Ok, I'm struggling to keep it all straight. I think I decided on a set of 17x8 et38 racing wheels but idk how it will effect me later on.

Meaning, I've been told they will fit on stock suspension but I want to put this thing on coilovers in the near future. Mostly for handling while doing a lot of spirited daily driving but maybe some track later on.

Will the 17x8s cause problems later on? I don't really want to alter the vehicle at all (fender rolling) and I don't really want any discernible camber either.

I just want great handling and an aggressive look (I don't care as much about comfort but I also don't want to rattle my passengers fillings out either, the roads in Houston suck!).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

OK, some things to consider before you commit.

17x8" et38 compared to OEM 17x7" wheels will be 2.7mm closer to the inner suspension strut and poke out 22.7mm more which is quite a bit.
see
http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.php...et2=38#content

17x8" is not ideal for 205/45-17 tires which are the common MINI size and give good tire selection. 215/45-17 will fit an 8" wide wheel but is taller than OEM size so gives less clearance for a lowered suspension plus the wheel is wider than OEM so again less clearance.

When using a 17x8" rim with aggressive offset you can:
Stretch fit a narrow tire on the wide rim to give more clearance with lowered suspension but this is hardly good for handling and reduces tire contact patch which gives less grip.
Use a tire size that is less common but works with a lowered suspension by having a tire diameter that is less than OEM 24.4" such as 205/40-17, 215/40-17, 215/35-17. 225/35-17 or 235/40-17. These sizes you can find for Yokohama S.Drive Ultra High Performance Summer tires.

If you have bad roads then 40 series sidewalls will be very firm riding and might get old quickly. Hitting bumps and potholes risk damage to your wheels tires and suspension and can knock your alignment out of whack.

When adding coilovers look for a fully adjustable model that gives you a full range for ride height, this way you can lower the car just enough to clear whatever tires you choose. Realize that coilovers will have a minimum drop of about 1/2" and can go down another 2".

So what alternatives do you have? Stick with 17x7" et 42 which will be less weight and give you the option of 205/45-17 or 215/45-17 tires and pick a tire that has good ride comfort like the Michelin Pilot Super Sport. You get good daily driving comfort with good handling wet or dry. Wide wheels and wide tires are usually heavier and that isn't good for handling and responsive steering. Sometimes the cost can be more for the wider option.

 

Thank you for putting it into context, some of this I had gathered already. I like aggressive looking minis but I want a driving machine. Would I be better off running 16x7s or 16x7.5s? And if so, how much effect will this have in tire selection, bbk selection and suspension choices?

Thanks again.

 

Tire choice is all about how you drive and what you drive on. Some areas do have smooth roads, so you could easily ride comfortably on a very low profile tire like a 215/35 17. Here in Maine, roads can get pretty bad after a single Winter season. Frost heaves and pavement break-up are a fact of life. With rough road conditions, you will break a wheel, pop a tire and very easily damage suspension components using a lower profile tire.

A set of 205/45 17 tires can survive fairly bad road conditions if you take it easy and can be an attentive driver. Keeping them at Mini specified 41 psi will help. That said, I've seen Minis with 215/45 17 tires on Mini Wheels that look pretty aggressive. I've seen aggressive looking Minis with 17 and 18 inch aftermarket wheels that have what looks to be 40 to 42 mm offsets. Get into wheel offsets smaller than that and you risk hitting the wheel well edges as the wheel/tire moves farther out from the car. There are other problems that can pop up when straying from OEM wheel offset and size.

A 16 inch wheel set up could be made to look aggressive as well, while providing a somewhat smoother or softer ride on less than perfect roads. With a taller sidewall you would lose a little of the sharp turn-in, but not to the point where the car would feel sluggish. I was originally thinking that a 16 inch wheel/tire combination would be about perfect here in Maine. The car I finally bought came with 17s, so right now I'm being extra, extra careful.

Going for lighter wheels and good high performance tires will pay dividends on a great handling car like a Mini, but what you get should depend on the condition of area roads and how you drive. There's always the daily wheel set for comfort and an the extra wheel set for track or autocross. More expensive, but might be worth it if you need to use your Mini for more than one purpose and you happen to live in a place where rough or broken roads are common.