Hey guys. I'm a very new Mini owner, and have made 4 payments on my car. I purchased in pre-owned in Chicago at Carmax. It's a 2012 Cooper S, 2 door. I was told by the dealer I need 4 new tires that they are chopping. I'm new to RF's and a bit frustrated. The car has 29K miles, how do I need tires? I called Pirelli and they said there is no warranty on OEM tires. I called Mini and they said, so sorry, buy tires. So, I've read a lot. The car is NOISY as all hell. I am not sold on needing RFs even without a spare, because well.. I'd still need AAA to put on my spare if I got a flat. So, I'm looking for the best tires for my car that won't be $1100 I just got quoted. I did move to Austin, so I don't need Winter tires.

Thank you for anyone who can advise a poor girl who moved from a VW Bug to a Mini and doesn't want to regret the decision.

 

Run flats unfortunately usually wear faster than normal tires and can tend to be pretty loud. There are people across many different vehicle brands that opt out of running run flats even without a spare tire. Try searching on www.tirerack.com for a set of none run flat tires since that's the route you want to go. They usually have pretty good deals on that site as well. Just shop by vehicle in the drop down and a lot of choices will pop up for your application. On the left hand side where it says filter, select the run flat option and filter those options out. If you have any questions about brands, let me know.

 

The Cooper S does not have a spare, so if you go without runflats you'll have to carry an air compressor and tire sealant to deal with punctures.

Bridgestone DriveGuard will be the cheapest runflat option from Tire Rack.

 

I found these:

Michelin
Pilot Super Sport

• 205/40ZR18
• Sidewall Style: Blackwall
• Load Range: XL
• Serv. Desc: (86Y)

Still not in love with the price, because I still have to pay for installation. I stopped by NTB today and the tech told me to go to tirerack, which is where I've been for a week.

 

Pelican Parts, I see you sell parts.. I need a trunk cover as mine is missing and I'd like a window shield for the Summer months.

 

Check out discounttiredirect.com....the also have pretty reasonable prices on tires but they don't charge for shipping. The only bad part is you would still need to take to a place to have them installed when you get them...which is about $65 at one of their stores.

 

Can you confirm that you have 18" wheels?

If so then yes 205/40-18 will fit your wheels.

Since you mentioned noise then you can look for tires that are more comfortable and less noisy which Michelin Pilot Super Sport are.

Tirerack choices-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...r=17&zip-code=

The Pilot Super Sport is a Max Summer tire with treadwear 300 for $173.82 each in stock. You buy them and have them shipped to an installer (tirerack has a list for your zipcode with prices).

If you want the tires to last longer then you will need to rotate the front tires to the rear every 4000 miles, otherwise it is common for the fronts to wear out twice as fast as the rears.

Since you are making an investment in new tires it is usually OK to get a four wheel thrust alignment when putting on new tires. This allows for the best handling and tire wear. If you look at each of the old tires and the wear is very even and similar on each tire then it may be possible not to need an alignment but if you have irregular wear (you mentioned "cupping") then an alignment is appropriate.


In addition, an Ultra High Performance All Season tire will last longer but give good handling and performance with good ride comfort and less noise. An example would be-
Michelin Pilot A/S 3 with treadwear 500. $156 each in stock.

If you do decide to go with tirerack and need a representative, try contacting Alex@tirerack.com or call the toll free number and extension 4294.

If you want to consider an alternative tire size for better tire selection you can try 215/40-18 which can include tires that are more budget friendly like:

Sumitomo HTR Z III Max Summer tire 300 treadwear $112 each
It isn't as comfortable and low noise as the Pilot Super Sport but it is a good value.

Kumho Ecsta 4X II Ultra High Performance All Season tire 420 treadwear
$109.24 each in 215/40-18. Good handling in dry or wet and good value with longer treadlife.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINI-OEM-07-13-Cooper-Tonneau-Cover-51467151717-/252070537979?hash=item3ab0932afb&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...cover&_sacat=0

 

Genuine MINI trunk cover is here. Custom sunshades here. If you need anything else or have any questions let me know.