hi guys,
tomorrow i will buy new tires but i could not decide which one i will buy... i have 16x7 enkei rpf1 wheels and there are these combinations...
225-45-16, 215-45-16 and 205-50-16... so which one is better for my mini, i have koni 40mm springs...
which one do you advice me ?
thanx.

 

i would say between 215/45/16 and 205/50/16

the stickiest tires that come in those sizes.

 

Depends what you want to do with the tires.

Both will fit a lowered MINI.

215/45-16 is more aggressive and harsher riding for daily street use.
Tire selection is rather limited


205/50-16 is better for comfort and commuting but will still work well enough.

 

We run 225/45R16 Hankook RS-2's on our daily driver Cooper test/track ****... we pulled 1.2 G's on them, sustained, mid-corner on many, many occassions. Need more than that? Maybe some r-compy goodness?

They are WIDE, yes. When running them on our +37 offset OZ Racing Ultraleggeras, they will rub on hard bumps in the rear (with trimming) on the street. On the track, though, they are fantastic. Ah, the sight of melty plastic on the tire shoulder...

Second choice would be 215/45R16 Falken RT-615 Azenis...

 

1.2G's. lol!!!

watch out, your car's going to tip over next.

 

Data logged, with an MSD RacePak and other various and sundry dataloggers, yup!

FWIW, on "2nd tier" r-comps like Toyo RA-1's, you can reach ~1.5 lateral G's...

Now, knock it off - you're making us jones for more track time (even after 2 days this past weekend)!

 

holy crapola!

 

I should mention that your local tire installer will likely NOT believe you if you tell them you can stuff a 225/45R16 under a MINI.

They WILL NOT WORK with the wrong offset or without trimming!!! Keep in mind that our cars also have coilovers - itty-bitty spring perches and narrow springs.

 

So what are the chances of 225's on 16X7, 42 offset and stock ride height? A little trimming or major surgery?

 

You're always taking a chance when using non standard tire sizes. It's likely to fit barely with small risk for rubbing in the back. The actual tires you use will be a factor as there can be some small differences.

Stock suspension gives you more clearance.

225/45-16 fits rims 7-8.5" wide so a bit too wide for stock rims but OK for 16x7

Comparing this tire and rim to stock 16" wheels and tires

The 225/45-16 on 16x7 with +42 offset is
9 mm (0.4'') closer to suspension/brakes components. Acceptable.
And will stick out 21 mm (0.8'') farther. Make sure that you have enough room under the fender. If not, consider some light trimming. Tire diameter is 23.9" and less than stock for some additional clearance. Having more rear negative camber will help with clearance.

Options for 225/45-16 tires
In Ultra High Performance Summer tires
BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDW2 $140 300 treadwear
Kumho Ecsta SPT $100 320 treadwear

In 215/45-16 (UHP Summer tires)
Dunlop Direzza DZ101 $122 300 treadwear

In 205/50-16 many UHP Summer tires (General Exclaim UHP for street use) or Max Performance Summer tires (Goodyear F1 GS-D3).

 

Don't forget Hankook RS-2's come in 225/45R16, too... You can also get Falken FK-452's and Toyo T1-R's in that size...

 

I run Falken 215-45x16 on stock x-lites (6.5 " wide). Never any rubbing and very good grip. They look pretty wide. No G-meter though. However, positive passenger rectopuckometer readings are detectable by oral and visual reactions to everyday maneuvers.

 

Speaking of - my 225/45R16 Hankooks are shot... once they hit the wear bars, driving through ANY standing water at all is definitely rectopuckometer inducing!

I'm going to swap on some BFG KDW2's in the same size, I think, for a comparo this time. I was impressed by their grip when instructing in a buddy's 330i - not as much ultimate grip in the dry, but they were impressive. They're way, way better in the wet, though...