Go less low profile, will it help?
Discussion
Onedesi said:
Your not thread jacking at all - I for one really appreciate your comments as it will help finalise a decision soonish.
I'm intrigued by your comment on lighter steering - can you explain that a little more or maybe quantify it on a scale of 1 to 10 before and after the change.
Yours is the r53 type?
Yes mine is the R53. I'd say if 0 is stupid light & 10 is what the Mini was on the runflats it is more like 5 now, like a normal car - definitely lighter, that is for sure. It must be the increased effort from the stiffer side walls on the runflats when turning causing the heavy steering. I'm intrigued by your comment on lighter steering - can you explain that a little more or maybe quantify it on a scale of 1 to 10 before and after the change.
Yours is the r53 type?
I wanted a tyre that was still stiff walled as I had read Toyo's were a little bit floppy in the sidewall dept & felt like they gave a bit on hard cornering before settling down, that's why I went with the Vredsteins.
Just to add my wife avoided driving the Mini before due to the knocks from pot holes, rough surfaces & speed bumps etc but now loves driving it.
Thanks very much 
I can report some progress, I picked up a set of 16" bridge style alloys today that look pretty clean
I came to the conclusion that if I'm gonna do this properly and get the most comfort I can (we don't do a lot of hooning LOL) then the 16"s are the way forward (the r56 drove really well on them).
Trouble now is I've got to find some suitable tyres to dress the alloys in - does anyone have any recommendations for sensibly priced tyres that are not run flats ?
I can report some progress, I picked up a set of 16" bridge style alloys today that look pretty clean
I came to the conclusion that if I'm gonna do this properly and get the most comfort I can (we don't do a lot of hooning LOL) then the 16"s are the way forward (the r56 drove really well on them).
Trouble now is I've got to find some suitable tyres to dress the alloys in - does anyone have any recommendations for sensibly priced tyres that are not run flats ?
I had made my mind up to go for Toyo T1R (about £75 each on Camskill) but might go for Falken ZE912 instead (about £53 each on Camskill)... No experience of either on a Mini but I have had the T1R on an MX5 and they are great in every condition except deep winter and we had the ZE912 on a Megane Coupe and they seem to have very good wet weather grip.
MX-5 Lazza said:
I had made my mind up to go for Toyo T1R (about £75 each on Camskill) but might go for Falken ZE912 instead (about £53 each on Camskill)... No experience of either on a Mini but I have had the T1R on an MX5 and they are great in every condition except deep winter and we had the ZE912 on a Megane Coupe and they seem to have very good wet weather grip.
I looked at the falkens and couldn't believe the price I wonder if they are as good as the more expensive falkens as the 912's are very tempting.I'm also gonna have a look for premium branded part worns - the only thing that stops me going part worns is the 912's.
Do let us know how you get on with the toyo's - can I ask why you've decided on them?
Onedesi said:
Do let us know how you get on with the toyo's - can I ask why you've decided on them?
I haven't decided for sure on the Toyos. As I said, I'm now considering the Falkens.I have T1R on my MX5 and they work well on that even with 195 width and 245bhp. No idea if they will feel as good with FWD but the cars aren't a lot different in weight.
Having received so much help from you kind folks I thought it only fair to report back my own findings from the change that finally happened.
I decided to go the whole hog and bought a set of 16" bridge type alloys and after a lot of hunting bought some pretty much mint part worn 195 55 16 non run flats (2 Michelin and 2 conti's) and got them all balanced up and put on the car today.
Having spent most of the day in the drivers seat I can genuinely say the car is now transformed into what I think this cooper s should always have been.
It hasn't become an S- class overnight but it has become a fun and dare I say it - comfortable drive. I don't feel like every pebbly is going to shatter my spine it's more cossetting and feels a bit more wafty. It's possibly lost a bit of its sharpness in corners but that is a trade of worth making as I no longer have excessive road noise, torque steering like its trying to kill me and the skittishness has all but gone.
Whereas before I was always wrestling the car and it felt like a battle it is now much more grown up and more inline with what I want.
I'm very glad I went to the trouble of getting 16"s rather than reshoeing the 17"s as I now know how good it can be.
I supposed should make it out of 10 so if before the ride was a 2 out of 10 I would now give it an 8 - you still know the road and it's imperfections are there but they are massaged away. The first comment the passengers made were how comfy the seats were and how they didn't have a headache which in itself is quite funny because it's always had full leather seats but now they are allowed to support us rather than trying to cushion us from the suspension
It's been a very interesting journey and I want to say thanks to everyone for their help, we are now a very happy mini cooper s owning family
I decided to go the whole hog and bought a set of 16" bridge type alloys and after a lot of hunting bought some pretty much mint part worn 195 55 16 non run flats (2 Michelin and 2 conti's) and got them all balanced up and put on the car today.
Having spent most of the day in the drivers seat I can genuinely say the car is now transformed into what I think this cooper s should always have been.
It hasn't become an S- class overnight but it has become a fun and dare I say it - comfortable drive. I don't feel like every pebbly is going to shatter my spine it's more cossetting and feels a bit more wafty. It's possibly lost a bit of its sharpness in corners but that is a trade of worth making as I no longer have excessive road noise, torque steering like its trying to kill me and the skittishness has all but gone.
Whereas before I was always wrestling the car and it felt like a battle it is now much more grown up and more inline with what I want.
I'm very glad I went to the trouble of getting 16"s rather than reshoeing the 17"s as I now know how good it can be.
I supposed should make it out of 10 so if before the ride was a 2 out of 10 I would now give it an 8 - you still know the road and it's imperfections are there but they are massaged away. The first comment the passengers made were how comfy the seats were and how they didn't have a headache which in itself is quite funny because it's always had full leather seats but now they are allowed to support us rather than trying to cushion us from the suspension
It's been a very interesting journey and I want to say thanks to everyone for their help, we are now a very happy mini cooper s owning family
Onedesi said:
Having received so much help from you kind folks I thought it only fair to report back my own findings from the change that finally happened.
I decided to go the whole hog and bought a set of 16" bridge type alloys and after a lot of hunting bought some pretty much mint part worn 195 55 16 non run flats (2 Michelin and 2 conti's) and got them all balanced up and put on the car today.
Having spent most of the day in the drivers seat I can genuinely say the car is now transformed into what I think this cooper s should always have been.
It hasn't become an S- class overnight but it has become a fun and dare I say it - comfortable drive. I don't feel like every pebbly is going to shatter my spine it's more cossetting and feels a bit more wafty. It's possibly lost a bit of its sharpness in corners but that is a trade of worth making as I no longer have excessive road noise, torque steering like its trying to kill me and the skittishness has all but gone.
Whereas before I was always wrestling the car and it felt like a battle it is now much more grown up and more inline with what I want.
I'm very glad I went to the trouble of getting 16"s rather than reshoeing the 17"s as I now know how good it can be.
I supposed should make it out of 10 so if before the ride was a 2 out of 10 I would now give it an 8 - you still know the road and it's imperfections are there but they are massaged away. The first comment the passengers made were how comfy the seats were and how they didn't have a headache which in itself is quite funny because it's always had full leather seats but now they are allowed to support us rather than trying to cushion us from the suspension
It's been a very interesting journey and I want to say thanks to everyone for their help, we are now a very happy mini cooper s owning family
Good write-up and exactly why ours is on 16s with non. Whenever we get a loaner it reminds me of the validity of the choiceI decided to go the whole hog and bought a set of 16" bridge type alloys and after a lot of hunting bought some pretty much mint part worn 195 55 16 non run flats (2 Michelin and 2 conti's) and got them all balanced up and put on the car today.
Having spent most of the day in the drivers seat I can genuinely say the car is now transformed into what I think this cooper s should always have been.
It hasn't become an S- class overnight but it has become a fun and dare I say it - comfortable drive. I don't feel like every pebbly is going to shatter my spine it's more cossetting and feels a bit more wafty. It's possibly lost a bit of its sharpness in corners but that is a trade of worth making as I no longer have excessive road noise, torque steering like its trying to kill me and the skittishness has all but gone.
Whereas before I was always wrestling the car and it felt like a battle it is now much more grown up and more inline with what I want.
I'm very glad I went to the trouble of getting 16"s rather than reshoeing the 17"s as I now know how good it can be.
I supposed should make it out of 10 so if before the ride was a 2 out of 10 I would now give it an 8 - you still know the road and it's imperfections are there but they are massaged away. The first comment the passengers made were how comfy the seats were and how they didn't have a headache which in itself is quite funny because it's always had full leather seats but now they are allowed to support us rather than trying to cushion us from the suspension
It's been a very interesting journey and I want to say thanks to everyone for their help, we are now a very happy mini cooper s owning family
70proof said:
s m said:
Good write-up and exactly why ours is on 16s with non. Whenever we get a loaner it reminds me of the validity of the choice
folks were exasperated when i ordered my car with no wheel 'upgrade'.... 
Cheers - I'm quite pleased with the end look and I probably would have preferred the r56 twin 6 spoke but not easy to find and v expensive. I got ours for £100 and they are in ace condition and the plan is to get them done in white next year (I think the cars a keeper now LOL).
I blame 70proof for all of this headache - a top bloke and I probably wouldn't have pushed myself to do it without him nudging me, thanks!
I've always preferred the look of the R53 to the R56 so our R53 is almost the perfect mini for us - just want to get some spots on front now but they ain't cheap.
I blame 70proof for all of this headache - a top bloke and I probably wouldn't have pushed myself to do it without him nudging me, thanks!
I've always preferred the look of the R53 to the R56 so our R53 is almost the perfect mini for us - just want to get some spots on front now but they ain't cheap.
70proof said:
funny that as i did my homework and every mag that had a long termer (evo/car/autocar) went back onto 16s during the loan spell, as for looks, they are subjective and the current base 16 on the cs looks fine to me...
Yeah, they suit it - good choice Edited by 70proof on Sunday 6th May 09:22
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