Countryman Cooper S Wheel change question
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Countryman Cooper S Tire change question
Hi Guy,
Few details abt my car first and really appreciate ur time for go thru my thread:
2013 Countryman cooper S
Miles:20000
Tires(current): Bridge stone H/P Dueller Run flats (Rear tires are in excellent condition,front tires completely worn out)
Warranty:Still have extended maintenance warranty
Mileage per gallon in city traffic: 19
Location: Bay area California
So couple of days back i went to mini with the above condition to the dealer
Here is his advice:
Must do's
front 2 tires needed change
Wheel Alignment Required
Oil Additive.
Cost :(includeslabor) :$900+
Most Recommended other service not covered in maintenance warranty:
4 Coolant flush
1 fuel injection service
Cost :(includeslabor): 420+
Note:taxes extra
What i decided:
Decide that not go with run flat .
So chose to go with Performance tires .
Ordered the below:g-Force COMP-2 A/S - Size: 225/45ZR18
so all 4 tires +installation came to some $650
But now i have to decide on other aspects
so need help on the below Question :
Questions:
1.Are the above tires good for the above price (note includes install+45000 miles thread warranty) (Also i mostly stay in calif for the foreseeable future expect few trips in winter to tahoe and Oregon where little snow is expected)?
2. Is wheel alignment necessary at the mileage if so should i get done with mini dealer or outside(are there any specific advantages with the dealer)?
3. I heard fuel injection service is a glorified process in which mini uses basically techron(by chevron which is around $10-15) . shuld i get this done by dealer or outside?
4. 4 coolant flush is this really necessary at this miles(20k)and does this and above process really improve fuel efficiency .Again should i go with dealer or outside?
5. Any recommended shop who does the above jobs good and at a decent price in bay area(sanjose/santa clara/cupertino etc..)?
6. Also is there any use (like spare)/resale value for the rear tires which are in excellent condition or should i just discard them.?
Few details abt my car first and really appreciate ur time for go thru my thread:
2013 Countryman cooper S
Miles:20000
Tires(current): Bridge stone H/P Dueller Run flats (Rear tires are in excellent condition,front tires completely worn out)
Warranty:Still have extended maintenance warranty
Mileage per gallon in city traffic: 19
Location: Bay area California
So couple of days back i went to mini with the above condition to the dealer
Here is his advice:
Must do's
front 2 tires needed change
Wheel Alignment Required
Oil Additive.
Cost :(includeslabor) :$900+
Most Recommended other service not covered in maintenance warranty:
4 Coolant flush
1 fuel injection service
Cost :(includeslabor): 420+
Note:taxes extra
What i decided:
Decide that not go with run flat .
So chose to go with Performance tires .
Ordered the below:g-Force COMP-2 A/S - Size: 225/45ZR18
so all 4 tires +installation came to some $650
But now i have to decide on other aspects
so need help on the below Question :
Questions:
1.Are the above tires good for the above price (note includes install+45000 miles thread warranty) (Also i mostly stay in calif for the foreseeable future expect few trips in winter to tahoe and Oregon where little snow is expected)?
2. Is wheel alignment necessary at the mileage if so should i get done with mini dealer or outside(are there any specific advantages with the dealer)?
3. I heard fuel injection service is a glorified process in which mini uses basically techron(by chevron which is around $10-15) . shuld i get this done by dealer or outside?
4. 4 coolant flush is this really necessary at this miles(20k)and does this and above process really improve fuel efficiency .Again should i go with dealer or outside?
5. Any recommended shop who does the above jobs good and at a decent price in bay area(sanjose/santa clara/cupertino etc..)?
6. Also is there any use (like spare)/resale value for the rear tires which are in excellent condition or should i just discard them.?
Last edited by Somasekhar Reddy.karri; Feb 24, 2018 at 01:37 AM. Reason: mentioned wheel instead of tire in the header
OVERDRIVE - Racing Champion
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 15,262
Likes: 72
From: Mililani, Hawaii
First, look in your owner's service schedule book. It has all of the required intervals for various service items for your warranty.
Next, never believe the dealership and question everything.
Chucking the runflats is fine since you needed two tires due to wear. If you had rotated the tires front to rear earlier then you may have gotten better more even wear out of the rear tires. Moving to non runflats is fine and usually costs less and rides better but you can get a flat and should know what to do. With a runflat you can drive to a safe area or home at lower speeds.
BFG g-Force Comp 2 A/S are ultra High Performance All Season tires.
225/45-18 at tirerack are $143 each ($572 for set) but require shipping and tax. Shipping from Nevada to No. Calif estimated at $54. So you did fine.
Wheel alignment is needed if wear on any of the tires was irregular or revealed a potential alignment problem. If tire wear was relatively even on each side and somewhat symmetrical and if the steering and handling of the MINI was relatively good then you can wait and do the alignment at a later time. Certainly not required.
However if doing a new tire purchase sometimes it's good to do an alignment to ensure that tire wear will be as even as possible. Further if you drive on bad roads the chance of alignment being out of OEM specs is relatively high from hitting ruts and potholes. Even in as little as 6 months of street use your alignment can be out of spec. Will you be able to tell as a driver? Not really unless it's pulling to one side or quite obvious.
How many times have you redone alignment? Now at 4+ years and through one set of tires you can do it. Who can do alignment? Any dealership but also Midas and other chain autoshops or a brake and alignment specialist. Quality varies with equiptment and expertise. You should get a before and after spec printout sheet of what was done. Dealerships will charge up to double of other shops for the same service.
Fuel injection service does not need to be done with 20K miles. You can do your own small version with a fuel injection cleaner additive to your fuel. Use the best grade and quality gas you can find, top tier gas is best but comes in many brands.
Coolant check can be done but flush and replacement is not needed unless there is something wrong with the fluid. Usually replacement is done at 4 years so maybe that is why the dealership suggests flush. Other shops can do a flush and use OEM or equivalent fluid at a much lower cost.
For independent shops in your area try yelp but opinions can vary.
Rear tires what are not too worn (how much tread depth is left?) can be sold as is used on craig's list. Runflats are at risk of damage when being taken off a wheel so inspect the tires. Technicians are not always careful when removing tires because many are just getting recycled. Be aware that when tire tread depth gets to 4/32" they are basically worn out so if your current tread depth is close to that they won't last that long, depends on road surface and air pressures being used. OEM tires have 9/32" tread depth when new.
Next, never believe the dealership and question everything.
Chucking the runflats is fine since you needed two tires due to wear. If you had rotated the tires front to rear earlier then you may have gotten better more even wear out of the rear tires. Moving to non runflats is fine and usually costs less and rides better but you can get a flat and should know what to do. With a runflat you can drive to a safe area or home at lower speeds.
BFG g-Force Comp 2 A/S are ultra High Performance All Season tires.
225/45-18 at tirerack are $143 each ($572 for set) but require shipping and tax. Shipping from Nevada to No. Calif estimated at $54. So you did fine.
Wheel alignment is needed if wear on any of the tires was irregular or revealed a potential alignment problem. If tire wear was relatively even on each side and somewhat symmetrical and if the steering and handling of the MINI was relatively good then you can wait and do the alignment at a later time. Certainly not required.
However if doing a new tire purchase sometimes it's good to do an alignment to ensure that tire wear will be as even as possible. Further if you drive on bad roads the chance of alignment being out of OEM specs is relatively high from hitting ruts and potholes. Even in as little as 6 months of street use your alignment can be out of spec. Will you be able to tell as a driver? Not really unless it's pulling to one side or quite obvious.
How many times have you redone alignment? Now at 4+ years and through one set of tires you can do it. Who can do alignment? Any dealership but also Midas and other chain autoshops or a brake and alignment specialist. Quality varies with equiptment and expertise. You should get a before and after spec printout sheet of what was done. Dealerships will charge up to double of other shops for the same service.
Fuel injection service does not need to be done with 20K miles. You can do your own small version with a fuel injection cleaner additive to your fuel. Use the best grade and quality gas you can find, top tier gas is best but comes in many brands.
Coolant check can be done but flush and replacement is not needed unless there is something wrong with the fluid. Usually replacement is done at 4 years so maybe that is why the dealership suggests flush. Other shops can do a flush and use OEM or equivalent fluid at a much lower cost.
For independent shops in your area try yelp but opinions can vary.
Rear tires what are not too worn (how much tread depth is left?) can be sold as is used on craig's list. Runflats are at risk of damage when being taken off a wheel so inspect the tires. Technicians are not always careful when removing tires because many are just getting recycled. Be aware that when tire tread depth gets to 4/32" they are basically worn out so if your current tread depth is close to that they won't last that long, depends on road surface and air pressures being used. OEM tires have 9/32" tread depth when new.
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