I'll be swapping mine out this week sometime. While I enjoy soft tires, especially Hoosier R6's, I'm not looking forward to seeing these in about 2000 miles, especially since I never scrubbed them properly after delivery. I'll gladly take some other worthy Z-rated tire, run-flat or not.

When I eventually TT my GP, I'll run different wheels with fresh hoo-hoo's.

 

Appendix 1 in the bulletin linked in post #18 is not a waiver of liability. It is nothing more than an acknowledgement of the characteristics of R-comp tires.

So BMW said they wanted to make sure GP customers understood that the OEM performance tire isn't your run of the mill all season rubber. Good for them.

 

A good lawyer I knew once stated, waivers are "not worth the paper their written on"....and disclosure or not, how would anyone with an ounce of common sense expect this GP to get from showroom to garage, via flat bed truck ? I can hear it now...."Oh, so sorry Mr. Magilicuddy, you can't take delivery of the GP you been waiting for because there is slight chance of precipitation predicted in the forecast on Friday...

As far as the reselling of these "track tires", there would be no way really for a dealership to warranty those used tires since they are not set up to run that way, obliterated production number or not. Plus potential liability issues.

I think even Tire Rack's policy is that "soon as the new tire hits the pavement it it's not returnable."

 

The dealer has no choice in this matter. The bulletin clearly instructs the dealer to handle the tire exchange like a Warranty item, and "As part of the Warranty process, the Kumho tires will be returned to MINI USA". The dealer must return the Kumhos to receive their warranty reimbursement (probably in the neighborhood of $1200). If you don't like this, take it up with MINI USA.

 

I've bought these tires from dealers. How mini handles it I don't know. But I have gotten the tires that come off showroom cars that get rim upgrades and such.

 

Its interesting that Mini is offering these on street cars with no instruction about how to handle them. But, Tire Rack emphatically states that you can only run them at full tread in the wet and to bring them down to 3/32 to run them dry.

Were any GP2 owners instructed either way regarding tread depth on these?

 

"them" and "them" ain't the same tires. The Kumho Ecsta V700 was codeveloped by BMW and Kumho and supplied exclusively for the MINI GP. Both MINI and Kumho say so. MINI addresses wet weather performance in the letter of information that they are requiring all customers to sign.

TireRack has one size of the older V700s left (with an 18" diameter) that is on closeout.

 

So whats the point? Why is MINI doing this?

 

They're giving customers three tire options and making sure the dealer has informed them of the extreme performance characteristics of the default tire. I'll leave speculation of motive to you.

 

Ok, so if it is just to inform us, then why offer to take them off? Why make them sign a waiver?

 

Part of it is also because they are selling the car to you with no run flats and there is no spare tire. I know in California there is some sort of law about a dealership selling you a car with no spare and no run flats.

 

The GP tire is exactly the same tire (Ecsta V700 / V70A) that is available as a track tire worldwide in many sizes. The construction of the tire carcass, compounds etc in the GP are common to other versions of this tire.

The only thing that is special about the one fitted to the GP is that it is a unique size, which was specially developed for the GP by kumho / BMW. The V700 / V70A is available in other sizes of 17's, and most commonly comes in 215/45/17 vs the GP 215/40/17. I have the 215/45/17 on my JCW rally car. The tire is also available in 205/40/17 although this is less common.

The GP tire comes in the K91 compound which is actually the "hard" compound. You can see this marked on the sidewall of the tire (only on one side). The V700 / V70A tire also comes in K60 (medium) compound, but this is not available in the GP size AFAIK. Note that the K91 hard compound is still an incredibly soft tire compared to road tires.

Also, when tire rack talks about shaving these tires for use in the dry that is not necessary. Loads of people use full depth in the dry on the track. My local workshop is the distributor of kumho race tires in my country (Australia) so I know quite a lot of technical information about them.

Out of interest these tires are generally accepted as one of the best wet weather R compound tires out there. They are also one of the quietest type R tyres.

I currently use these tires on my tarmac rally car.

Robbo

 

I am still not quite over how they're sending the GP2, a production car, to the states with track tires....Curious though, if one put those production line track tires on the original GP, how much of that 18 second gap would close at Nürburgring North Loop .....

Having not read this bulletin yet....I have a few questions.

1) In the interest of the GP2 Client, has MINI notified anyone from MINI Road Side Assistance in the event a GP2 owner phones about a flat tire. I have read in several cases here where MINI RSA was denied due to their having swapped out their run-flats for non-runflat tires.

2) Does the bulletin state what else MINI is to give the new GP2 client opting for street versions of non-runflat tires. How about:

a) MINI spare tire ?
b) Tire Mobility Kit - MINI Part no. #71106762286 - $125.00.

Prudence would dictate at least a TMK should be made as part of the deal.....

 

Correct me if wrong, but the new GP wheel is 17".....

 

You are correct, and the new size on them is 215/40/17 not 205/45/17. Maybe they should have them sign this waiver. LOL

 

That's Awesome !! LOL!

 

Perhaps the R compound tire characteristics is the real reason that these GP's were delayed and not delivered in mid-winter when the arrived at the port. Especially since it appears that these "numbers" don't correlate to anything vehicle specific.

 

The difference is subtle, but I'm not wanting something for free. They are throwing away the tires if you swap them out. If they gave me an option up front, the car would be delivered with the correct tires and they wouldn't have to swap them out and waste perfectly good rubber.

I'll explain it in a way that will preserve your need to look down on me: I want to go dumpster diving without having to actually dive into a dumpster. Feel better? Did I maintain your elevated level of culture that prevents you from asking (begging??) for $600+ worth of tires that will be thrown away without being used? Well, I think it is an unneeded waste and I didn’t even consider any environmental impact.

If they determined the special floor mats delivered with the car were too high performance and get slippery when the temperature dropped; then offered to mail you new all weather mats, would you throw the originals in the garbage? Or would you secretly keep both and use the all weathers when the seasons changed? But I’m sure you will justify your ideology by telling me how this example differs significantly.

 

Thanks Rocco. Are you certain that MINI and Kumho spent a year doing nothing more than "codeveloping" a new size to fit between the existing 205/40-17 and 215/45-17? In Australia there are 28 sizes available in I believe four compounds. Their site promotes them as max wet and dry grip. In the US the tires aren't even mentioned on the website.

 

These tires are not being thrown away as they have to be returned to MINI directly and will not the thrown away at the dealership from what I have been told.

 

Mini will scrap the tires according to the bulletin available for reading via link in post #18.

 

Right MINI not the dealer.

 

You do realize that if you go dumpster diving behind a store, you can still be arrested for it right? Neither here nor there to be honest, but they are swapping you one for one and the dealership still has to show them recovered so that they can be paid by MINI. You want something for nothing and if you have asked and been told no, that is that. Spin it however you want, but you are not entitled to them even if MINI decides to trash them. I highly doubt you will find them in their dumpster though. They may likely be sold used to a tire shop to recover some money.

So, if you want a spare set of tires, then buy them.

Oh, and just because I don't agree with your morals and values on this doesn't mean I am looking down at you or that mine are right. it just means that I have a different set, that's all.

 

Ditto X2 The way Mini has launched this vehicle is Terrible!! Maybe they need a new guy in charge!!

 

Tire rack offers a few types of PS', does mini specify which one?