So went to the local test and tune this weekend Same weekend I cleared my break-in period. First: What a blast this thing is to drive! I'm not really missing the Miata at this point.

Here's what I was on: 16x6.5 Rota Slipstreams with Hankook Ventus Z212s set at 35 PSI all the way around.

There was a timed course, my fastest run (clean) was a 63.3. The only people I can compare to is a pretty accomplished driver in a well sorted CSP Miata on R Compounds who turned a 61.x.

Pretty stoked. I think I should have run a little more pressure in the rear let me push a little harder before getting to understeer.

The biggest thing for me is the wheelspin. I have got to get control of my right foot. It's way too easy to light'em up in this thing. I'm convinced that that's an adjustment I'll have to make as a driver.

Next month I'll be on Hoosiers so I'm sure I'll tank since it'll be my first shot on R compounds.

 

Do you have LSD? You might want go with v710's instead of the hoosiers.

 

Yes. Car is lightly optioned but includes LSD. The Hoosiers are new to me. Once I burn them up I'll be jumping ship to the V710s

A little more info:

We were lucky to hit the high 40s. So while that makes the supercharger happy, the tires and pavement never got hot. I think that added to the front spin.

 

Can you explain what a "Test and Tune" is? I am considering one locally but I am not sure why they are charging $60 for it. Do i get a lot more seat time? Is the event worth the extra $35?

 

It will be my second year in solo2, last year I had street tire but this year I want to go with R compound. My tire dealer told me the V710 215-40r16 are to wide for 6.5 wheel, is it thrue or your running with a other dimension. I was looking for hoosier 205-45r16. Any idea? thank you

 

"THE" tire for the Mini Cooper is the V710 in a 215/40/16. It fits fine. A little hard to install, but it fits.

 

The 215/40-16 V710's fit fine on 16x6.5" wheels. There are dozens of people running that combination in HS and GS here in the states. If your tire dealer won't mount them, find another tire place that is more autocrosser friendly (ask people in your local club)

The outgoing Hoosier A3S05 has terrible wear characteristics on a stock class Mini since we can get very little negative camber in front. People have corded the A3S05's in as little as 12-15 runs. That gets pretty expensive. The new A3S06's are supposed to wear better, and some people have started using them already, but I haven't heard any rep[orts from Mini owners yet.

-Keith

 

I'm going to be running Kumho V710s in the front 215/40/16 (brand new) an Hoosier A3S03s in the rear 205/40? (pretty old). When I can find a spare $350, I'll buy two more V710s. What kind of results might this setup yield?

 

You will probably find the car fairly tail happy. One thing to consider is to do a couple of runs with the hoosiers on the front to wear away any "crust" that has developed, which should give you more traction when you put them on the rears. Hopefully you can dial in the car with tire pressures, but you might have to run extra pressure in the front to lose traction in the front so the car is more well behaived