Please explain how having less revs on the highway changes
the car's performance 17" vs 16", for example... we're not talking
about the odo's caliberation, right? tire sizes? this is new.

 

The smaller wheel/tire combo changes the ratio of the final drive. So its like having a lower final drive. This means it takes more rpm within a given gear to achieve the same speed as with a larger wheel. You get better acceleration due to a lower simulated final drive. So on the highway, it takes more revs to achieve the same speed when you use smaller wheel/tire combo. Once again, its a trade-off... Its an old drag racer trick... to show up with small wheels/tires for better acceleration...

 

yep, that's nothing new...just the way you worded it sounded like
you had some other new tricks going on. :smile:

 

The original point I was making was that I prefer to have less revs on the hwy for more relaxed cruising... as it is cruising at 70 is just under 3K rpms in 6th.

 

I totally didnt think of the who revs thing, I like the way it is on the hwy now with 17s so Im not too sure I wanna goof with a good thing
Ived owned MGs and original MINIs and theyre not that much fun on the highway.
I just sold my New Beetle and I always thought it needed a 6th gear.
I'll have to do some thinking, it would be beter to have a lil more take off though, my MINI S is a bit lacking in that, you really gotta give it the gas but once its rolling its quick.

thanks for all the suggestions!

db

 

As long as you're picking the right size tire, the rev issue is not a big deal.

Personally I prefer 16's for all around. Once I burn through the 195/55 OEM's I"ll be going with 205/50 non-runflats (Very good selection in this size). 16s are lighter than the 17s, and the mass is closer to the center, so there's some physics equasions that can be calculated for forces needed to overcome inertia.. i'm too far out of college to remember any of that.

For a 15" tire, I'd say a 205/55-15 would the right choice (depending on your rim width) I have 15s for track & driving schools, but it's a smaller diameter tire (205/50) so I don't run those as daily drivers.

 

Every performance tire I owned was improved with a lower profile. There is less squirm and better control when there is less rubber to roll in a turn. They ride a bit harder but that is the trade off for better handling and performance. Just ditching the run-flats and going with non run-flats will make a huge difference in ride quality and still allow the low profile for performance. IMHO and experiences

 

yeah Im ditching the hard-flats as soon as they wear down.

gotta find a spare that with work, I guess I 'll just find one on eBay or order one from the dealer, would I just order a reg Mini spare??? those are 15 or 16 right?

 

Don't know where you would keep a spare? especially on the S. Thats not something you want floating around inside the car.
You can get a 12v compressor, can of fix-a-flat. That will get you to a place that can repair the tire. There are some good tire sealants out there that won't cause problems. You could also go with an external patch kit...
Either way, keep a cell phone handy...

 

Fix-a-flat is a good short term fix for some small holes, but it can be a real mess to try to clean up when you want to plug the tire or the hole is too big. I ended up buying a 15" compact Mini spare wheel from Mini of Sterling and bought a used Miata 15" spare off of ebay to get the tire. For about $75 I had a compact spare I knew would fit right. I put it in a tirebag from NAM's Jerseygirl and attach it one of the lower tie-down points and bungie it to a rear strut cross bar.

If I'm just bee-bopping about town, I don't carry the spare, I carry a bottle of slime and a compressor (along with AAA card and cell phone), but on longer trips it's nice to have the security of a spare tire. (FYI: If you get a flat in the front, take the extra time to move a regular rear tire forward and mount the spare in the rear. You can usually get both wheels off of the ground by using the front jack point and it only takes a few minutes more, but improves driveability.)

Here's a photo:

 

Ill have to look into that.