i am going to replace my "rf" tires with all-season 205/45-17(same size) in a "non rf". i don't track or auto cross my car. looking for a quieter, smoother ride and more durability. any suggestions for a '08 mcs?
thanks

 

I hear good things about the Yokohama S Drives, I'm thinking of them for my Clubman S. I'm also thinking of going up to a 215/45-17's, any thoughts on the larger size?

 

I've been running the 215 45 17's on a 2006 MCS and like them . I've heard very good things about theGoodyear F1's ...especially when wet! Superfun

 

I have 46k at this point on my Pilot Exalto PE2s and they have performed flawlessly Great wear and performance!

I would highly recommend them if you don't have to make a habit of driving in snow. I have done it in mine but they are really not designed for that on a regular basis.. I didn't see your location in your post since I guess it's not in your profile.

Check out the reviews on Tire Rack for other opinions on these and others.. and the price is about half that of the RFs.

 

I put on a set of 215/45-17 General Exclaim UHP's this April when I removed the snows. I've been very happy with them, and the price is very reasonable (from Tirerack).

 

thanks for recomendation. i think that i will give them a try.

 

My wife's 07 Cooper S has Dunlop 205/45/R17 run-flats on it and the ride is incredibly harsh. It has the sport suspension, but my understanding is that is heavier anti-roll bars and not stiffer shocks or springs.

I have a Lotus Elise with Sport Suspension and that is supposed to be an all time kidney crusher. It feels like a Caddie compared to the Mini!

Is the harsh ride from the stiff sidewalls of the run-flats?

 

^^Yes the runflats have very stiff sidewalls which causes a harsher ride.Those that have switched to non runflat tires feel a big difference in ride comfort.

 

i just bought some non-rf's for '08 mcs, 205/45-17's. what a difference!!! i was going to buy the michelens, but my tire guy talked me into some "coopers"(no pun intended). they are all-seasons and they ride great. i am sure that they don't have the dry cornering limits of the summer tires, but for my driving, they are just fine. and also, 400 wear rating.

 

I love the way my mini drives in the winter on my non-runflat winter tires. So much smoother than the stock RF's. I can't wait until spring when it is time to buy new tires :-D.

 

I have two sets of wheels for my 2007 MCS. One set has 205/45-17 Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2. They are summer tires and not quiet, but the handle well.

The other wheels are 16x7 and have Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S (all season) 205/55-16. They are somewhat quieter, but have less grip in the dry. Haven't compared them in the wet. The PE2 have better ratings at tirerack.com so I suspect the PE2 would be better there. I don't really like the Pirellis, but the higher thread wall (smaller wheel same tire O.D.) give them a more comfortable ride for cruising.

When I searched for a quiet tire for the 16x7 wheels, I found that the quieter the tire, the worse rating it had for handling and braking. I thought the Pirellis would be a good compromise. Perhaps they are because I'm not happy with either the noise level or the grip, and IIRC, that is the definition of a compromise. You know you've reached a compromise when both parties are unhappy.

For a smoother ride, going to non-runflats can help. Other steps can be to use lighter wheels, and smaller dia. wheels. A lighter wheel has less inertia, so less less force is transferred to the suspension. Also, a lighter wheel will have less resistance to speed changes, so better acceleration and braking. The stock Crown Spoke and Web Spoke wheels weigh 22.5 lbs. each. My 17x7 wheels weigh less than 16 lbs. My Rota Slipstream 16x7 wheels weigh 13.9 lbs.

A smaller wheel has two advantages: they tend to be lighter, and they allow more sidewall on the tire to absorb imperfections in the road surface. The trendy low profile tires on larger wheels do offer a little tighter turn-in (crisper steering feel), but you pay for it in harshness and wheel weight. The racing enthusiasts tend to pick small wheels for racing. Boulevard Cruisers tend to like the large wheels for cosmetic reasons.

My Slipsteams: