Not sure if this is the right place to post this...

I am looking for some input on what other people have used.

I am looking for an awesome summer only set of tires. I want them to have decent tread life and awesome wet traction and of course superior dry traction.

The mini is just a fun car for me, may see some track time.( I will run different tires on the track) But always spirited driving! Ive had Continental DSW on my Audi and hated them. Put Pirelli Cinturato P7 on and the difference was insane!

So far I am leaning towards Michelin Pilot Super Sports.

Let me know what you guys have tried and liked!

Read more: http://www.*********************/for...#ixzz3LwxLJ2EC

 

The most favorite competitor to the Pilot Super Sport seems to be the Continental Extreme Contact DW. I rank the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 with those in dry/wet/wear but they are all-season tires. You ruled out the extreme performance summer and streetable competition tires by wanting decent tread life.

The DWS is, of course, an all-season tire, and is known for ride comfort and snow traction. Some like their handling and others hate the soft sidewall.

If you haven't visited TireRack.com they have valuable test results and user reviews.

 

I currently have the Continental ExtremeContact DW in 205/50/16 and like them.
They're better than the Dunlop SporMaxx I had on before and lighter but not as
sporty as the Bridgestone SS-03 tires I first had a decade ago.
Actually, the DW tires are currently stacked in my basement on their rims for the Winter,
but I had them on last Spring, Summer, and Fall and will put them back on in a few months.
They don't make them in that size anymore, but they still make them in 205/55/16.


For 205/45/17, you can get either the Conti DW or the Michelin PSS. In that case, I'd
go for the PSS, but they are a bit pricier. They don't make the PSS in 16" size, or I
would have bought them instead for my MINI.

 

sleek,

What size wheels do you have? Stock suspension or lowered? Any plans to lower?

Getting the "best tires" depends on what sizes you want to use whether for 16" or 17" wheels which you likely have on your R53.

Max summer tires as mentioned are probably the first place to look, determine a budget and that should narrow your choices.

If you have OEM 17x7" wheels then 205/45-17 or 215/45-17 are the usual sizes to shop for. Michelin Pilot Super Sport is a good choice and costs $166 and $135 each respectively.

In 215/45-17 you can find:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...wdp=N&showcm=N
Bridgestone S-04 $111 each, advantage in the wet, 280 treadler
Continental ExtremeContact DW $111 each, advantage for street comfort, 340 treadler

If you have OEM 16" wheels and stock suspension then in 205/55-16:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...wdp=N&showcm=N
Similar top choices, lower cost per tire.

 

I have full suspension (coil-overs, camber plates, front/rear sway bars, bushings, bracing ect..)

Running Breyton GTS-R 17"

What size can I get away with 225? 215?

 

The wheels are 17x7" et 40mm
How much drop on your coilers?

Look at the current tires you have and look at the clearance. If there is very little gap between the tire and the wheel arch edge then use the same tire size as you have now.

Safest size for a lowered MINI is 205/45-17 or 215/40-17. 225 width tire sizes don't work, they are all too tall. Even 215/45-17 may be too snug with a lowered suspension.

7" rims are best fitted with 205mm wide tires in general.

215/40-17 can give a stiff ride due to the smaller sidewall, terrace.com has several to choose from in both Max and Extreme Summer tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...erformance=ALL

There are only a few 205/40-17 tires and this would be an even shorter sidewall, good on only the smoothest roads.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....el=P+Zero+Nero

 

I used the Dunlop direnza's. There an extreme summer tire. Good for dry hot roads. Moister and rain, forget it. They suck. But if your pushing the car to its limits and working the tires hard. They get really soft. And hot. There are definitely sticky when you get'em hot.

 

hankook rs3s for the price

 

I've had PSS's on my 335ix, the MCS, and now M3. Love them on all these cars.

They are a little pricey, but an otherwise fantastic dry/wet summer tire. A bit too mushy at the limit to be a competitive track/autoX tire (they will start chunking when overheated).

If you intend to take the car to autoX or DE more than once, consider Bridgestone RE-11, Hankook R-S3, Dunlop Direzza ZII, or BFG g-Force Rival instead. However, all of these will be louder and will wear of faster than the PSS's. Most will get dicey in the rain after 1/2 worn. PSS's are good till the last 3/32nds (almost wear bars).

I did not want to trade off everyday comfort and competence for that last 5% of competitiveness on an autoX course, so I bought 2 extra sets of wheels and tires (well 3, actually, counting the winters).

I ran 225mm tires over stock wheels, and they fit fine with stock sports suspension.
Once I lowered the car on KWv3's, the fronts started rubbing on the inside wheel well at full lock. Fixed that with 5 mm spacers.

For an everyday driver tire, I would play it safe with 215/45-ZR17 PSS's.

Good luck,
a

 

There's a new entry to the extreme performance summer tires.
Anybody have any info on the new Bridgestone RE-71R?
I really liked the old Bridgestone RE-71 from 15 years ago, but this is completely different.
Tread looks a lot like the Direzza ZII SS. Tire Rack is offering them as available in early March.
They come in 205/50/16, 205/55/16, 205/45/17 and 215/45/17 + others.


http://en.responsejp.com/article/2014/12/08/239192.html

 

I have the direzza. Rain and wet roads they are horrible.

 

I'd prefer max or extreme performance in 205/50/16 rather than 205/55/16, which leaves
the RE-71R, the Direzza ZII and ZII Star Spec, and the Toyo Proxes R1R, and nothing
at all in the Max perf. summer tire category.
Going to 205/55/16 opens up a lot more choices, and the RE-11a would probably be
my choice there as a relatively daily-driver-friendly extreme performance tire the next
time I need new summer tires.

 

^omg. I just ordered a set of RE-11A's. FML
The RE71s look really aggressive.

 

Someone please go buy RE-71R's, and tells us how you like them.Ideally, before I have to order by next set of autoX tiers in about a month!



Bridgestone claims they are an improvement on RE-11a's, but are they better than the original RE-11's ?
http://en.responsejp.com/article/2014/12/08/239192.html
http://translate.google.com/translat...ml&prev=search

1.4% Faster than the RE-11A
12% faster than the custom RE-71 used on the 959.


a