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Introduction

As most of you know by now, the stock MINI tire sizes (175/65R15, 195/55R16, and 205/45R17) aren't available many places yet, and it's doubtful they'll be available in tremendous numbers for some time. Very few cars sold in the U.S. use any of these sizes.

Winter Tires

Since U.S. MINIs arrive with performance or all-season tires standard, the most immediate need for some owners will be winter tires this coming season.

In winter driving, it's probably best to have more sidewall than usual, so that would tend to argue for a 175/65R15 tire size, if you wanted to match stock.

I've only found one winter tire in that size so far that's sold through U.S. dealers, and that is the Vredestein Snowtrac (made in the Netherlands). They have 17 U.S. dealers. Click here for the list.

A couple important points:

1. This tire is not a run-flat, so it is only suitable for MINI Coopers equipped with the spare.

2. MINI Cooper owners with the optional larger 16 inch wheels will also need a set of 15 inch wheels for these tires, such as a set of stock MINI 15 inch 8-hole wheels from your MINI dealer or, if imported, a set of 15 inch steel MINI One wheels (or equivalent). MINI 15 inch wheels should be plentiful, given how often dealers are ripping them off to add bigger wheels to showroom cars.

It may be possible to run 195/60R15 winter tires. This size is plentiful in the U.S. Tirerack.com, for example, carries the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50, Michelin Arctic-Alpin, and Pirelli Winter 210 Snowsport in that size. Again, none of these tires are run-flat, so they would make poor choices for Cooper S owners.

Other Tires

Tirerack has one 195/55R16 tire, the Firestone Firehawk GTA 02 all-season, suitable for the MINI Cooper. This tire is not a run-flat tire.

Has anyone had any better luck finding sources for suitable MINI tires, especially run-flat tires? Obviously the dealers should stock them (in theory), but the dealer network has some significant gaps, so it would be helpful to have other sources while away from home.

Click here for FAQ on MINI Wheel and Tire Advice

[Little Bear]

Hmmmm.... I'd be very interested in recommendations for performance run-flat owners. I'll be tooling back and forth around Chicago next winter. Unless of course we have a winter like this last one.

[ezrally]

I will use 185/65-15s Blizzak or Nokian Q studless tires if I drive it in the snow(sure I will I have had good service with this size/type tire in the past and with the MINI being a lighter car this width is good.
Runflats are no doubt in tire co. pipeline in the near future to cater to us and others.

[olddad]

Oh my god. What are you thinking of. After I wait until next Feb/Mar for delivery of the car I've been dreaming about for the last 18 months, I'm not taking it out in the white slop unless the life of a small closely related child is in danger. I'm trying not to think about my Mini with wheel wells packed with snow, mud and cinders on the aprons, dirty wet shoes on my carpets.

Too late. I'm hemoraging.

[ezrally]

Good point(s)! You have to admit it will/would be a blast to drive in the snow though..

[HarryHBMCC]

What are ASC+T, ABS, EBD and CBC for? Well, they're great for pushing the car on dry pavement but I figure they'll be fun in snow too. I'll see what solution my dealer has by November. Vredesteins are also available in Canada but I suspect Goodyear/Dunlop are working on a runflat solution so we don't have to put airpumps and cans of sealant goop in our boot/trunk.

Harry