sorry guys, I feel like the boards biggest whiner, Got the car about a month ago, 2006 MCS, I live in the UK not that this should make any difference. Car has 17 inch S lites and runflats. I am thinking about selling the bloody thing as its going my back in, the ride is horrible!!! I travel tons of back roads in the countryside that are not pot hole filled things but have some dips and bumps as would be expected, the car is hurting my kidneys, even small access hatches in the road cause a horrible jolt in the car. Any suggestions? Tires will cost a bunch but I can sell the old ones, My favorite tire dealer told me he has been told to NOT put normal tires on the run flat rims, that it would also not work well with the suspension. I trust these folks implicitly and believe they were told that, (the run flats they quoted were not much more than the normal tires they quoted so they are not trying to sell me more expensive tires)

what can I do? Will new non run flat 17 inch tyres like dunlops or michelins make a noticeable difference? Should I try and find 16 inch wheels? (I know 15s would probably be best for ride but the car would look strange)

Can shocks be changed?

ANY help/suggestions most welcome.

Peter

GET RID OF THE RUN FLATS! As soon as I replaced my run flats with the Hankooks I'm currently running, the ride was noticeably better.

Runflat rims??? WTF is your dealer talking about? He's full of it, and I wouldn't trust that guy as far as I could throw a Mini. He's trying to keep you buying runflats to make more brass.

If you don't have a JCW, then you can also go to a smaller diameter wheel. Smaller wheel, more tire sidewall to flex.

Yes, different shocks can also make a huge difference. But start with the tires, it's cheaper.

Ditch your runflats and consider dropping to 16" wheels.. However, know you're still going to suffer from a firm ride due to the short wheelbase and suspension, but at least it's a start.

Change your wheels and tires. I run 17's on my car in the summer and 15's in the winter (non-runflats) and the difference in the smoothness of the ride is large.

Dean.

Reelsmith, I have the exact same car as yours but with S lites, I think I have told you that before.

15s would be a harsh change as I am sure the car would not look as good (we are all a bit poser at heart) 16s I could do but have to stay stock as in the UK even just a wheel change would change my insurance class to modified.

I may call them to ask what a wheel change would do to my premiums.

Thanks for any/all info.

I've got 17's on mine, and just going to regular tires made a big difference.

Here's my car bundled up for winter with its 15" wheels ...



And here it is with its 17" wheels and new 215/45/17 tires ...



Gromit801 is right, just switching to non-runcraps makes a difference.

Personally, I like the rough and tumble ride ...its part of the attraction. Go figure.

Dean.

Just to ask a different question..

Is your MINI on factory springs & shocks?
Some lower spings can make the ride harder but great for cornering... With the roads you described, that is not a setup you want... Not sure if this is a new MINI or "new to you" and the previous owner had other preferences...

As for your tire prices.. Here runflat tires are about $250 USD and good performance tires (non run flats) cost near $100-$175 USD. So for us, there is a considerable savings to using non runflats.. As for moiunting onthe S-lite rims, that is not a problem. I have a set of S-lites with Goodyear Eagles F1 GS-D3 with no issues..

Maybe that helps??
BBCooper

why is that? (brakes?) Am I doomed to 17" on my JCW?

I think you can fit certain 16" over the JCW brakes. JCW brakes are larger in diameter than normal.

Have you checked the air pressure? Drop the pressure to 33 lbs cold all around and it will improve your ride---

yeah i fn hate my runflats!! they were real real real low on airpressure and it never even told me, i finally aid to myself hmm im gonna check the pressure even though it wasnt displaying the logo. and yep they were realy low like 15psi. i was pissed.

i ran 17" on my vw gti. loved the ride! lowered on race springs.

i want 18 or 17 for the MINI. i was looking at some 18" white wheels with 1" chrome lip. mm sexy. but i dont have the money yet.

I checked pressure this afternoon after searching on google for other solutions to the problem, As my cars listed door jamb pressures are in BAR I have no idea what they mean but I have an american tire gauge and it showed 35 rear and 33 for the fronts.

car is new to me, bought with 17k miles, I guess I could check the springs as that might be a factor. It was sold under mini cherished, I wonder if they would swap back any non factory items before sale?

peter

Had non runflats on my s-lites. Not to bad a ride but to firm for me. Switched to 16 inchers and I can't stop driving this car now!

Gotta go!

dump the runflats and if that doesn't satisfy you, go for smaller wheels.

Swapping out your tires will make a HUGE difference. Since MINI sells 16" rims, I'm not sure how that could effect your insurance coverage by switching you to "Modified". You can get OEM 16's...

You can safely lower the tire pressure to 30 front and 32 rear (COLD) which should improve ride quality a bit. 1 Bar = 14.503 PSI.

The pressures on the door jam don't mean a damn thing in the real world. Ignore them!

On a tangent, you bought a small, compact sports hatch. It has a stiff suspension, and an even stiffer chassis. Why are you surprised that the ride is harsh? It's not a Lincoln Towncar... .

I think the best course of action is to go for 16s, My hunt on ebay starts today.

As for the harsh ride, I was aware the ride would be hard as the cars wheels base is short and its a small car, I have been selling classic minis for the past 8 years so i know small cars. In my particular case I would describe the ride as punishing, I never expected a big car ride, just not this bad, Its my fault to an extent but they never give you a long enough test drive, thanks for the tips. I should have known when he put me on the highway immediately.

Peter

Just ordered Dunlops NON runflat, they come in this week, lets see what happens, I will let you all know.

What I will say is that I went to BMW/MINI for my cracked windscreen (replace under warrantee they said!) and I asked the head of service about the tyres, He said they are CRAP, Said the best thing I could do is put on non runflats and that when he was doing BMW service on the road in the station wagons he used to change them over first thing. I also felt the sidewalls of an off the rim runflat and non runflat, like a brick on the runflat and much softer on the non, Lets hope for the best.

Peter

I'm curious: Did you find out what the insurance difference was between sizes? Why would the size make a difference for insurance? When I was in Europe, the insurance company never mentioned to me anything like that, and I'm pretty sure my winters were a different size! (Maybe I was just lucky!)

I also had the runflats. Ditched them, bought another set of stock wheels and put on 205x55xr16's. Much improved ride. BUT the biggest change came when I put on KONI FSD struts. I live in Spokane, Wa and the chuckholes and roads are terrible. Roads I had to crawl down I can now comfortably drive. FSD's were the best money spent on the car so far.

I just switched to regular tires and there is a noticeable difference. You won't regret it!

Its not the tire size that makes a difference but ANY non stock part, obviously you can just not tell them but its not worth it in the UK, you have an accident, they see non stock wheels and you've had it. I am actually worried that running non run flats and having an accident leading to an investigation could lead to being denied cover, I am not joking, They are pretty harsh here.

Thanks for the tip on the struts, got knows what they would cost over here but then selling the car and getting another would be a huge expense in itself.

Regards: Peter

Which Dunlops did you get, 205/45-17?

Runflats are needed because the MINI doesn't have any spare tire.
Stiffer sidewalls mean harsher ride. Poor roads make it worse.
On smooth roads it's OK.

Koni FSD shocks are a good solution if you find the tires alone are not enough help.

Stock 16" wheels are OK and 205/50-16 or 205/55-16 tires would work, good selection of non runflats in both. Runflat size is 195/55-16.

Letting some air out is OK down to 32-33 psi but might not be needed with non runflats. Try 34 psi front and rear.

Make sure your tirewear is even on all tires, and once every two years get an alignment done to make sure your suspension is even which helps ride quality.

How much mileage do you have on your MINI? Sometimes if you have 50,000 miles or 80000 Km your stock shocks are worn out. Do you carry heavy loads often?

I was wondering if a seat cushion made from one of these new dense foams, perhaps a multi-density combo would help. Anyone have any experience in this area?

+1 on the Koni FSD shocks - they are a huge improvement in ride and in grip during cornering.

Also, the key isn't so much 15" or 16" wheels, but LIGHT WEIGHT wheels and tires. Your 17" wheels and runflats weigh almost 50 lbs. My 15"x7" wheels and tires weigh just under 30 lbs.

Lowering the unsprung weight means a lot less shock is transmitted to the chassis, and the tires can stay in better contact with the road surface, so handling on real roads improves greatly.

P.S. - www.tirerack.com lists the weights of the wheels they offer.