I'd recommend tirerack.com. Great service, unbelievably fast delivery, great prices.

 

After driving my MINI for the first time, I learned VERY quickly why a lot of owners are hunched over the steering wheel if first in line at the light. They aren't necessarily trying to get a rocket start, they're trying to see what color the light is! I think it's partly caused by the MINI's design: the windshield is very steep for a vehicle that isn't an SUV. Heck, it's nearly vertical!

 

That's a real shame. My 09 does not squeak at all and the sunroof is solid as a rock. Almost 27K on the ticker. Seems some have the problem you describe and others don't. Is your car garaged?

 

I finally bit the bullet and bought a used donut spare (OEM Mini, brand new) from a local junk yard for $60. Went straight to Costco and had them install new 205-45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport AS Plus all around. Expen$ive, but what a difference! The car rides soooo much nicer, not to mention a lot quieter. I will never again buy a car with runflat tires.

Now if I could just figure out how to stop the sunroof from making so much wind noise...

Tom S

 

I forgot to mention that Discount Tire also refused to install non-runflats on my Mini - and for the same stated reason as Costco: "it's against Company policy".

Tom S

 

No huntching required w/...www.lightinsight.com!!

 

I (hate?) dislike the fact that, after 6 months, the new car aroma is nearly gone.

 

Speaking of new car aroma - I'm quite surprised that my '04 MCS still smells like a new car.

 

Well, I love my Mini, but got her new 17" rims and new Conti extreme contact DWS tires. The tire manual states that they have a 500 mile break in period, and I'm not supposed to drive over 55mph , and to corner gently

Seriously????!!! I had never heard of a tire break in period...

 

Check this out -

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=5

...although the speed limit and "gentle" guidance you received seems a bit excessive. Just be attuned to the fact that, initially, they'll feel quite different.

You chose some nice tires. Soon, your hate will turn to infatuation.

 

Thanks! Good to know. Hoping they do ok on light snow!

 

I hate all those things to as well as a connecting rod all of a sudden coming loose and ruining a piston hence ruining the engine 06 Cooper S w/71k miles all scheduled maintanence at the dealer and MINI/BMW refusing to help at all. Install of rebuilt engine $9000, $2700 spent on suspension 2 mo ago. But the dealer offered us a wopping $4500 for the car as is. And all those other thinks ya'll mentioned

 

Not hating a thing. Over 600 miles on them and am LOVING them!!!!! Supposed to get....snow tomorrow, maybe test them out...holy crap, a WHITE Halloween

 

Had the same problem but put on Zimmerman crossed drilled rotors and EBC redstuff pads. A fourth of the dust builds up. It also washes off easier with the hose, very little scrubbing. Suggested by Way.

 

Ever consider rotating your tires?

 

My question as well. Got 40k on my wife's MCS rotating the tires every 5k.

 

++1

 

Saw multiple posts about the seat belts that get stuck in the rear seats or just are hard to get, etc. Found some plastic bits that slide along the belt that you can position to stop the clip from falling all the way down or to make it easier to grab the clip from the drivers seat. That bothered me quite a bit until I noticed these things. They were on all the seat belts on my 07 MCS.

Other things, I wish I had auto up, can't figure out why it isn't work...who knows.

 

The position of the drivers side A/C vents. I hate that no matter which way I point them they blow on my hands. Oh well, winter is here, won't have to worry about that much for a while.

 

I thought one major reason that the MINI comes with run flat tires is because of the fact that a donut-sized spare tire does not fit over its larger-than-normal brakes. Have you tried installing it yet?

 

Well, there's no where to fit it in the S unless you modify. Justacoopers come with a spare.

 

The doughnut may not fit of the S model brakes in the front but it will fit the rear. You can swap the front to back on the side that is jacked up while you are replacing a flat. Not optimal but its really only 4 more bolts.

 

I sure didn't read the last 34 pages of this thread... but that sure is one thing that I hate about the MINI.

 

I hate how the air vents gradually move. Its so annoying that I have to adjust them back to where I want them almost everytime I get in the car.

 

The spare only fits the rear if its not a Justa, which is true, but the clubman has a tire well because of the split exhaust, why are spares not standard for all? Things that make you say "hmmmmmmmmmm".
So, I plan to try a Chevy Cobalt spare (4x100mm bolt pattern and tons cheaper in thousands of salvage yards) with an aluminum adapter/spacer kit available from many accessory houses. I have 1" spacers on the back of my 92 GP because I always hated how the rear 18s looked like they were "tucked under" and standing on tippy-toes. Now it looks very balanced and Ive had many positive comments. I believe this should work because a compact spare is so much narrower than std although almost as tall, so the spacer should not push the outer edge of the wheel farther out than what the outer edge of a std wheel would be (where the fender inner lip/splashshield grinding comes into play when turned) and will still clear the calipers outer edge on the front.