I've read that the R90's are really heavy and will cause "horsepower loss" in my soon to be already horsepower challenged Cooper. Any thoughts on this. Although I adore the R90 wheels...are they going to "slow me dowwwwnnnn"???

Lisa

 

>>I've read that the R90's are really heavy and will cause "horsepower loss" in my soon to be already horsepower challenged Cooper. Any thoughts on this. Although I adore the R90 wheels...are they going to "slow me dowwwwnnnn"???
>>
>>Lisa


Lisa-
Most of the alloy wheels offered on the MINI are "robust" (ie, heavy; mid 20 pounds per wheel; rim-only). It's possible to get an "after market" wheel that is about half that weight. The "run-flat" tires (if they come on your MC) are also heavier than standard tires. By the way, this is not just a "MINI" phenomena; I checked several Audi wheels of equivalent size, and they're about the same weight. One of the reasons that most alloy wheels from the vehicle manufacturer are heavier is because they know the wheels will be used over pot-holes, etc; and the dealers don't want to have to continually replace them! For most people, this is a BENEFIT, not a problem.

However, if you want to wring the most out of your car (especially for autocrossing, etc), this increases the suspension "unsprung weight" (ie, that which is NOT held up by the suspension: the wheels, tires, brakes...) and thus slows down the "responsiveness" of the suspension. It also requires "accelerating" this increased mass both longitudinally (ie, in the direction you're going), and rotationally (ie, it has to be accelerated about the rotational axis). That makes it's affect on the car's performance MORE than if you just had an extra 50 to 70 pounds sitting in the back seat.

The real question is: does it matter to YOU? My gut feeling would be that IF you are happy with the pep of the MC when you test drive it, THEN you'll still be happy with the R90's. You'll probably notice the increase in "stiffness" of the shorter sidewalls (of the 17" tires) before you notice the weight; and not all people react adversely to the 17" wheels regarding their impact on "ride".

Sooooo... if you really like the wheels; go for it!

ps: if you have a spare tire (MCS's DON'T), then you don't have to BUY the "run-flat" tires, and this will go a long way towards reducing the TOTAL weight of the R90 wheels; compared to the same wheel on an MCS. You will save a significant amount of weight by shopping around (try a question on the MCO Tire & Wheel Forum) for good, high-quality LIGHT 17" tires. Good luck!

 

Lisa,

I had the R90s on my MINI with the run-flats. I now have the 16" MINI R84 V-spokes and Yokohama AVS ES100 205/50 R16 tires. That saved a lot of rotating weight. Even if you don't autocross (I have been once, it was fun, but I wouldn't set my car up specifically for it... at least not yet, I'm hooked, but not that hooked). As I was about to say, even if you don't autocross, the weight difference is noticable. The first gear bog the Cooper S has is a function of the heavy tires/wheels. Without that weight the bog all but disappears. It's really like driving a regular car again. The ride quality from the 16" regular tires is better too, because the sidewalls flex and don't transmit as much road shock.

The R90s are very nice wheels. No doubt. I miss mine. And I really haven't seen any aftermarket wheels that I like better. The nice thing about the R90s is they look great, AND you know the offset, centerbore will match up correctly.

So what's my ultimate recommendation? If you want the R90s, get the R90s, BUT don't use run-flats. Do yourself a favor and get regular tires. There will still be a weight reduction, plus the ride comfort will be helped as well.

My $0.02 as a former R90 owner.