I recently purchased a 2009 Base Cooper and been thinking about changing out the stock 15" wheels. But I'm a complete newbie and I have no idea what to look for and how the ride is affected when you get certain types of wheels/tires/suspension. So I need your help.

I'm just a regular driver using the car for my daily commute. I like the ride and the handling is fine as it is, so I have no real reason to change the wheels. I just want to give the car a more sporty stance without getting too crazy.

From browsing the site, I think I'm leaning towards a 16", maybe a 17", but not sure what the considerations are. Below are some pictures of the Minis I found on this forum. I am going to assume the owners won't mind me putting these up and hoping these picture will prompt some of you to help me decide what kind of wheels/tires/suspension I should get.

sc00terbum:

Not over the top and has the sporty look I'm looking for. Probably not the look that some of the hardcore enthusiasts go for, but this is probably closest to the kind of stance I have in mind.

S&CLC:

This looks low, but I like the look. Do you have to worry about going over bumps when you lower like this?

Wind Diesel:

Really cool picture. I particularly like this look because mine is also this color combo and this picture gives me an idea of what my car can look like. But again, as a newbie, I have no idea what the ride will be like with a setup like this. Also, this looks like 17". Wondering if this kind of look can be achieved with a 16" and higher profile tires?

Drakosd:

This one is interesting because it looks like those are 15", just like the ones I have now. And it looks like this member achieved this look simply by lowering the car. Maybe that is the most sensible thing for a newbie like me wanting to change the look without getting too crazy or spending too much money.

In case any of the above mentioned members happen to look at this, I hope you guys don't mind that I used your pictures and hope you take this as a compliment, because it is.

Thanks in advance to any replies.

 

Buying wheels is a three tier process,
Cheap
Strong
Light
You can choose two.
Examples: Cheap&Strong=Not light
Strong&Light=Not Light

You can go to websites like tirerack.com that have the ability to look at what wheels look like on your MINI. Remember that lighter wheels will reduce rotational weight and unsprung weight which will help will performance. Hopefully this helps but, there is a lot more out there and I would suggest searching the forum for more information.

 

Lots of views but not many replies. Perhaps my question wasn't focused enough. I've been doing some reading and would like to verify something.

Is it true that regardless of whether you have a 15", 16", or 17" rims, the total diameter of the wheel with the tire is the same? So as you get larger on the rim diameter, you generally have a thinner tire wall (I think you call that a profile?) so your entire wheel diameter stays the same (or almost the same?)

So, is it just a visual illusion that I perceive a bigger wheel when someone has a 17" rim compared to something like my 15" rim?

 

The tire diameter stays roughly the same size, so the sidewall shrinks as you get a larger diameter whee. You do get a lower profile tire. The wheel faq: http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?faq=faq_wheels_tyres has a table of various tire sizes for various wheel sizes, the idea is to keep the overall tire diameter within about 3% of stock.

More sidewall gives you a potentially better ride. Less sidewall gives you potentially better handling. Larger wheels weigh more in general, lighter wheels are better (theoretically).Yup, must be an illusion. Unless they're using weird sizes, the tires should all be within 3% of each other.

 

(Not a problem with the picture use, actually I am flattered, thank you. Here is another from a lower angle that shows the practical wheel gap a bit more...)

I do not have any issues on "bumps". I thrash (enjoy) my MINI a bit as they are intended, but I don't abuse it, and take caution with poor road surfaces as I would with any other car I cared for this much.

I am on non-RF 16(s) and is lowered to ~1-2 "fingers" tire to fender rim and on coil over suspension.

Enjoy your MINI.

 

^This is good. The Team Dyanmics wheels are a good compromise of all of these attributes--and one that Porthos left out: price.

 

Light & Strong (BBS RG-F) = not cheap...

 

Yep.

 

Helix13mini:
Not to highjack this thread or anything...
Are you "the" Helix, as in SSK?
Awesome mod, hands-down one of my favorites!

 

I wish I could feel the ride on a car like yours to see how it compares to stock like mine. I've never driven a dropped car so I have no perspective. All I know is that I like the sporty look like you have.

So, if I wanted to ease into modding my wheels, how much can I do with my stock 15" rims. It is 15 x 5.5 and has 175/60 tires, kind of flimsy looking. Can I put wider tires (wider footprint) on it to give the wheels a beefier look? I guess I can do anything I want, so the real question I guess I am trying to ask is, what does that do to the ride/performance? Or am I better off using the 15"s for winters and going with 16"s to be able to put on "beefier" tires? And I guess going with 16" will give you a lower profile tires which corners better?

And what about dropping the car. I understand the cheapest way to go is to replace the springs but that is not good for your stock shocks because it compresses it more than it was designed (?). So if I wanted to do it the right way, what would that be? I need to read more about coilovers (how that is different from "springs") but if you don't mind giving me some info that would be great.

Thanks again.

 

d00lindalton:

There is 1000+ tons of info (and 5000+ tons opinion) here on NAM about suspension modifications, among other things. Use the search mode and read away. Arm yourself with knowledge to make your decision. I will tell you I think that there is not a single easy answer, believe me...

The best advice I can give you without going into a full page essay on what I know about suspension modificaitons is to consider your goals (aesthetics, ride, handling? and what percentage of each you are seeking), your overall budget (you can spend $5K+ if you desire on just suspension mods alone on these cars, and there is, like everything else on the market: good/better/best quality), how long you plan to keep the car, and how it will be used (daily driver, track, weekend toy, city, country, decent roads, poor roads, and the percentage of each).

My goal was to get as close to an early 1970's MGB/proper English sports car feel as I possibly could with the more modern car's technology, durability, and comfort. I plan to keep my MINI indefinitely. It is not a daily driver, although it could easily be so if it necessary. I don't consider my car "dropped" or, for certain, not "sah-lammed". I lowered and leveled the car as close to the center of gravity as I could to get the maximum, and practical handling/ride characteristics. With the mods I did, my MINI handles and feels, not to put it lightly, F'ING AMAZING! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. It is SCARY! S-C-A-R-Y. A "go cart on rails" is not even close to describe how it is on the road and twisties. But, it rides very comfortably for me, not like Bavarianish OEM, but far, far more supple than older vintage 1960-70's English cars (Triumph, MGB/Midget, Austin Healey, TVR, Lotus, MINI, etc.) that I have driven. If I wanted a Lincoln Continental (God help me), I would have bought one.

Think of it as a balance scale, with ride on one side, and handling on the other. The more you add to one side, the more you lose on the other. You can not have more of one without losing the other respectively. To me, finding the balance that you desire is the basic and ultimate decision in the end.

Lastly, I believe that the idea of what is "too rough/too cushy", "too soft/too hard", "comfortable/uncomfortable", etc. are based on personal opinion. And cars are like a lot of things in life (i.e., women…), it is all relative.

I hope this helps.

 

Tons of info and even more opinions... I guess that's what's confusing to me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yours is a handful of tastefully done coopers I see on this forum. I bet it runs really awesome too.

 

A little more advice/information for you, d00lindalton, if you are still looking for some and care to read on...

1. Buy lowering springs. Aftermarket coilovers are a better investment in the long term, and ride somehat better and offer adjustment, but are an expensive up front cost. "Search" the springs them on NAM, I stopped reading about them when I decided on coil overs, some are lower/better more than others (I think maybe 3/4" to 1" would be good for you, giving you a little stance without a lot of ride loss, if you're concerned about this factor and chance of complications), some are less durable more than others, some have a harsher ride. If I remember correctly but don't quote me on this, H&R and Eibach were liked, but there is a lot to choose from. Use your current shocks until they pre-maturely wear out, and replace them with what fits into your budget then.

Note: "Search" here on NAM whether or not you need to switch out the rear lower control arms with a "mild drop" to achieve the correct allignment in the rear wheels that you cannot with the OEM non-adjustable. Or contact thr manufacturer of the springs for advice. I do not recall. I know it was necessary to do with the drop extent I chose with the coil overs (~1.25") on my MINI. There are various types of aftermarket LCAs on the market, so choose according to your budget, but choose quality, there is "a lot riding on them", so to speak. (But you definitely don't need polished titanium or race grade…)

2. Replace wheels with 15" or 16", the ride will be better with the 15" and the speedometer will be correct. The 16" will be a little more pleasing aestheticaly without compromising a lot otherwise. I stayed with my OEM 16" but went up to a 7'' vs. OEM 6.5" wheel width, but it's in actuality only a 1/4" track increase. Choose them by offset as well as looks, I advise going for +38mm to +40mm offset (as opposed to OEM +48mm and/or use spacers to achieve that offset, that will widen your footprint a bit, which not only will make it handle better, but also improve the appearance dramatically. Anything between 15-20# would be good for you. Below that for quality will strain a budget. But definitely consider their weight, the lower the better. Aesthetically I think a gunmetal finish looks great on any clor MINI, but wheels come in so many different styles and colors and are a definite reflection of your personl taste. Also, there are a lot of obsessive fanatics that own MINIs, so purchasing used/"babied" wheels from one of them can yield a great deal. You can follow the "marketplace" on NAM or elsewhere.

But remember, if you change to 16" from your OEM 15", it obligates you to purchase tires at the same time instead as a future upgrade/purchase, budget-wise.

3. Replace the tires, especially if they are (the dreaded) run-flats. And I don't like the ride/durability of low profile tires, but i admit I'm very old school. And if you live someplace where it freezes frequently in the winter months, I would not purchase "summer" tires, despite the fact they handle/ride dramatically better in the warm periods. I have and very much like Continental tires (I chose DWS this time) or Dunlop. I have had them on many of my cars for years. They are not cheap or expensive, somewhat in the middle price-wise, but good quality for the ride and durabilty in my opinion. I recommend going a bit wider, for example I went to a 205 vs. the OEM 195. Balance quality and price, there are "4 for the price of 3" sales, etc., watch for them, don't ever pay full price for tires, they have a high retail markup usually. TireRack is good website resource, it has lot of great information. There is somebody on NAM that everyone recommends dealing with there if you chose to purchase from them, research for his name. I think I read a lot of people swear by Michelin, if I remember correctly the one they like are the Pilots (for MINIs), but they are probably pricey, I honestly don't know. Michelins are great tires, very durable, I've had a lot of them also, but you're definitely paying for the name to some extent I think. Again, use the "search" for tires here on NAM to gain opinion and information.

And lastly, as a bonus treat if you expand your budget, contemplate a beefier rear sway bar than OEM. I highly recommend doing this, the difference is amazing. But consider this is to modify and improve handling, and will not affect the aesthetics with your stance/footprint. The bar itself is not very expensive in the long run (again a lot to choose from), but the mod can run into the expensive side when you consider the labor to install it correctly, which involves dropping the subframe, etc. And it is not a job for a "shade tree" mechanic in my opinion.

I think the total combination of the lowered springs, the increased rim width/wheel offset, and wider tire should give you a nice look to your MINI (as well as increased handling), at a reasonable price.

This is just my 2 cents or so trying to help you out. Hopefully, this new message will encourage others to contnue this thread and add information and opinion… (That's what this site is for…)

Take care.

 

"Yours is a handful of tastefully done coopers I see on this forum. I bet it runs really awesome too."

And thanks again for the compliments, and yes, it runs great...

 

S&CLC, Wow, thanks for taking the time to write that up. I'm definitely leaning towards 16"s and like you said, I've been browsing the market place on this site to get an idea of the rims that are out there. You also gave me a lot of info on how to lower the car and how to get some of the performance gains you can get out of that. Right now, a lot of it is still confusing to me, but I will be referring back to your advice as I get more familiar and know how to talk the language. Thanks.