Ok, with a new S Clubman on the way I have one issue I'm still wrestling with. There's still time to make the change, and this one doesn't affect the cost of the vehicle, so it's really a preference thing.

Living in the Northeast, winter weather means I either pony up $800 for winter rims/tires or go with all season tires. Sure, all seasons don't do anything well, but they stay on all year and avoid having to buy the winter set. However, the winter salt won't be kind to the alloys and I plan to keep this car for a while. Snow tires should make winter driving safer than the all seasons. The run flats that come along with the sports package perform better than all seasons, but would make winter driving a sometimes dangerous experience.

I realize I've already made the best of decisions with a Mini, but I'm looking for your experiences and suggestions to help me make the right decision about tires!

 

Hey there!
We're near Boston and chose to go with the all-seasons to start. We'll probably run a year on them and then get dedicated winter and summer sets after we save up some money

 

hfs3 - I believe that on the "S" Clubman both the all-season and the performance tires are run-flats. The only non run-flat tires offered on the Clubman are the base model with 15" rims. "S" comes standard with 16" rims, and all 16" or larger rims only have run-flat tires, in either all-season or performance version.

 

Check out Tire Rack for some inexpensive dedicated wheels and snow tires - I really don't think it will be $800 if you go with 15 inch wheels and tires. I know that I didn't but it's been too many years for me to remember.

 

Ah, that makes sense! Question is, are the performance tires so much better that I should bypass the all seasons and just go for the winter set?

 

Careful with the 15 inch rims. Need to be sure they'll clear the front brake calipers which on the R56 are essentially R53 JCW calipers without red paint. Just be sure that the aftermarket 15's will fit over the front brakes. Only certain MINI wheels will.

 

I don' think I want to go from 17" to 15" for snowies, unless there's a reason I should?

 

The biggest factor would be cost.................

 

well, yes...but maybe the 16" would suit you? I used to go from 16 to winter 15s...but I realize that the size of my tires aren't important from my point of view and I do like to save some bucks.

Oh yes - mea clupa - you're asking about an S not the regular Cooper...so perhaps those 15 inchers will not work for you anyway.

 

I have non-run flat 16" all-season tires on my Clubman. They are Continentals and seem to be a decent tire.

OOPS - I just discovered they are run-flats...UGH Did not want that.

 

the 15" tires will also be skinnier and skinnier tires are better for snow.
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can the MINI space saver wheel/tire fit in the clubman under the boot?

 

The newer, all-season Continental run-flat tires that come on Mini's are very nice. They do not seem to suffer from all the issues that previous generation RF did.

 

Since I've ordered the Sports package, it will come with 17" wheels/tires. Does anyone know if the all seasons are 205/45?

Thanks!

 

I have the same wheels you have in your picture(no sport pkg.) and it came with 205/45 all season Continentals. In street driving 99% of drivers could not tell the difference between summer and all seasons from behind the wheel IMHO.

 

It seems MINI is either installing Goodyear Excellence or Continental RF tires when you order a Clubman S with 16" wheels. Mine came with Goodyear Excellence.

 

A quick call to my MA confirmed the tire size, which was a relief. Still have to think about protecting those rims over the winter. So, likely I will invest in rims and snowies as the season approaches.

 

Keep an eye on the NAM Marketplace forum. You can often get factory 16" wheels for a good price as people take them off to get 3rd party wheels.

I sold my 17" Crown Spokes with Dunlap runflats there to help pay for lighter wheels. A lot of people who plan on getting aftermarket wheels order the 16" factory wheels to save $$. So they should come up frequently.

If you don't find anything there, Rota RB 16x7s are available for less than $600.

 

Some thoughts. First, run flats ride like bricks. Plan to ditch them. Get a set of summer rubber for 3 season use and a set of snows for winter. Your Mini will perform much better year-round and you'll like not grimmacing every time you see a pothole.

 

but if you ditch the run-flats, will the MINI space saver spare fit under the boot of the Clubman??

 

If my experience with our '06 S Hatchback with sport suspension and '08 S Clubman without sport suspension is helpful: I had factory "17 runflats on the '06 and they indeed were like driving on round bricks as bmbulbe pointed out. I bought a set of "15 Borbet wheels and Michelin Primacy MX4 195/60 R 15 88V tires (non runflat), all from Tire Rack who sent them mounted and balanced within about a week. The outside diameter of that combination is very close to the factory diameter, perhaps one more revolution or so per mile as I recall. The difference in ride is like night and day on the positive side, which I attribute to the fact there there are a couple more inches of tire filled with air under the car. I also started getting about one more mile per gallon according to the car's computer, which I read in one thread is due to the fact that it takes less mechanical effort to get (and keep) that setup rolling.

Because of that experience, I ordered the Clubman S without sport suspension and with 16" all season tires (can only get runflats on the S as miniclubman pointed out), hoping that combination would give me the most comfortable ride available from the factory, and my MA agreed. It came with Continental ContiPro Contact SSR 195/55 R 16 87V tires. As Nimcosi has pointed out (and ClubmanS in a different thread I believe), the newer runflats give a better ride and the combo I ordered gives a ride very similar to the '06 after the switch, and they both handle very well (but I don't AutoX either). So, I am happy. Of course, I live in Arizona so I don't have the winter tire issue to deal with .

I'd be very curious to know what would happen if someone put 15" non runflat tires on the Clubman S, keeping essentially the same outside diameter as the original factory 16" or 17" runflat setup if someone is in a position to make the comparison on an S or perhaps a non-S Clubman.