[Silvercooper]

I have an appointment next week at MINILAVAL to have the 16" alloy wheels with the non run-flat continental tire. I was told the same thing about the steel wheels (not recommended) and I found the deal on the 5 spokes alloy wheels was good, I still find that it's a lot of money for winter use but I think my car will look better with those wheels compared to steel with plastic caps. The price was $375CDN each for the 16" alloy wheels with Continental winter tires 195/55R16.

[duke2mini]

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvercooper
I found the deal on the 5 spokes alloy wheels was good, I still find that it's a lot of money for winter use but I think my car will look better with those wheels compared to steel with plastic caps

I agree, the deal is good and looks much better. I think I made my choice and will go with the alloy/non runflats set. I am trying to get a discount on the X-Lites though.

[paulmon]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ronster


Hi Paul,

I am from GTA as well. Could you tell me where you got your snow tire package? And wonder if you have offset information of your steelies off hand?

Thanks,

Ron

Don't have the offset off hand. I got them at Wheel and Tire Zone in Mississauga. However if you can hold off a little please do. I'm having some problems with mine. I was in on Monday and they said that the scraping sound was simply some flashing on the back side of the steel wheel left over from the manufacturing process rubbing on the caliper, I believe. They said it's quite common and is nothing to worry about and will go away quite quickly. However I'm not fully convinced, I'm giving it until next monday and if I still hear it I'm going back in for another look. It now seems to be over bumps etc I get a quick scraping like sound, as if the wheel was rubbing the body after it bounces because of the bump. However a quick look doesn't show anywhere that the tire could touch the body so I'm not sure.

Andrew at Wheel and Tire zone is pretty good so if there is a problem, he'll fix it I'm sure.

I'll keep everyone posted.

Paul

[Silvercooper]

Quote:

Originally posted by duke2mini


I agree, the deal is good and looks much better. I think I made my choice and will go with the alloy/non runflats set. I am trying to get a discount on the X-Lites though.

I'm happy I'm getting the 5 spokes for two reasons even if I prefer the look of the X-lites. First I think those will be easier to clean and it will be a change from my summer wheels!

[duke2mini]

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvercooper
I think those will be easier to clean and it will be a change from my summer wheels!

Yep, I thought about that one. So many little angles where salt and dirt can accumulate. I definitley think that 5 Stars is the best choice for winter but since I have been juggling with the X-Lites and the S spoke from day one, I will finally put this debate with myslef to rest since I will have both. Aaaaah, I feel better already.
Anyway if I end up paying a huge premium for the X-Lites, I might go for the 5 Stars at the end.

[HarryHBMCC]

Yes, the X-lites are MUCH harder to clean than the 5-spokes!!! I've had my X-lites just two weeks and they are awful to clean. I think it takes about as long to clean one wheel properly as to do all the 5-spokes. Still, I thought it would be different to have them on for the winter. Only consolation is that the 5-spokes look worse when they are dirty than the X-lites.

Harry

[Ronster]

Quote:

Originally posted by paulmon


Don't have the offset off hand. I got them at Wheel and Tire Zone in Mississauga. However if you can hold off a little please do. I'm having some problems with mine. I was in on Monday and they said that the scraping sound was simply some flashing on the back side of the steel wheel left over from the manufacturing process rubbing on the caliper, I believe. They said it's quite common and is nothing to worry about and will go away quite quickly. However I'm not fully convinced, I'm giving it until next monday and if I still hear it I'm going back in for another look. It now seems to be over bumps etc I get a quick scraping like sound, as if the wheel was rubbing the body after it bounces because of the bump. However a quick look doesn't show anywhere that the tire could touch the body so I'm not sure.

Andrew at Wheel and Tire zone is pretty good so if there is a problem, he'll fix it I'm sure.

I'll keep everyone posted.

Paul

Luckily, it's still warmish this week so I can hold off a little. Just out of curiosity, Paul, do you know the size of the rims they put on with 185/65/15? Are they 15x5.5 or something wider?

Thanks

Ron

[Ottawa Guy]

Well, I got my steel rims and snow tires mounted yesterday and absolutely no problems.

For those of you agonizing over the expensive dealer combo for the MCS, as I was doing, steel wheels are definitely the way to go.

I went to Commercial Tire & Battery in Ottawa. I got Honda steel rims (15x6 4-100) at $62.57 each, Michelin Arctic Alpins (185/65R15) at $123.30 each and a set of cool hubcaps for $49.95. All prices are Canadian dollars.

I could of got cheaper tires but Michelin Arctic Alpins are highly rated in Consumer Reports. As well, I had been pleased with them in the past on my '98 Prelude.

The whole deal was $912.44 including tax -- which is a lot less than the $2,311 the dealer wanted (tax included).

I'm carrying a can of Tire Gunk to inflate and seal the tire in case of a flat. BTW, Mini roadside service only helps you change a spare tire, not fix the flat, according to the manual.

I hope this helps anyone looking for snows.

[Humourl3ss]

My setup this winter will be a set of 195/60-15 Michelin Arctic Alpins around some American Eagle Alloy Series 193 rims (6.5" wide, either a 38 or 40mm offset). The AE rims are not light for the size (~19 lbs), but they'll do for the winter. Total package including mounting/balancing/summer wheel storage and extras is about $1,200.

-CW

[ltanguay]

Quote:

Originally posted by paulmon
I just put 15" steelies on my MCS. There is NO reason at all for you to worry about putting 15" steel wheels and tires on your MCS. The MCS and Cooper and One all the same needs for wheels and all are identical. The brakes, wheel hubs, offset, bolt patern, etc, etc are all the same on all three of these cars, because they are the same car. If your dealer is saying that you MUST put 16" minimum on the MCS he's simply wanting to sell you something you don't need. My MINI dealer, MINI Woodbridge, (didn't get mine at the dealer) is selling a 15" package for the Cooper and a 16" package for the MCS. There is no reason you can't use the 15" steel package on the MCS however.

The tire place that did my install did discover one problem, the locking bolts that my dealer provided are a little long for the steel wheels. No biggie, going in tomorrow for them to fix that. It makes a clicking sound at full lock. No damage, just anoying.

Sure, the MCS won't handle as well on the 15" wheels and tires as it would on the 16". However it is winter so what are you doing driving that hard anyways?

I ended up getting the 15" Steelies with Yokohama AVS Winter in 185/65 with some simple wheel covers. They're T rated and have a very aggresive "performance" oriented tread patern.

No the 15" are not anywhere as good as 16 or 17 but this whole kit cost me $820 tax incl. The second you start talking Alloy 16" wheels you're at $1500 minimum. The 16" Dunlop run flats are $800 for the tires alone. (All prices canadian)

See attached below.

Cheers,

Paul

[ltanguay]

On my wife's Cooper S I installed aftermarket steel wheels and Goodyear Ultra Grip tires (185 65 15). Lugs are torqued at 72 lbs as recommended in the manual. The cost was under $800. everything included.

There is a very slight loss in handling, a quieter ride and great traction in Northern Ontario's harsh winter.

Driving in a snow storm recently, I felt more secure with the traction of the Mini than that of my Quattro equiped with all-season tires especially braking and turning.

My wife tells me she feels quite safe in her MINI driving on snow covered roads. The traction control system works quite well.

Louis

[GK MINI]

OUR DEALERSHIP IS STOCKING 15" STEEL WHEELS FITTED WITH DUNLOP WINTER SPORT SNOWS FOR USE ON THE COOPER AND 'S'.
$680 FOR A SET OF 4. CONTACT MIKE OR LARRY IN PARTS. 716-505-2100.

GK

[Silvercooper]

I just had the dealer package installed this morning, 16" 5 spokes with 195/55R16 Continental winter tires. Expensive but looks good on the car and those tires have a nice tread design too. I am amazed how the not run-flat tires run smoother compared to my 16" Dunlop DSST summer tires! Anybody felt the same?

[HarryHBMCC]

OK, just so we don't have a zillion winter/snow tire/wheel threads I've combined the generic questions and comments into http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=18411

Please use this thread here just for discussions of whether particular wheels fit the Cooper S and what people are doing about not having a spare, getting a can of fix-a-flat, etc.

Thanks!
Harry,
moderator, Wheels & Tyres

[foxcasper]

OK, first dusting of snow of the season has prompted me to get into action....

I've done my research here and around the dealers.

1) The Mini wheels appear to be hub-centric, meaning that the forces are taken by the 'lip' on the hub that the 56.1mm hole in the centre of the wheel mounts around.
This also serves to centrally mount the wheel on the hub - and the only function the bolts perform is to connect wheel to hub.
Please correct me if I am wrong on the hub-centric part- my car is with the wife right now and I can't double check.

2) If you don't get a steel wheel with the correct diameter hole (56.1mm) then the forces of driving will not be taken by the hub, but by the 4 bolts instead.
The bolts are not designed to take that kind of 'side' force.
There is also a fair risk of off-centre wheel alignment due to the 'oversized' hole often found in aftermarket wheels for the bolts to go through (to accomodate different bolt diameters).

3) 'Unique wheels' seems to be a common supplier for steel wheels in the aftermarket - but their center-bore is 72mm with an ET41 (15x6"). This wheel will fit, (the offset calculates OK) but the center-bore is not good for the reasons stated above.

4) Belle Tire (local supplier) tell me that they have had experiences where 'regular' steel wheels that fit (but not correct centre-bore) have caused issues (rubbing due to wrong offset,..). They also said that their wheel suppliers are 'catching on' and have realised the problems.

5) Belle Tire and TireRack are now both waiting for what apppears to be the same delivery from Europe of Steel rims to the factory (mini) specification with correct centre-bore and offset - due to arrive December 1st 'ish'.

I got Belle Tire to undercut the 'out of door' price quoted by TireRack (TireRack included assembly/balance and postage but no sales tax as they are out of state):

15x6 (or 5.5 ?) 56.1mmCB 100mm-4 ?ET(TBC when arrive from Europe)
185/65/15 Blizzack WS-50 Tires
Style 14 (12Spoke) wheel covers

$550 USD out of door.

I will also try to use there web based $20 or $40 coupon to further reduce price. I may opt for their $6 per tire road hazard/puncture/treadwear warrenty.

Hope this helps you guys and girls.

PS.

I received a Colgan Bra to protect the front end of the MCS a week ago - I will let you know how fitting goes - I have to adapt the grill mesh with some webbing to allow driving lamps to protrude, whilst preventing material 'flapping'. Colgan will develop a bra to suit driving lamps for January ish.

[Humourl3ss]

Okay, an update to mine, since things didn't go as planned.

The current setup (mounted this morning by the good folks at Johnston & Magwood) are silver American Eagle Series 169 wheels...



The 15" version is 17lbs. Offset is +38, width is 6.5". Not too bad for winter use. You will require new bolts and a proper hub ring, however. Budget for them!

Tires are 195/60-15 Michelin Arctic Alpin. So far, so good. A little noisier than the Eufori@s, but not horribly so. The total package, including the wheels, tires, bolts, rings, mounting, balancing, winter storage of the 17" MINI rims and good service came to $1270 CDN, plus tax. Not a bargain, but not a ripoff either.

-CW

[paulmon]

My history with steelies on the MCS:

I went to the local tire/wheel dealer, Wheel and Tire Zone, on the 2nd of November. The owner also has an MCS. Shortly after leaving the dealer I noticed something wasn't right so I called the dealer and they believed that the bolts that hold on the wheels were to long causing some rubbing, nothing to worry about. They asked me to come in so they could have a look and fix it, I went back on November 4th.

November 4th, the dealer removed the steel wheels and determined it wasn't the bolts but some metal flashing on the inside of the wheel rubbing on the caliper. This flashing is left over from the manufacuring process and will quickly wear away, again nothing to worry about. I lived with the ocassional 'grinding' sound in tight corners and over bumps. Gave it until November 14th to clear up. The sound didn't go away.

November 14th. Back to Wheel and Tire Zone. They now believe it's something either not right with the wheels and/or the suspension differences on the MCS somehow makes a difference. They've fit these same steel wheels on several Coopers without any issue, I was the first MCS. Wheel and Tire Zone believed that steel wheels, at least the ones they have, weren't going to work on MCS for whatever reason. So we agreed that for the cost of labour ($20/tire) Wheel and Tire Zone would unmount my steel wheels and replace them with some 15" Alloys.

The result:

No more rubbing at all, no scraping in corners and no noise over bumps.

Perhaps this has to do with the last post regarding the bub-centric design on the MINI wheels however I believe that would apply to the Cooper as well.

So my final install is 185/65R15 Yokohama AVS Winter 15" on 15-Spoke Enkei wheels. Now I just wish it would snow to see what they are like in the white stuff. The AVS Winters are new this season, they were out last season at limited dealers. As a result, if I'm not happy with them they have a 30 day return policy. They're great on pavment, very quiet. I just want to see what they are like in snow.

That's my story, take it for what it's worth.

Regards,

Paul

[Humourl3ss]

Paul, I'm very happy with my rims. You may want to look into those (see above) if you're upgrading to alloys.

-CW

[paulmon]

Quote:

Originally posted by Humourl3ss
Paul, I'm very happy with my rims. You may want to look into those (see above) if you're upgrading to alloys.

-CW

I already upgraded. Because of the mixup with the steels not fitting correctly I got the 15" Enkei alloys for only the cost of labout ($20/wheel) over what the steels cost me. My entire kit cost me under $1000.

Paul

[Humourl3ss]

Good on ya then, Paul. My reading comprehension isn't what it could/should be tonight.

-CW