I take it that the performance run flats that come "standard" on the Clubman S I'm ordering would not be adequate for winter driving in our area. Would you agree?

I was planning on getting the 17" 5 Star Pace wheels and I could order them with the All Season tires instead of the performance tires. The other option would be to not spend the $750 on the 17" 5 Stars and order the standard 16" with all season, then buy aftermarket wheels and performance tires (non-runflats). That second option would probably cost much more than $750 though!

So what does the average Mini driver here in the DC/Baltimore area do for tires? Are you swapping out your tires every winter?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

 

All season runflats on y s-lites in the winter

hi-performance Summer tires on my TDR pro race 1's in the, well, summer that includes fall ans spring.

 

Extreme performance summer tires on my 18" all year.

Not a hick up.

 

+1 Runflats - so far - are OK in the winter

 

I like your idea of 16" wheels with AS runflats for winter and aftermarket wheels and tires for performance. You want to keep wheel & tire weight combo low. This helps with performance driving but also helps with gas milage.

The stock all seasion tyres work great in the local winters. Expect a lot of drop off in snow performance when the tire is a quarter way through the tire's life. Wet weather performance on my tires remained high most the way through the tire's life.

 

Just a thought: we've been really lucky the last few years with regards to our winter weather. I was a little freaked out when I bought my '05 and it came with brand-new hi-perf run flats; I thought I'd have to at least have a backup set of wheels with AS tires, but I got lucky and we didn't get even one good snow this year.

 

Another tire question -- what pressure is optimal (best mileage) for the all season run-flats? Same pressure front and back or different?

I know, in part, its personal preference but I find conflicting information out there! Mostly commuting miles here. Thanks.

 

What ever the manual says is what my runflats are set as.

33f 35r, I think?

 

The best setting for gas mileage is the full load setting posted on the door. It is dark here but I think it is 36PSI, 32 for normal. The more air the less rolling resistance. The better gas mileage. Better road feel too.

The down side.
The more air, the harder the ride, the tires are more likely to ware in the mid section, the more quickly the tires will break away from the pavement - not as much braking and less overall cornering power.

I run 32 front and 36 rear making the car a bit loose (the back is more likely to loose traction before the front). On trips I run 36 all around.

I know one person the runs 40 all around on long trips and gets very good gas mileage. He also never goes over the speed limit. He also is one of the fastist drivers on a track I know.

The numbers are all over the place is that tire pressure is very much a seat of the pants thing. In your case I would start at 36 (again if that happens to be the number for a full load). Then if that is too hard a ride let some air out of the one lb at a time, one end of the car at a time. Try letting air out of the back first (unless your looking for performance) as the front holds most of the weight and the extra air will improve the rolling resistance at that end. I would not go above or below the factory - and tire - recomendations.
If you are going to play with air pressure - for milage or performance - get a good tire pressure guage and keep it in the car.
John