I ordered the base Cooper so there IS room for a spare-DUH, which according to the MINI website comes standard with a spare. But since it is now coming with RF's probably doesn't have a spare. MY MA screwed me.

 

What size wheels did you get? Like I said only if you get the smallest size wheels does the car come with a spare. Most people don't get those. You get runflats with all but the 15" wheels.

 

Ordered the 16" Victory wheels. The MINI website didn't make it clear about the "standard" spare and the MA was clueless. Will see about ordering a spare and ditching the runflats. Might have gone with the 15" wheels if they weren't so fugly.

 

I made it clear to the manager at my mini dealership that I did not want run flats. She said yes the All-season tires are run flats so I asked if I can get non-run flats swapped on. She said I'd have to sign a paper saying I'm giving up my run flats and they could swap them off at the dealership once my mini is delivered. If she's correct then yes you can get non-run flats for a MCS.

 

In the past 2 generations, all base Coopers included a spare, even if you upgrade to optional 16" wheels with run-flats.

 

If you get run-flats, make sure you get tire insurance! Most places will not repair a RFT, only replace. A friend of mine in less than 10K had 2 flats and got 2 tires replaced....FREE. Otherwise....$$$.

Dealer, at least Plano, will sell non RFT because the fix-flat\air kit is deemed an acceptable option in the event of a flat where minor repair is called for. Spares require space and of course for most drivers RFT means keep going until you can get it replaced which is the convenience factor in mind here, in my opinion. Safety on the road and all that.

 

That's unusual. Because RFs cost double they probably figured out how to make some money on the deal. Charge $1000 and pay $500 for the tires. Damn dealers!

 

I had no problem getting my RF repaired at either Discount or BigO tire place. The dealers won't fix them. Funny, once I replaced the RFs I never got another flat.

 

OMG reading this makes me want to puke!
In 2012 my wife was allowed a new company car and had and Audi A4 wagon at the time and decided to take the BMW X1 for a ride. I drove the car and after half and hour had to go and lie down with a headache and nausea! We drove other cars but decided some weeks later that it must have been the weather or some thing for the BMW to have that effect on me....well we went to a different BMW dealership and drove a different dealership...this time after 10 minutes I had to stop the drive almost throwing up! At the time someone said that this could have been caused by the cheaper materials used in this low end BMW or the turbo.
One other car has had this effect on me and that is the Mercedes B class with the turbo engine...the conventionally aspirated engine was fine - I remember at the time the dealer said that this car had that effect on quite a few people!
Now I am wondering were these cars both twin scroll turbos....!!!
My new MCS is now at the port here in Canada and I ordered it without a test drive!!!
Anyone know about the Mercedes or the BMW's turbos?

 

I suffer from car sickness as well. I have test driven the cooper and my wife owns a X1. Neither effects me. I have found it has to do more with the angle of the windshield in my case. Perhaps it is the same with you

 

Greg, You'll be OK. Take a deep breath. And when you go pick up the car avoid these 2 things: cheap Mexican food and don't wear your tin foil hat! Seriously the first thing I thought of was the windshield. The only time I ever got nauseated was driving with new glasses. Once adjusted no problema.

 

Thanks guys. Just hope it is not the turbo! I don't get sick. I fly planes and can do stunts without any ill effects...those are the only 2 cars that have ever done that to me.
I'm sure the Mini will be fine...and besides I don't think the Mercedes is twin scroll (or was back then).
Greg :-)

 

I'd guess your nausea would have been related to some distortion in the windshield glass.

 

Torpeau - You could be right. Both have the distortion thing. We ended up getting a Q5 and I have never even felt slightly sick.

 

I have had at least 4 turboed BMWs, one two turbos N54, and 3 twin scroll N55s. I have had zero issues of this sort. I find it hard to believe that turboed cars can make one sick.......

 

And the spare...
a 15" compact ? , but if the diameter of the wheel/tire combo is the same as the sixteen inch wheel tire combo it will work .
It is a plus one concept, in theory the rotation per mile will be the same.
NO Worries.

 

...anyone what to by the performance run-flats that come with my car? I find most run-flats hard and noisy.

 

The base hardtop comes with a spare. The S comes with runflats because there is no place for a spare with the exhaust. The all seasons and summer sport tires are both RF for the S. The dealer will not install non-RF because of liability. Maybe some will with paper? Mine will not.

Others have suggested getting a small repair kit and compressor to fix your own flats if needed. I plan to do this in the near future. Again, this is a liability issue and the dealers will not patch RF. Other places are mixed from what I hear. Some will, some won't.

 

Much of this bored me... Drove an Abarth and.... a good kiddie car. Good luck with your weak stomach wife. Dude with weak stomach..... Abarth.

 

Luved your write up on your mini experience and feel you should send it to mini HQ as I think it makes an interesting read.
I retired recently and was always driving a company car and was in the mode to purchase my own car to enjoy in my retirment,the car of choice being a JCW.
It was a really nice looking machine red/ black with red mirrors and red scoop and red / black seats,in fact the "bees knees " or a better description would be the "dogs bollocks"
It was a manual transmission and could really go when I got into third gear so I felt I was driving this car and enjoying the ride although my dear wife would not go near it let alone drive it!
After approx 2 years of driving in this go kart i found I was not enjoying the ride like i used to,whether it was the comfort of the ride.....sports suspension,run flats all contributed to any uneven part of a road or a small pot hole felt like I had hit a major hole and this caused me to be looking for holes in the road rather than enjoy the ride.
I live in PA and the pot holes in my area are the worst I have seen for years due to the adverse winter we have had and this has caused me to trade this go kart for an SUV and I now enjoy my ride,it is a lot smoother and I am not thinking of my next alignment along with melted scoops in the summer (a heat shield has now been introduced) timing chain problems and the mini reliability problem.
In conclusion I feel the low run flats with sports suspension are great for handling but on US roads where I live this type of car is the worst as the performance car is a really uncomfortable ride and this is not just mini this is general to other sporty cars whereas a standard suspension car with standard wheels is a much more comfortable ride.Manufacturers have come out with all these upgrades to let you take a bend a lot quicker or accelerate from 0-60 in 6 secs but the roads are not equipped for this style of car....just my take,maybe a nice drive on some autobahn or a French E road in Provence but to subject ones body to the holes of PA is too much to bear!

 

I don't get that some MINI dealers view non-RF's as a liability as MINI installs them on the base model 15". I had RF's on my 2011 and absolutely hated them. I'm a bit old school in that I like having a spare.

 

Ha, you are very pleasant aren't you? I will enjoy my car, whilst not making fun of Minis as I'm not that kind of person. It seems some mini owners get upset easily, though I'm not sure why. I said it was a nice car, and I still like it, why the vitriol?

I also noted that my wife does not have a weak stomach, I've not seen her throw up in many years, which made this even funnier to both of us.

I gotta say, it's kind of saddening to see the attitude of some, we all enjoy driving and cars that are more fun than a Camry. But apparently we can't get along?

 

That's because this is a mini forum not a fiat forum.

 

I liked your write up and it is unfortunate that Melangell felt it necessary to be so nasty. But every village has its idiot.

 

Yes, I was test driving a mini, not a fiat. I was looking at purchasing a mini, and I was learning about minis, hence I figured a mini forum was more appropriate than a fiat one.

I was unaware being a fan of a vehicle meant you had to hate all others that are competition. I swear I jumped into a mustang vs camaro debate, I truly thought that would be no issue here but I was wrong. I should have left out what I currently drive I guess in my earlier posting. Too late now I guess, but I've learned quickly!