HI aLL!
Super excited to join your ranks. Bought My new cooper in Tennesse and drove it back to NY with weekend. Tires looked ok, though showed tread wear. After the long drive I noticed a bubble so I'll have to do something baout the tires sooner than later. Ive been reading about the run flats and w they affect handling, I'm honestly not sure after driving 1000 miles that I'm in love with the handling, but I can't tell if that's from the run flats, the shocks, or that's just a part of the "go cart" effect. When I hit a bump or the depressed pavement on the highway the car is highly reactive. Like i have to hold on for dear life just to remain in a straight line.
So my questions are:
1) Should I replace front dunlop with pirelli to match the back?
2) Is not having runflats a really dumb idea?
3) I don't plan on doing heavy snow driving, do all season make sense?
4) Does it sound like a deeper problem- shocks.
5) Also looking on tire rack they asked if I had metal valve stem or something else, I can't find that info from my vin, how can I tell?

Look forward to hearing from you!?

Dunlop run flats in front, uneven tread wear/one has a bubble

Pirelli run flats in back.
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.p...=1398265905000

 

you may have another issue,

the runflats dont neccisarily ruin the handling, it ruins comfort since theres no flex in the side wall, what will ruin the handling is the tire compound, which you may have tires designed to go long mileage and not have too too much grip. normal all seasons should be the same as a runflat allseason minus the stupidly stiff sidewall.

you may feel like to need to hold it in a straight line on the highway, cause these are light nimble cars and react to changing direction very well (go kart handling)

shocks will only stop you from oscillating (bouncing up and down)

if you never plan on driving in snow, get yourself some sumemr tires, itll be night and day difference. i took off my runflats which still have 70% tread left and put on 30% tread summers.... the difference was noticable in 10 feet

 

Thanks! The shocks question comes in I guess because it takes bumps a little on the hard side. When I was pulling into a rest stop I hit a pot hole, I think that's what caused the bubble. PS car has 45K miles, would i be needing shocks so soon?
I felt as thought the handling might be in part the gocartyness that I can get used to. I just so I don't have much frame of reference. Forgive me, I am a honda convert

 

The shocks are probably ok. These cars ride a little harsh, but as you've already said, thats a part of the go kart experience.

I highly recommend getting a set of winter tires for winter and a set of summer for the rest. I will help with each according season by leaps and bounds.

What type of driving do you do? Will you possibly utilize a sport summer tire at all? How many miles in a year? What size wheels do you have currently.

Just some questions for you then we can further figure out what more appropriate for you. There will be more digging, but I figured that would be a good start. And I'm certain a certain someone who runs a 1st gen MINI will chime in later too. (He's been doing autox for some time and is very knowledgeable)

 

Mostly weekend travel from the city to country. Sometimes to the Hamptons for work. Maybe 5-7K miles a year. So most travel will consist of highway driving and throw in some dirt roads The wheels I linked in first post, dunlop in front pirelli in back 205/45/r17. The pirellis seem to be pretty new. the dunlop not so much.
side note: I think my boss has a set of snow tires he'll give me from a mini he sold. I should probably confirm that.
Oh and re: shocks, I noticed on the dirt roads this weekend I heard a little knocking on the bumps :/

 

I'm also a new owner of an 07 MCS with 55k miles. Your description of the bump compliance of aged shocks matches my experience.

After reading a number of threads it appears that the OE shocks get stiffer as they age. Others have characterized this as a failure mode which seems reasonable.

There have been a number of rave reviews on the Koni FSD shocks and I plan to install those soon.

As for what new tires are appropriate, consult with the Tire Rack and look at the reviews of any tires they recommend before you make a final selection.

If you choose to fore-go the run flats you can carry a bottle of slime and a 12volt compressor. There is a thread on NAM with recommendations for both.

And... Welcome to the Mini lifestyle!

 

about needing new shocks but what can I do? I was waiting for the other shoe to drop on this deal.
Any idea how I might figure out what type of valve stem i have? (tire rack requires)

 

If you look at your wheels, do you have a black rubber valve stem? Or is it a silver metalic valve stem. You'll have to look at it to know for sure. I believe August 2007 is when it was standard to have the metal stems with sensors.

 

I've not heard much good news on the RF's. I have them and can't wait until my next paycheck to replace them as they're worn out. What good are they anyway? They're loud, and rougher riding.