OK....here's my dilemma...The mini is the first car I've ever modded, so I've learnt alot since January when I picked it up...

Of course, I was keen to do lots to it, and one of my first mods were the Alta springs. I have to say, they were a bit rough for every-day driving, but I assumed that came with having a lower car, and I put up with it. I changed my tyres to Toyo Proxes T1-R's, and that improved the ride quality a bit, but it was still rough. I've spoken to a few people about their springs. Most Aussies seem to go for eibachs...and they claim the ride is better than stock!! (I can't comprehend that )

Recently, a set of 18inch wheels came up for sale, the design of which I loved. So I grabbed them because they were cheap - (approx $960 USD), including 3 month old tyres....(18x7.5 Mille Miglia HT3's, Falken 215/35/18ZR's), so it seemed like a good buy.

Ever since I've put the wheels on, the ride has been shocking. The mini seats have always been uncomfortable for me, but now I actually have a sore lower back from driving around!!! (I'm 24!!) I'm pretty sure it's not the shocks, because the drop in ride quality was directly related to the wheel change. I've had the springs on for about 25000km (about 15500 miles).

There is no rubbing - the rolling diameter is approx the same as the previous tyres (215/40/ZR17)....at 120km/h, the car is actually going 114km/h, on stock tyres (205/45/17) I was doing 116 at 120 indicated (we have overhead speed readouts on some cities).

I've spent some time searching here and on mini2....I haven't found anything specificially helpful about the alta daily ride quality, compared to eibachs, h-sport, m7 etc...

My other problem is, now I feel like a runner with glass shoes. I don't drive the car like I did because I'm paranoid about damaging the wheels on every small bump in the road and because the car can't absorb any bumps any more. The accelertion dosen't seem too affected - the 18's are lighter than the s-lites...

Next week I'm putting the wheel's on a friend's car, that has eibachs. I want to compare them to the altas. I'm convinced it's the compound effect of the poor alta ride and the 35 series tyres that's ruining my mini driving experience.

I suppose my questions are:

1. I love the look of the wheels. Should I persist with them and try for improvements in suspension and tyre combos? What would you reccomend? I"ve been looking at perhaps eibachs & 215/40/18 tyres.

2. Should I bite the bullet and offload the wheels after such a short time in ownership - and go to some light 17's? (I don't want to go smaller) - and endure the self-imposed embarrassment of buying and selling mini mods like they are going out of fashion?

I've never had 18's on any of my cars, so this is all a learning experience. I'm actually enduring similar problems with an Alpine touch screen I bought up in Canada, but that's a different story (if anyone's interested in trading one for an equal-ish valued mod, PM me...)

 

Going from an 18 to a 17 isn't going to make much difference. Maybe it would be enough for you though.

Until you can get some decent shocks on the car it's going to be rough regardless.

 

Perhaps...I just want be clear - there is no bounciness, porpousing, bottoming out or rubbing going on....I just feel every little bump in the road. Big bumps begin to feel uncomfortable - but the car goes straight back to it's original composue - ie. effective damping seems to be occurring.

 

I have alta springs on my ride and now that you mentioned I think it is a little rough. I thought this was just part of a mini cooper "go kart" feel. I bought the car brand new while working in Los Angeles, and the roads there are quite nice. Ever since moving back to NYC I tend to feel more the road because the streets here are ridiculously bad. (these days, I barelly use the car...only for weekend rides).
I agree with you, it would be nice to learn more about the feel of diffrent setting for shocks and springs. I notice that a lot of people also opted for the H sport.
Good thread, hopefully we'll get some answers since my 18" Hamman are waiting for the spring season to be installed!

 

Yes....I hope we are blessed with some NAM wisdom... I like these wheels - but I like driving my car more. I suspect there are many owners out there that tell themselves that the mods they have done are an improvement, regardless of the actual results. So sometimes it's hard to get truthful experiences on here. I'm happy to say that now I've done enough miles on the altas with the 17's on to know I'm not happy with them....I feel the 18 inch wheels and 35 series tyres have exposed their weakness even more. I might say though, that there's probably nothing wrong with the alta springs on the track...they just don't have the finesse for daily driving.

 

Tit, how about the Bilstein PSS9 Fully Adjustable Coilover System? I found this at Helix13.
"The Bilstein PSS9 Performance Suspension System features 9 dampening adjustments. It includes adjustable monotube gas shocks with nine precise compression and rebound settings from comfort to competition. The front and rear springs have progressive rates and allow accurate adjustment of the vehicle ride height and center of gravity."
Thoughts?

 

Thoughts?
I wouldn't rule it out, but would like to consider the other options as well



I rarely track the car...

 

Yes, dump these wheels and tires. No shock or spring will cure this. The profile is just too small .
Sell them and start off right with a set of 17s instead of trying to add this and that to correct the original mistake of using 18" wheels
Get a 40 series tire or even better a good performance 45.

 

I agree with this. I just switched out my 18s for my winter set of 17s and have noticed very little different in ride quality.

 

Ufff! Don't want to be in denial here but I just acquired a set of Hamann 18's as an option from my 17" RGR's and would really hate to have to loose them.
*the 18" are just an option as I really like the BBS rims.
Gabe: Do you run stock suspension on your ride? thanks.

 

wats your tire pressure at?

 

I run the stock SS+. I've also driven a MCS with 18s and the JCW suspension as well. I know this sounds crazy but it actually felt as good if not better than my stock MCS/18s in terms of comfort.

 

Intreguing - two contrasting responses...


What onasled is saying about 35 series is, I feel, true in that they are the main problem. I suppose it just dosen't feel good to admit that I may have to get rid of these wheels so soon...I'm thinking of seeing how 40 series tyres would go. But then that'd probably be an expensive experiment in rubbing (the wheels are 40 offset)

 

Yes. And for what it's worth my tire size 205/40-18 (the size that MINI recommends).

 

Gabe, Sorry...I typed that up before I saw your next post...the previous owner had the tyres at 40psi...I let them down to 36psi straight away...I don't want to go too soft, then I'll be using the rims for absorbing the bumps! I feel there are 18inch users out there that aren't so unhappy. I would look at 205/40. Except the wheels are 18x7.5's....

 

I'm running with 205/40 on my konig 7.5 w/o any problem The car is slammed w/pss9 w/2" dropped. The ride is harsh but I had Cobra Suzuka race bucket installed and I just love it. I'm 46 and I wouldn't change a thing. Love that go cart feel.

 

Oh yeah...I'd love a bucket seat. The MCS seats have always been uncomfortable for me. They are garbage. They can't hold my butt in either...when I go for spirited drives, I slide around like a coin in a hobo's money tin...

 

One issue with this discussion, is that comfort is a highly subjective thing.

Some people will put 500lb linear springs on a car with stock shocks and swear it rides great. Others think that turning the damper to the stiffest settings yields the best handling. I had tons of suspension experience with hondas, but not much with the mini.

I can say that my car with stock shocks and H&R springs (I bought the car like this) rides like crap. There's too little suspension travel, and the dampers can't control the springs.

The main problem with the mini is the lack of suspension travel. You can't run a "plush" spring and keep from hitting the bumpstop. This problem is magnified any time you lower the car. Higher spring rates make for a more uncomfortable ride - along with demaning a more suitable damper to control the rates.

I've avoided making a suspension purchase, in hopes something better would come along. It hasn't though. I believe the PSS9 is good, but overpriced - and the Koni FSD is good, but only at factory height. For a street car, there's nothing else I would consider at the moment.

 

Tire composition will affect comfort. I cannot believe how comfortable my Michelin Exaltos are - the car actual feels beautiful over most road conditions. The all-season run-flats I use for winter and the previous Kumhos are quite harsh in comparison.

...also, wheel offset can affect road input thru the steering wheel. A smaller offset - the wheel is farther outboard - can cause more road shock to be felt, especially when the wheel is turned. If a little more Neg. camber is dialed in, this tendency can be reduced because the camber angle also affects the SAI in a Mac Strut.

 

Hmm...I hadn't thought of that. The tyres are Falken.....they don't strike me as quality tyres...

 

I'm running 15lb Centerline RPM 18x7s with 205/40/18 non-runflats. Absolutely loving them on the street. Definitely took the edge off the harsh ride on the S-lites and runflats. And dropping close to 20lbs a corner of unsprung weight makes a huge difference in handling all around.

 

I can't find any specs on the MM HT3 in 18, but the 17s are listed at 24lbs! That's S-lite territory! Yours must weigh north of 26. I think we may have found the culprit...

 

are you saying that the weight of the wheel has something to do with
his comfort level? ive never heard of that before. please elaborate.

 

You almost had me scratching my head...until I saw your

 

and bigger isn't better, better is better...

think about priorities.. comfort, looks, function....I think form follows function and 18 inch wheels are just too big in my opinion... bigger wheels weigh more, tires cost more, etc... and one becomes paranoid about ruining them on the street, which really can reduce the fun factor of the MINI which is why we bought the car, right?

what it comes down to is sidewall, I think, and smaller than a 50 series tire has a difficult time on the street, at least up here in the northeast....

I suggest 205/50-16
or 205/55-15

just my two cents...