Hi everyone!

I'm planning to order my MINI in the next few weeks. A daily driver, no racing. I'm still in the configuration stage and I'm so confused about the wheels/tires. I hope you don't mind if I ask you a few questions so I can figure out what to order.

From what I've read on the forums, the run-flats aren't comfortable to ride on, don't last very long and are expensive to replace, and the all seasons from MINI aren't the best quality either. They're not really snow tires, which is what I'd need here in the Chicago area. I can either 1) buy the regular wheels and the all season tires with my MINI and buy nice wheels/tires later, or 2) buy the expensive wheels/tires with my MINI and buy snow tires later.

If I decide to buy with the nice wheels: I love the 17" wheels and I really love the look of nice wheels with red calipers (I'm not good with cars so the thought of painting my own calipers is kind of intimidating). To get that look, is my only option to buy my MINI with the JCW brakes and get the really expensive JCW wheels? If so, what wheels fit with those brakes?

Thank you so much for any advice you can offer me.

 

i would recommend buying wheels elsewhere, that support the TPMS. Also, the current JCW brakes are just painted red, no performance gain. You can sell the stock wheels and tires and offset the cost of buying some rims and tires you really want. As for the brakes, i would hold off for now, or just attempt to paint them. It should be a good learning process.

 

The R56s come with JCW brakes, just in silver and no logo. I'd just go with a set of wheels that you like and get non-runflat tires (make sure you have AAA or a cellphone just in case, since MINIs don't have spares).

If you buy nice wheels from MINI (say, JCW wheels), make sure they give you the stock wheels to go with it. Most people don't think about it, but you've already paid for the stock ones, take them with you! Dealers tend to like to keep the stock ones when you buy a more expensive set.

 

Which MINI are you looking at?
Base Cooper vs Cooper S vs Cabrio vs Clubman?

17" are not usually available on the base Cooper

16" are an option on the base Cooper and standard on the Cooper S.

If you like the looks of the 17" and you are getting a Cooper S then you have to get the 17" in the Sport package or buy them as an option separately.

You can save money but getting the 16" wheels with runflats that usually are less harsh riding and then sell them or use the wheels for winter tires and buy 17" of the MINI design you like used from another owner or get aftermarket 17" wheels from the vendors on NAM. Tire pressure monitoring valves are required on each tire.

Ride quality isn't that bad with the runflats unless you have very poor roads. Did you go for a test drive? If so then try both 16" and 17" wheels and even the base cooper with 15" non runflats for comparison.

Don't order the sport suspension, stick with the stock suspension.

Red calipers are easy to paint yourself or get some MINI friends to help you. It's not hard to do and you are not limited to red.

 

Mini Cooper S

 

For more comfortable ride quality and lower cost-
16" stock wheels are fine.

If you like the look of the 17" wheels that's subjective.
17" MINI wheels tend to be heavy and runflat tires aren't the smoothest riding option. But they are popular none the less.

Test drive both options more than once. You are the best judge.

 

I have a 07 MCS that I ordered with 17" wheels and all season run flats. I too live in the Chicago area. As winter approached, I junked my run flats and had the 17" wheels reshod with snows. I hate the run flats - they are like riding on bricks (and I like light tight riding sport car suspensions). The non-run flat snows ride better. I am going to get a set of 16" wheels with summer rubber on them when the weather improves.

Also, I learned (the hard way) that there is not enough side wall on the 17" radials to protect the lips of the 17" wheels from grinding against curbs - creating a mess.

If I had to do it all over again, I would order 16" wheels from the factory, and then still throw junk the run-flats. Good luck.

 

Thanks so much for your advice! Mini owners are apparently as awesome as Minis!