I have a 2003 R50 and I'm in dire need of new tires. I bought wheels and tires from a guy in Queens who took everything off his MCS and wanted to get rid of the wheels and tires real cheap. The tires were run flats and they're loud and noisy, and the ride sucks as soon as I hit 70mph. They are 205/45R17.



I'm curious about tires of other size (such as 215/45R17). Would these wider tires be OK on the Mini without having to do any adjustments? What are the benefits of running a wider tire versus the stock size? This is the first time I'm buying new tires so I'm new at this My Mini is from 03 and only has 31k miles on it. It originally had the stock runflats with 15" wheels. I live in NYC, so I'm just looking for an all-season tire that will last and gives the car a good ride.

 

In theory, a wider tread will give you more grip and a little lower mpg.

You can soften the ride a little by getting a non-runflat tire that has a more flexible sidewall. Going from 15" to 17" is going to make the ride rougher because you have less tire sidewall to absorb the bumps.

Also, the OEM Crown Spoke wheels are very heavy (22.5 lbs. each). That extra unsprung weight will make the ride rougher, reduce acceleration, and reduce stopping power.

 

If you are looking for a softer ride, consider a set of all-season tires from either Bridgstone or Michelin. Stay with the same size, you'll be happy with the results.

Look at Bridgstone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position or Michelin Pilot Sport AS Plus.

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