17" rims are an option when you buy the MINI, but IMO, it is better to go aftermarket.

There is currently a sale going on for Rota Slipstream 17x7.5 for $160 each. I bought a set of 16x7, after messing up a set of Rota RBs in an accident.

I also have a set of 17x7 wheels from a company I wont recommend. The wheels have been OK for me, but the company has a Fail rating at BBB.

All in all, I tend to like the 16" wheels better for comfort. They are lighter weight -- which improves ride, braking, and acceleration -- and the extra sidewall on the tire helps absorb bumps.

The main advantage of 17" and 18" wheels is cosmetic. Since the tire O.D. remains the same on MINIs, the larger wheel means a shorter sidewall height on the tire -- which is a trendy look. The shorter sidewall can also improve turn-in, but the tire can also have a significant effect there. The disadvantage is that they are usually much heavier than 16" wheels. So racing enthusiasts often go for the smaller wheel, in spite of the turn-in advantage.

 

Man, I love the look of my 17" MINI crownspokes... the JCW challenge spokes tempted me for a bit, but I couldn't find anything after-market that looked quite as nice as the crowns. I'm really glad I went with them.

BTW, replacing my stock runflats with non-RFs in a week. Anyone in southern Arizona want some MINI runflats with only about 3k miles on them?

 

I went from Conti RFs to Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Positions and upsized slightly from 195-55R16 to 205-55R16 on recommendations from other threads here ... VERY happy: quieter, softer ride, and not too bad on the stiffness (but also considering adding a stiffer rear swaybar now, FYI).

Plug kit and a small compressor are in the toolkit for daily driving; bought a donut spare for long trips ... no regrets.

UPDATE Sep 2009: added the 19mm H-Sport rear sway bar, center setting ... HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY. See this thread.

 

I'll be putting those exact tires on my '08 MC here in the next few months (July-Oct.). Glad to know they are as good as the TR Survey says.

 

I just switched to 215/45/17 Falken Azenis RT-615's this past Saturday and did an autocross Sunday. Not that I had any doubts, but after a few days of the daily grind, I can give them the major thumbs up. Houston has lots of concrete streets with expansion joints and the RF's found every one of them, the non-RF's give a much more supple ride. The Azenis are a DOT/Autocross tire which will likely only give 10-15K miles of street service, so they're not for everybody, but the increase in traction is what this car deserves. Earlier posters said they lost "turn-in" by going to regular tires but I would surmise it was the type of non-RF's not the "regular" tire thing at all. The handling on my Sports suspension car with the Falkens is better in every way, initial turn-in, mid-corner, and exit. BTW, I run them at 36psi all the way around for the street. For the auto-X, ran 41 psi in the front and 38psi in the rears.

 

Faboo -- I'd say go with the 960s if you want all-weather use, and think maybe the Potenza 760s if you don't see much rain or snow (like maybe you live in AZ or CA).
I don't track mine but do drive assertively (Chicago traffic!); tried hard to get the upsized tires to rub, but can't do it --

 

I looked at the pole positions but they don't come in 195/55/16 only 205/55/16 so I'm most likely going to go with the G 019 grids. Have you noticed any difference in snow traction going from a 195 to a 205? FWIR a wider tire drives worse in the snow that a thinner tire.

 

Haven't had them long enough to try in snow, just rain ... and I like the rain traction on the new 205s. (I also have a Subaru Outback -- which came with Potenza RE92s -- for real winter driving.)

You're right, the PolePositions don't come in 195/55R16 -- but the size diff to 205 is so small that I'm not concerned. I also considered buying the (slightly-cheaper) Grid G019s, but decided that I'd spend the extra $15/tire to go from "high performance" to "ultra high performance" for about the same wear-factor and also a little more sidewall stiffness.

ADDED THOUGHT: when I was calling around for prices, I started by asking about 195/55-R16s ... and two of the more-knowledgeable dealers interrupted and said, "oh -- for a MINI Cooper?" Apparently, MINIs may be the only car that routinely uses that size; 205/55R16 is a LOT more common, so think about that, too. My 960s were $143 each with everything (tax, mounting, air, insurance ... )

 

basil49 - thanks for the info.......I'm still on the fence between these two tires! (Un)Lucky for me I have another set of run flats on a 2nd set of bridge spoke rims from my brother in law.