Hi, I recently purchased a used 2017 Mini Clubman JCW with 19-inch factory wheels and Bridgestone Potenza RFT tires. The car does not have DDC and the ride is very rough especially going over cracks or small potholes on the road. I wanted to know what options are there to make the ride more comfortable. From what I read so far it seems that the following will help:
1. Replace RFT with non RFT tires
2. move to a smaller rim size

Is there anything else I can do? Can I buy aftermarket shocks that will soften the ride?

I would greatly appreciate suggestions
Thanks

 

Going down to the factory 18" wheel size will help. So will going to non-run flat tires.

Since you bought it used, might also check and see if it has an aftermarket suspension installed.

 

I had 18” oem wheels with runflats. I sized to 19” with non-runflats. I’m much prefer the ride with my 19” 35 profile Michelin AS3+ than the 18” 40 profile Bridgestone Potenza RFT. Changing tires on the 19”s will be you’re most cost effective option and you can still spring for better rubber and shave a few lbs. Going to 18’s and non-runflats would even cushier of a ride and further reduce your unsprung wheel weight. I prefer the look of 19’s because I feel like I notice less wheel well, but it’s not everyone’s bag. I kept the 18”s for my winter set up.

 

The JCW is, by design, a very tight car.
On both my All4 S cars I stayed with 17" rims and, on my 2020, I went with a bit more sidewall aftermarket, which makes a world of difference. But the fatter sidewalls do change the look, which some would not like.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...man-tires.html

I did not get the JCW because the ride is so tight and I was looking for more of a balance between comfort and dynamics.
Without a doubt, just about any decent tire will be better than run flats, but with 19" rims, you don't have a lot of room for more sidewall.

 

If you are an 8” rim width, a 235 wide tire is what they spec on the new JCW and in 2017 it was 225. If you go to 19” non runflats with 235 wide it will give a hair more sidewall than an 225.

i like the site willtheyfit.com. It shows 7mm more diameter with that set up and only -1% on the speedometer, so we’ll within limits

 

Thanks for the info. Are there any aftermarket shocks that will soften the ride on Clubman JCW?

 

This can get complicated. The JCW suspension has several components that have been painstakingly engineered to work in concert to attain the ride and handling unique to the car. If you start messing with a single suspension variable without attending to all the moving parts, you might be slipping down a costly rabbit hole.

Yes, there are softer shocks -- which can be additionally complicated if you have dynamic damping.

Wheels and tires will likely give more bang for your buck in terms of softening the ride. Smaller rims/fatter sidewalls.

But, when all is said and done, it's a JCW, and the JCW is a tooth-rattler by design.

 

I would go 18" wheels and non-run flat tires. That should help out a fair amount. Even going from 18" wheels with run flat tires to 18" wheels with non run-flats was noticeable on my 2020 JCW.

 

You'll notice a difference right away with non-RF tires for sure. I would leave the suspension alone. You didn't say if you got the Sport Suspension or not if you didn't it's probably the same suspension as the regular Cooper S model. But the 19" wheels and runflats will ride really harsh.