Anyone have any ideas?? The winter is creeping up on us and will be here in no time and I want to be prepared. Not to mention I want to have the r90s refaced.

Thanks

 

I recommend www.tirerack.com. I got my 15" steelies with Blizzaks mounted and balanced about 4 years ago. I was very satisfied with the price and convenience. Their website is also quite nice and most informative about many brands of tires.

 

I second the tirerack recommendation. I got 15" steelies with Conti extreme winter contacts mounted last fall.

 

No steelies available :(

EDIT:
Had to search for them under first gen. Weird.

 

Search tirerack for "New Steel Wheel 15X6.5 Black" They are currently in stock. Select a 15" winter tire package. After selecting tires you will select alloy or steel wheels.

 

Agreed with all of the above. Got some 15's from Tire Rack last fall and got some Continental ExtremeWinterContact's mounted on them (195/55/16 I believe) and had great luck with them last winter.

 

The steel wheels may have too small lug holes for the 2nd gen Mini. The website will not show them if a new MINI is specified.

 

Hmmmm.....this is a first gen thread

 

The wheels are the same and they should be listed on tirerack for second gen?

The fact that tirerack doesn't list it (when the wheels are the same) has nothing to do with the location of this thread.

 

The steelies are not listed by TireRack for any Cooper S built after 5/06 or any Cooper hardtop built after 7/12/06.

I don't know what "the wheels are the same" means but the size of the lug bolts and front brakes changed rendering some non-OEM 15" wheels unuseable as manufactured.

 

Tirerack is the place, but you should call the rep and not rely on the website to find what you want. Often they don't start showing winter tire/wheel options until later in the fall...but call and they can tell you when and what they have (will have).

 

Re: Tire Rack -- Alex is very responsive to e-mail.

rbb -- Where are you located? I have a set of steelies I bought secondhand last fall. I was planning to get one more season out of them before switching over to my new-to-me r81s and new winter rubber, but I might be persuaded to make the swap sooner. If you're in the Greater Boston area, maybe we could figure something out?

 

Got my steelies from Tire Rack, (with Blizzaks mounted to them).

 

I emailed Alex at Tirerack and he said he doesnt have any steel wheels for my 2010 hard top. Discount tire has steel wheels which come up but I am getting a little skeptical seeing as that is the only place I can find them. Anyone purchased the wheels from discount?

 

I got my steel wheels from a Honda dealer, actually. The 2003 Civic has the same centerbore and bolt pattern, but it could do with a few mm less offset.

Also, despite the stock diameter difference, the Honda Fit, to at least 2007, has the same centerbore and bolt pattern as well, so it is conceivable to assume that most small 4 bolt Honda rims would work on the earlier 1st Gen MINIs. My 15" hollies fit my brother's Fit.