Hi,

I have 2012 R60 ALL 4 and I am contemplating to upgrade my stock 17x7.5 ET50 wheels to either JCW R134 19" wheels or aftermarket Neuspeed 19x8 ET 45 wheels. I'd like to find out if anyone have experiences with upgrading wheels and are there any major downsides of installing larger wheels such as degradation in driving quality, faster tear and wear of front axles, joints, brakes, etc.

Also, does installation of aftermarket wheels void a manufacturer warranty?

I appreciate your input.

Thanks,

Boris

 

Going to a lighter wheel, whatever the size is always a help for performance. The larger the wheel diameter, the shorter the tire sidewall. I live in Maine and find that any tire under a 40 aspect sidewall will be more prone to wheel damage. Winter is rough on our roads, so we get quite a bit of break up. Pot holes and short sidewall tires will up the chance of rim damage.

A shorter tire sidewall will generally sharpen turn in reaction. At the same time, that short sidewall might ride a tad harder, as bumps become sharper. You really have to consider your local road conditions.

Not sure about warranty. If the wheel is lighter, about the same offset and doesn't interfere with anything on the car, I can't see why it would void anything. You might want to check with your dealer on that one.

 

Thank you, appreciate your input.

I am in Chicago area so we are pretty much in the same boat when it comes to potholes and harsh winters.

I thought of putting 225/40/19 Michellin Pilot Sport A/S3 with most likely NeuSpeed RSe 14 wheels -- 19x8 ET 45. I hope that 5 mm smaller offset will not have any major impact on overall driving quality.

 

That's a super nice wheel. Let us know how it fits and what tire selection you do eventually decide on. If you have broken pavement where you drive, make sure you keep those tires inflated well, and take it easy. Post some pictures of the wheels/tires on your Mini when you get a chance.

 

chicago area here

i have factory 18s on my all4 ... stock tire size is 225/45R18 ... in runflats ... ride was horrible

changed to 225/50R18 Michelin pilot super sports non runflats ... much bettet

for winter, bought 16 inch mini oem euro alloys and run 205/70R16 winter tires ... 3 full winters with no wheel damage with the /70 sidewalls

BTW ... your stock 17 inch wheels are 7 inch wide not 7.5 inch

 

That's the only way to do Winter. Can't beat a dedicated Snow tire set. Huge difference in traction and safety between Snows and "All Seasons", which are really only 3 Seasons. I tried a new set of Bridgestone Turanza All Seasons in the snow, and although I got to work OK, it wasn't a confident drive at all. Switched over to my snows (a set of Pirelli Winter Carving without studs on my Winter FWD car) before I went in to work the next day. A world of difference. Those tires actually made it easy to drive on snow.

I worked different shifts to cover 24 hour operations, and one Saturday a few years ago, the state was shut down for a good blizzard event. I left work a little after midnight and headed home before the wind ramped up in about 6-7 inches of new snow that hadn't been touched by plow or other car. Totally untouched cold snow. I didn't see another car on the road that night or even a tire track on the snow the entire trip, and it turned out to be the quickest 14 mile trip home I had ever made. All rural roads, no towns to go through, but plenty of hills and curves. It was a great fun drive.

I really love to drive on snow, but only with snow tires and in light traffic. Wish everyone would invest in a good set of snow tires. Would reduce drive times and accidents significantly. But even here in Maine, most drivers elect to take their chances on All Season tires. The results can be spotted along the sides of the roads, where so many cars, AWD/4X4 SUVs and trucks end up with reshaped metal and broken parts.

 

Thank you guys. Yes, I realized that the stock wheels are 7" wide. I just ordered NueSpeed RSe 14 black; really excited to put them on.