Im sure it's been askef before but i couldn't find it.
Its a great deal on some snow tires if they'll fit.

 

I'd say they are going to be too big to fit.

 

To follow up. Discount tire said the 205/50 /17 would fit. Well hopefully a 215 50 will fit cause i got a full set of Michelin X Ice for free. We'll see in a few months when i mount them for winter.

 

215/50-17 tire is AT LEAST 1-1/2" bigger than the stock tire. I imagine you'll rub something somewhere. Even the 205/50-17 is an inch bigger than stock. I certainly wouldn't want to run snow tire that big, especially with all the ice and snow pack that will take place in the wheel well.

I learned a saying in grade school that has served me well so far: There is no such thing as a free lunch. In this case, free tires might be nice, but not if they don't fit. You still have to pay to get them mounted and balanced. Then, if they don't fit, you have to have them removed and replaced.

 

Makes sense. I know Ive read on here people running a 50 series tire on a stock 17 inch rim. The height doesn't worry me, there seems to be plenty of room in the wheel well of my '11 it's the width.
But then again I am pretty cheap.

 

Hockey Dad, actually the height or diameter of a tire is a huge deal. New Mini's are rolling computers. ABS brake sensors, gear ratios, engine computers, speedomter, etc, etc use wheel speed to manage many aspects of vehicle performance. Personally, I'd be VERY careful about dramatically changing tire diameter. How it fits in the wheel well is the least of your concerns

Others here with much more experience than me will hopefully chime in.

 

Well my rolling computer isn't very accurate when it comes to my speedo. Its almost 5 mph too fast.

 

I just mounted 215 X 45 X 17 Bridgestone Potenza RE71Rs on my '11 Cooper S and no problems with rubbing. I have a feeling the 225s would also fit, but I was too chicken to try. I had 225s on my Miata which called for the same stock size as the Mini.

 

OEM for 2011 MCS is 205/45-17 on 17x7" wheel

215/45-17 tire will fit OEM wheel and suspension.

225 tire sizes are likely too tall to give enough clearance depending on the model and the load in the MINI.

50 series sidewalls are best used for 16" tire sizes.

Even if it fit another car with similar tire specs it won't necessarily fit the MINI, suspension clearance varies with each model and year and parts are different depending on the weight of the options selected when the car is built.