My 07 MCS is nearing 40K and is in need of new tires. I am not enjoying the hard ride of the run flat tires and 17 inches wheels. I have read all over the forum that non run flats and dropping down to 16 inch wheels will give a better ride. Can I just go to tirerack.com and order appropriate 16 inch wheels and tires and just bolt them on when they arrive or is there something special that needs to be performed. Will the existing brake pad fit? I have never tried this before and thougt I would ask you guys. Thanks

 

I have 17" runflats also. I hate them and will buy regular tires when thet wear out. I'm pretty sure my Motoring Advisor told me that you could put 16" tires on the 17" wheels. Has anyone else heard this? Doesn't seem logical to me, but it would save me some money if true.

 

Just get the tires that fit (4x100 bolt & hubcentric) and they should bolt right on. You can choose whether to have the TMPS sensors in the wheels. If you do not put them on, just know that the yellow light will come on. With TPMS, you have to reset the sensor system for it to recognize the new sensors.

I think you can get a decent ride with non run flats on 17" rims. 16" rims give you better ride because you can get more sidewall.

 

will i be able to use my exisiting TPMS sensors or will I have to buy new ones. Tirerack is asking for $200 for the sensors.

 

Yes you can re-use!

 

How did you squeeze out 40k miles? My tire blew out at 25k from being so bald.

 

I was gonna ask the same. I bought my car (MINI-Next) with 21k miles on it and they had to put new tires on it for it to be elgible to be a certified pre-owned. I know I'll be ditching my runflats when these ones die.

 

If you are happy with your 17" wheels - Give some 17" Michelins non run-flats a try, has to be much better. If you want new wheels anyway, sure get aftermarket wheels. You could just have the valve stem mounted sensors in your 17" wheels switched over to the 16's, if you get the 16's not mounted yet.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...on-to-get.html

 

Nope........

 

Yes you can reuse the existing TMPS.

 

Not sure if you want all seasons or performance summer tires.

Seems that in the all seasons, Yoko EnVigor and Conti DWS seem popular choices with good ratings on tirerack. I have not tried either of these tires.

I like performance summer tires and my choice is Dunlop Z1 Star Spec. I have consumed three sets of these so I know they work great but not in snow.

 

Cannot be true. Even the MAs know this. So I would think it is something lost in translation.

 

thanks for your help. I will try non run flats on my current 17 inch crown spokes.

 

Good choice You will be so happy to get rid of the runflats 17's should work just fine for you. I switched over to Yokahama Avid Envigors a couple of months back and wished I'd replaced my tires soon after I got it.

 

You're kidding, right?

Find a new Motoring Advisor... FAST!!

 

I must have misunderstood him. He is a very bright guy wiith a nice stable of cars. He probably meant I could drop from 17's to 16's to get an even smoother ride.

 

All this talk all of the time about how much nicer non-runflats are than regular runflats makes me want to bail on my almost-new RFT's just so I can experience it

 

The runflats that came with my MINI are sitting in the closet of my spare room. I think they only have about 300 miles on them. Replacing them with non-runflats early on was one of the best things I've ever done. I don't think you have to go down to a 16" wheel to get a better ride - just replace the runflats with a 17" non-runflat. The difference for me was drastic... and in a good way. If I ever decide to trade my MINI in for another MINI I will put the nearly new run-flats back on.

I don't understand why MINI does not offer non-runflats as an option. The only thing I can figure is they want to minimize the roadside hazard calls they would get for flat tires if their cars had non-runflats.