So, my MINI is at the dealership having the timing chain tensioner fixed. Service advisor calls me and says that my tires are feathering and I should replace them at $400 each. I tell him to "put it in a quote and I'll look at my options."

In any case, I'll have a closer look at the tires when I get my car back. But, my questions are:

1) Is it safe to take the MINI to any alignment shop? I imagine this is a pretty standard procedure with no need for a MINI specialist...correct??

2) If my tires are not otherwise worn, can I continue to use them once the alignment is corrected? I'm assuming that once the alignment is corrected, the tires will wear properly and thus balance the "feathering" out, right??

I'd like to replace my run-flats at some point, but shelling out a bunch of money for tires is a NO-GO at the moment.

 

rotate the tires

see tirerack.com for rotation pattern options

my cms all4 feathers the outside of the front tires

i do mine every oil change and i just do a front to back swap

scott

 

You don't say how many miles you put on but henceforth, it is advised by many, rotate at around 5K miles, directional tires front to back.
There is built in negative camber that will cause uneven wear. Any good alignment shop can take care of you. As far as cost in concerned, you can replace those nasty RFs with any proven all season for a fraction of the RF cost...and enjoy a much nicer ride.

 

I've added about 10K miles since I got the car in May of 2012. Not sure how many miles are on the tires overall (i.e., if the original owner ever replaced them, or if they're the original tires). I also don't know if the original owner rotated the tires, but I know I've not done. So, I guess I know what's next on the agenda for the MINI. Hopefully, these tires will be okay for a few more months...

 

There's your problem, probably never rotated...

 

An alignment won't cure cupping, neither will rotating. It will help, but not magically fit the tires.

What you can do is have flip mounted onto the opposite side rim.
(Rt front tire mounted on left front rim, same for the rear. Thus the old rt front inside is now the left front outside.)

 

RFs are a pain to unmount and remount, just ask your local tire guy. Get what use you can out of them while you put away some bucks for a new set. Non directional tires can be fully rotated, that is, rear tires crossed left to righ and right to left back to front and the front straight back. It gives you much more even wear if done about every 5K. High performance tires will wear out the fastest so all seasons are a better value.

 

Any good alignment shop can take care of you.

there's a zinger hiding in this one .... of 100 places that have alignment equipment and will do the job, in all probability ONE will actually have the skill and take the time to do it right. Finding a GOOD alignment shop is as difficult as finding a GOOD dentist and living with the results of a bad one painful either way.

A GOOD alignment shop (or dealer) would tell you specifically what was wrong and the probably cause and show you what they are talking about on the tires and give an opinion of future use of the tire based on the wear etc etc.

as I recall there is a pretty large and active MINI group in Vegas (don't they host the annual MINIs in Vegas thing???? AMVIV or something like that) I'd ask for recommendations to a GOOD alignment shop there - or any local car enthusiast group (like the BMW guys esp the guys who track race BMWs)

the MINI is quite sensitive to the suspension obviously and this is not a place I want a kid who's doing his third alignment ever for Tires Plus doing mine.