I have a 2011 S convertible with 16 inch tires. I had a problem with one of the tires and decided to replace them all with a non-run flat set.

I went to costco and they sold (and installed) a set of ecopia ep422 (195/55/16). I can immediately tell a difference. The car drives much smoother but there is a huge loss of handling. I am thinking about switching to a different tire, but there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of choices in the size.

Is there another size tire that will work on my car, without having to replace the rims?

 

I changed by OEM 195/55-16 to non-runflat 205/50-16 with no problems. They are slightly smaller in diameter and slightly wider than the 195/55-16. Other posts made here have indicated 215/50-16 will likely also fit but need to check for rubbing depending on the tire manufacturer.

 

thanks for the input. Does anyone know if 205|55|16 work as a replacement size?

 

I've been running 205/55/16 on my 2008 for close to 100k miles. No problems whatsoever.

 

205/55-16 works, we used those for track tires. They look a bit big on a MINI, but there's a much bigger choice in tires in that size. 205/50-16 has a reasonable choice and works well.

 

Costco's selection of tires is based on demand (the average family car) and three tire companies (Michelin, Bridgestone, BFGoodrich).

If you want to stick with the OEM 195/55-16 tire size then:

For a Cooper S you want a tire that is speed rated V,W,Y or Z. H speed rated tires are better suited for a base cooper or non aggressive street driving.

The Ecopia EP422 is a great tire, smooth riding, gets good mpg, reasonably quiet and wears long. It's also a soft sidewall tire not befitting a Cooper S.
Not a good choice unless you drive like a grandma/pa.

Get costco to order new tires and replace them for the difference in cost.
Ask for Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport (Ultra High Performance Summer tire). This tire is listed at Costco.com for your car, it's likely they will need to be ordered, meanwhile you can drive around on your EP422s.

Tirerack test for RE760-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=163
This tire is not for cold weather or any snow.

If you need an All Season tire then-
Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS runflat $141 each
or non runflat
General G-Max AS-03 $93 each

If they won't replace the tires then get a refund, but they could be a problem since they won't install tires they don't sell.

Alternative tire sizes that will fit your OEM suspensiosn and wheels can be:

205/50-16 which is slightly less tall then OEM but will work fine. Lower sidewall gives stiffer more responsive ride but may be a little harsher depending on the tire. Tire selection not as much but OK.

205/55-16 which is slightly taller than OEM but will work fine. Higher sidewall gives more comfort but tire selection is very good.

Costco will not sell you tires in these sizes if they calculate that the tire diameter is more than 3% difference from OEM.