New to mini, just curious what the "best" or most sought after OEM rims are. I have a set of R90's that I dont seem to see on many of the other mini's in my area.

Just curious. Thanks

 

I am not sure that there are any consensus favorites, or "best" rims. That is the beauty of the MINI, ufication, make it your own. Here are a couple links to the various OEM wheels if you want to check out the various wheels yourself. Which do you like best? I have the R90's on my car right now, anthracite finish. I like them. In fact, I am looking for a spare set of wheels for winter tires. Not sure if I want the same wheel for a winter set up or not yet.

http://libraryofmotoring.info/facts/wheels/

http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?faq=faq_wheels_tyres

 

For most owners liking the look is probably the number one consideration, but there are at least two other considerations for some. One is weight; autocross and track junkies prefer the lightest wheels (some go to aftermarket wheels to get them though). Another concern is ease of cleaning; the fewer the nooks and crannies to clean dirt out of, the better. A plain 5-spoke would fit this bill.

Your R90s (a web or mesh multi-spoke pattern) are neither light (at 20.9#) nor easy to clean. In comparison, the 16" R87 wheel is listed as weighing 16.5# (although I've wondered if that was correct). The R102 is the next lightest 16" wheel, at 17.4#.

Maybe the most important factor affecting how frequently one sees a particular OE wheel is how long MINI offered that wheel as OE, and how many MINIs were sold during that period. Unpopular OE wheels probably don't get a very long run. Colors probably work similarly.

 

17" R90s are among the best looking OEM rims.
The 18" reps look even better, proportion wise. Wish BBS made them in 18s,too.

 

R90 wheels are classic for the new MINI, they come in 16" and 17" two piece.


The wheel I like is the R81 7 hole wheel because it is the lightest OEM wheel and works for street use (plus it's cheap).

 

Any idea if the R90 rims would fit a 2007 S Convertible?

 

Yes, the 17x7" R90 will fit the R56 MINI all body styles.

 

My Top 3 are the Black challenge spokes, R90 and then Anthracite R99 which I don't think you see very many of.

 

would the r81's fit a r53 mcs? looking for a summer wheel, pref light and i dont mind small as long as it clears the brakes, did any of the oem 15's manufactured go wider than 5.5? id love a 15x6.5 or x7" but shucks i might have to go aftermarket. Im a very spirited driver, love a good hill climb and i dream about cornering all night long......
currently running r84's with winters on as the car goes to whistler twice a week

 

What year R53 do you have? Stock front brakes or JCW?

If you have stock front brakes and an early model R53 you can put any of the MINI wheels from 15" to 18" on your car.

The R81 is 15x5.5" and is the only size OEM that MINI made/makes for 15".
A wider 15" will easily fit, I have used 15x6 to 15x8" and a wider tire for more grip.

The biggest advantage of the R81 is the lower weight of about 12 lbs each and relatively lower cost since many base coopers came with it.

949racing.com's 6UL is a very nice light 15" rim that comes in different widths.


15x7.5 6UL on MCS



R81 on an MCS

 

That was more answer than i needed, awesome thank you minihune. My mcs is a 2004 with stock brakes, im a big fan of lighter setups with better handling

 

If you do choose the R81 you can put the following size tires on it-

175/65-15
185/60-15
195/60-15
205/55-15

While all of these will fit on your MINI tire selection isn't as good in the more narrow tire sizes. I personally use 195/60-15 for good tire selection, narrow enough for good mpg and wide enough for good grip and handling with a comfortable sidewall.