[Dobbo]

Hi folks!

First post so please excuse any errors - especially as the Glenmorangie has been flowing tonight.......

I've been skulking in the background for a few weeks now (great sight - very informative) and have been driving my Coop for 2 weeks now - more than happy even though I suspect that it's a left puller........

My question's to you folk's out there are:

Have any of you fitted 18's to your MINI yet?

I spec'd my MINI with 15" 8 spokes with a view to fitting 17's (possibly R90's) but have fallen in love with the 18's seen in onlys4me's 3rd gallery:

MS Design 18's

(Nice pics Onlys4me )

Incidently, MS designs web site is worth a look

MS Design

Having never modded a car before, what potentially will be the effect of fitting these wheels to the Min, especially if the suspension is not upgraded/lowered?

Cheers

Dobbo

(PS thank you BTinternet for allowing me the 5 nano seconds needed to be able to post this.... )

 

[MINIAC]

Nice looking wheels ... but recommended tire size of 215/35 has only 75.25mm (2.96") of sidewall, which is not much protection against pot-holes and curbs. Your pockets will have to pretty deep to replace these wheels at €550 apiece

A complete set of these wheels with tires is €3,280

 

[smiffy]

How about these wheels

http://mini2.com/gallery/personal/Neil Curtis/minione.jpg

 

[Ibb]

Those wheel arches are awesome!

 

[Dobbo]

Cheers guys

Miniac, thanks for the advice - I guess £2k is somewhat on the steep side but I still think they look awesome on the MINI - It would be rude not to fill them wheel arches don't you think

I also read into what you say as the ride will be pretty harsh due to the lack of sidewall deflection - I need to do some thinking......

Smiffy

Nice wheels mate - personally I think the MINI accepts more fussy wheel designs better than some of the more open ones so nice choice

Dobbo

 

[R1]

Intersting point this. A mate of mine has a new shape 3 Series BMW (320). He bought it with the BMW 17" wheels, but he wanted the 18". His dealer advised against it because he said that the 3 Series wasn't heavy enough for 18" wheels. He said he would have problems with camber drift on the steering!!

Mind you, these wheels did look good at the Autosport show!
http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/R1/Autosport_2002.jpg

 

[Basil]

How about these wheels

http://mini2.com/gallery/personal/Neil Curtis/minione.jpg

They look good, but 17"'s are they not ?

 

[LMB]

I personally would not go over 17". Anything bigger would look comical in my opinion. 17" Wheels fill the arches nicely trust me.

LMB

 

[jwilk]

When choosing wheels for the MINI, especialy the one, be careful about the weight of the wheel. BMW says the standard MINI alloys are extremely light.

 

[Basil]

When choosing wheels for the MINI, especialy the one, be careful about the weight of the wheel. BMW says the standard MINI alloys are extremely light.

Sorry jwilk, nothing to do with wheels, but this is the second thread that i'm subscribed too, and got no e-mail notification of your post.

Hmmm.....I wonder if the number of threads that are around now cause problems with the server.......

I can feel a question coming on........

Sorry again jwilk.

 

[smiffy]

They look good, but 17"'s are they not ?

Dunno, they look abit too small for 17's

 

[RickB]

What's the smallest wheel that will fit? How about a MINI with 13" wheels?

 

[Viscount Charles]

There's a (fairly poor) picture of a MINI with 18" wheels in one of this month's Mini magazines.

If kerbing is a problem with the 17"s, I shudder to think how long 18"s are going to last.

 

[Ibb]

Good point indeed

 

[Ibb]

If you were to buy 18s for the mini the sidewalls would have to be extremely small, thus giving a an extremely harsh ride too!!!

An discrepncies in the roads like potholes and divets could caus seom damage to the wheels seeing as they have little sidewall proetction, and there is a possibilt of the rims scrapning on the road when cornering sharply or at high speeds due to tyre roll, too avoid this you have to have the tires pumped up more than the specified limit, in oder to make to tires like rock, which also make you jump up and down when you hit some dust on the roads hehehe

17s max really, get some more sidewall for that very needed cushioning, remember the MINI does have quite a hrash spring setting, beware pal!

 

[Basil]

What's the smallest wheel that will fit? How about a MINI with 13" wheels?

13's on this one i'm told........oh ang on, this is a Mini. not a MINI.......well they're 13" apparently......

 

[monsta]

They are 13" Sportspack wheels.

I had a set of 13" wheels on my classic cooper when I got it but they kept knackering the steering rack, ball joints and track rod ends so I went back to good old 12"

The MY97 Mini Cooper with sportspack (above) has an uprated steering rack as well fact fans.

 

[An_S_4_Mutley]

I found a site called KahnDesign who are offering 18" wheels as shown below:

What do you reckon people?

I think they look quite good.

Andy

 

[crazyBastard]

hi guys!

i think small wheels look better on the mini! but i would like to buy not that thin wheels. does anybody know how width a wheel for the mini could be?
and is there a pic of a mini cooper with a widther wheel than the standart wheel.

THX crazyBastard ;}

 

[Viscount Charles]

What do you reckon people?

If anyone does that to my car, they're going to get kneecapped!