I currently have the stock 175/65 R15 tires on my base 05 mini and I am interested in upgrading to a 16" or 17" rim/tire. Will they fit on my mini without any additional hardware? Will a 16" or 17" tire (205) width tire allow for proper tire rotation while turning?

What are the pro's and con's to upgrading to a wider/taller tire/rim setup.

 

They should fit fine. One disadvantage is they generally weight more than the 15's. To many the larger sizes look better, and can provide better handling than the relatively narrow factory 15" tires.

I like the 16's that were optional on my '03 MC.

 

I put 205/50/15's on my Cooper and it made a huge difference in handling. The bigger wheels should work fine. Just be prepared for a drop in gas mileage- I took a 2mpg hit.

 

Regarding your rim size, do you mean 16"? If so, the 205/50/16's is greater in diameter compared to 175/65/15, thus the odometer is registering less miles with your new tire/rim size. On paper, your mileage is less but in reality, it's not.

Regards,
retroom

 

OEM sizes:
175/65 - 15
195/55 - 16
205/45 - 17

All have similar rolling diameters (aka, they are the same overall size)

As has been said, if you go with OEM wheels, for the most part the larger the wheel, the heavier the unsprung weight (stuff that gets turned by the engine). To offset that detriment, you get a lower profile sidewall that tends to give faster/crisper turn-in and handling (as well as a rougher ride.)

 

Great feedback...although I am drawn towards the sportier rim/tire setup I don 't want a rougher ride. Thanks for your feedback, I need to chew on this for a while.
Is there a particular website that Mini owners find that offer the best rim/tire package?
I have read in some threads that spacers are required, what's up with that?

 

www.tirerack.com is a great place to go for information, and to be able to view various wheels on a MINI that's the same color as yours.

My experience has been they also have great service and prices.

 

If you go up to a 16" rim, Tirerack will make sure you get a rim/tire combo that matches the aspect ratio of the stock wheel. I'm running 205/50/16s and find the handling to be much, much better than with the stock rims and tires (I went with a lightweight rim, too). The ride is not noticeably different.