Two weeks ago, Our 2005 Mini Cooper tangled with a huge pothole in the dark of night. Both tires on the left were flattened, and both left rims were bent. The 17" tires and rims have been replaced with 16" Essenza Rims and 205/50/16 Bridgestone G009 tires. The ride is somewhat smoother now than with the 17" wheels, but a constant sound of air (similar to what might occur if a window is slightly open while driving) is now audible when driving at or above 50 mph. We've checked all windows/doors and none shows any sign of being open or different in any way from before the pothole incident. The sound seems to be coming from the general vicinity of the front end. We plan to take Mini to the dealer next week for a look underneath.

Does anyone have a thought regarding the source of this sound?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Jim Waer
San Diego, CA
JWaer@***.net