That means both tires must slip just slightly at a sideways angle…all the time. And you can imagine the tire wear and slight drop in gas milage due to that.

Just something interesting to note.

I don’t care in the least since the day I bought the car I had planned to wait until this spring and toss the Dunlop runflat all-seasons for real summer and winter tires. However I think it’s still a good month before the chance of snow is gone so I can’t do that just yet. I may just rotate my tires this week, as my rears still look almost new.