Hi Guys,

So I've had my 2006 Mini Cooper (non-S) for about 5 days, and have some concerns and need advice...

1) Road noise! This was an unexpected issue, I imagine a lot has to do with the low profile of the Mini, and run-flat tires ( I'm rocking GoodYear Eagle NCT 5/ 195 55 R16, but geez even the tar strips rattle the car around. Any recommendations on remedying this?

2) 1st gear really seems sluggish. Taking off from a red light, old ladies, Mr Sparky vans, and even school buses are out-distancing me from the get go. Maybe I'm not aggressive enough in first, or maybe there's an aftermarket upgrade to smooth that out.

So sage-mini owners....drop some knowledge on me, please!

 

The road noise and the rigid ride is something you are just going to accept but enjoy later. Sunroof apparently let in more noise but I haven't noticed it. I personally love feeling the road. I feel like I am in a race car rather than a boat. Getting rid of your runflats will improve your ride imensly(spelling) though.

Are you manual or automatic? Cvt?

 

Yeah, ditch the runflats.

-If you are really against road noise, you could rip the interior out and put in various types of sound deadening material.

-The standard coopers were never known for their straight line speed.

 

Me, 06 MCS, Same problems as you, also posted here the first week quite disappointed. A bunch of kind folks said to ditch the runflats and I did. The best possible decision I could have made, Changed the car immensely. I went for the same tyres as I had Dunlop 9000s, but in non runflat. Immediate change. I will say the car is quite harsh and I live on very bumpy back roads but before I would have had to sell the car as my kidneys could not take it...now I can live with it.

As for 1st gear, you have to rev the car quite a bit more than normal car to take off properly. It took me about a month to not stall the car on some take offs from stopped, Its just something you will get used to. Give it some more welly as they say over here in the UK
peter

 

May I ask the OP what kind of car you had before?

It seems to me you did not take a test drive (Or spent quality time) with the '05 Cooper. Remember... The MINI is not for everybody and this is true of the 1st gen models.

First, this is a small hatchback with a rigid body, and firm suspension. If you were expecting Lexus sound insulation and Buick Dynaride suspension, you were seriously mistaken

Second, if stronger acceleration and/or straight line performance is your thing, you should have either gone for the Supercharged Cooper S or gone to a different car altogether. The MINI is all about handling an taking curves at speed. It was not meant to be a straight line super duper performance car. Just helping you put your expectations in line vs reality


A lot of people fell in love with the looks of the MINI but soon realized that the car's demeanor did not suit them well and moved on. Most of us love the character of the car because this car simply does not feel like a Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. We feel the road, hear engine noises and other things that will annoy the heck out 98% of the driving public.


Perhaps you will be happier in a R53 Supercharged Cooper S or a new R56 Cooper or Cooper S MINI. The new MINIs have more low end torque, better fuel economy and are more comfortable daily drivers. However in the process of refinement they did sacrifice some character and quite frankly the new MINIs don't look as good as the 1st gen cars


In terms of performance, there is not much you can do to a Cooper. It is also likely that your Cooper was originally optioned with the Sports PLUS suspension that was a $500 option in the Cooper and standard equipment in the R53 S models. The suspensions improves handling at the expense of ride comfort. Since you have space for a small spare, you may consider switching to radial tires. In terms of engine performance, not much you can do to a Cooper except CAI, exhaust and thats it

Enjoy the car for what it is and don't be afraid to floor it as the car demands more juice from the accelerator. If you are still not happy trade up to a Supercharged model or a new MINI or something else.

Next time test drive the car before you sign the dotted line.

 

Non run flats are your friend!

 

I have an 06 MCS.. and I don't notice any sluggish feeling from first into second.. in fact I have a habit of.. moving off the line from a red light.. a little faster then I should.. just so I can drop it to second and feel the supercharger kick in.. still after driving the car for 3 yrs, I get a tickle out of it..
The run flats.. yeah know what you mean.. somedays worse then others for road noise.. I am not yet after all this time, ready to give them up.. They are stiff and for long rides.. really make my back hurt.. but I am used to it, know its coming.. and try to plan for it.. As people have said here, dropping the run flats can make a big difference.. for me.. knowing I have no place for a spare, and the fact that I drive my car alot.. I'll stick with it..
I ordered my car in Germany... never test drove one.. never even sat in one.. I ordered it simply because I liked the look and sound of it.. I have not regretted it.. simply changed a few things .. and love it.... give the car some time.. acquaint yourself with it.. and if you have to get a lil more aggressive with drving it.. that works too..
If this helps .. my husband has an 08 MC.. and man let me tell you, I can feel a HUGE difference in his.. and even though.. he gets squirrelly once in a while and borrows mine, to feel that boost.. he loves his MC... not me, my preference is the MCS..

 

Run flats are noisy and provide a rough ride... I enjoy going to the winter 15" tires because it's quieter and smoother on my '05MCS.
I intend on going with non run flats the next time I change my Spring/Summer tires.

 

I love my second gen runflats. I am wearing Continental ContiProContact SSRs 195 55 R16. Fantastic tires, extremely grippy, and handle as well as any other similar radial. Before bashing runflats, some of you should experience the Contis SSRs.

 

+1 for driving more aggressively. Take your Mini out to the twisties and get to know how she handles in the curves. You will have so much fun. Have you named it yet? That makes a big difference as well.

 

I also have a 2006 Cooper,(non-S). I know it is not as strong off the line as the MCS; but this car is awesome in the curves. I drove a Triumph TR6 back in my college days, and the MINI takes me back big-time. I love the feel of the road, my car wears Pirelli 3000E radials and I'm quite happy with the grip and sensory feedback. I've only had my MINI for about 7 weeks, but I can't wait for winter to be over so I can motor on through the rest of the seasons.
And Yes I agree with the others in that the cooper engine likes to be above 3500 rpms when shifting from 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd, etc. Hang in there and give the relationship some time to grow on you...

 

+1 on the above. If there's a local Mini club, you may be able to borrow some non runflats (or get a test ride) to see the difference.

+1 on "more welly". The MC and MCS engines are drive-by-wire, which lends a tiny bit of lag. It's also a 1.6 litre engine, but has a large flywheel. You'll figure it out - a tiny bit more rev and a tad more clutch slip and off ya go like a shot. Of course, you'll overdo it once or twice (chirp chirp) so turn off the $#^@ DSC (or ASC) if it's slippery on launch, or it'll bog you down.

 

Cool, thanks for the great feedback.

1) when I'm upgrading my rims, I'll grab a new set of tires as well, any more recommendations on the type of tires you guys use?

2) More aggressive it is!!!

Also Clubman S, I did test drive the car before buying, and I don't appreciate your suppositions that I didn't do my homework before purchasing, or that I don't fit in with the Mini crowd b/c I find a few things about the Mini less than optimal.

I know there are tons of mods that can be done with this great cool car, so I was just hoping to see what upgrades could help out my situation.

Thanks guys for the great comments!

 

Check the "wheels and tires" thread for great tire info, there's also a HUGE thread there on what wheels look like on different models.

General rule: Good higher-performance all-seasons will ride less harshly, be quieter, last longer, and give most of the grip of a "summer" tire. They may squeal a bit more on a track day, but in everyday use they're really good comfort-wise. Also - if you go non-runflat, be sure to bring a plug kit, Slime (or equivalent), and a mini compressor, just in case.

There are also alternate sizes that can alter the characteristics (and cost) of the tire. 205/50/16 instead of 195/55/16, for example. Call Alex ad Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com) for great info. He's an ex Mini owner and enthusiast.

Also consider keeping your old wheels and using winter tires in winter, if you get that kind of weather (I don't see a location for you). They make a huge difference too.

Good luck!

 

No offense meant dude!

Hope you get to tweat your car more to your liking.

 

So after reviewing a couple of big threads. And this is pretty general.

17s seem to be have a great low profile look and hopefully still comfortable for everyday driving, unless someone more knowledgeable can convince me to go back to 16s. As far as tires go, I really have no clue 205/45, 205/50, 215/40, 215/45, 235/40, but its a lot to take in and decide on. So recommendations are encouraged.

I'm really into the double spoke like the XXR 502, with an eventual drop to reduce wheel well gap.

Also I've ordered an AEF CAI, and it seems like a straight forward installation I can do myself, and should provide some "cool" if unproven benefits.

Thoughts?

 

Hey I put the kumhos on my wifes car and there great and at 70 bucks a piece there pretty cheap!!!! heres a pic of it with 16 and then with 17

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....nSpeedRating=S

 

 

Yeah, these look pretty good, Nice Info, thanks!

 

Wait wait wait wait, points of clarification (and somebody will likely jump in before me here...)

17's are going to give you a harsher ride than 16's (runflat or not), and if you choose the S-Lites (pictured above), while they look great, they're perhaps the heaviest 17" wheel available for the Mini, meaning a harsher ride still (and a slower car).

More sidewall means a "better ride" - less tramlining (often misinterpreted as "torque steer"), more supple ride, but actually without many performance drawbacks. 16's are about the ideal balance ideal for the Mini between performance and looks and retaining the "go kart feel".

17's look great and will feel more go-karty, but in every sense (more direct, less comfortable).

15's will give a more supple ride still - and there are plenty of Mini drivers on 15's that will track me down on my nice 17's and eat me for breakfast. P15's offer plenty of grip, and are a little more supple. Check the www.tirerack.com guide on "plus sizing" for a better explanation. Especially concentrate on what "slip angle" means.

You may not want to let looks lure you into something that doesn't have the performance envelope you're looking for... of course, if that were 100% the case, no woman would wear high heels either...

Good luck!

 

Don't worry, I haven't bought anything yet. Still trying to wade through the tons and tons of options in tires. But then again I haven't seen a whole lot of 16s with the "style" I'm into to.

I'm looking for a nice balance between comfort and style. I'll take your points under advisement, Thanks!

So for reference what is heavy? 20+ lbs?

 

No worries - don't take my points negatively! I run non-runflat 17's (Michelin Pilot Exalto) 3 seasons and non-runflat 16's (Dunlop Wintersport M3's) in winter. Also, in running the Mini club events, i also get to drive a variety of other Minis equipped with everything from 18's to JCW wheels to 15's, mainly on OEM tires.

I love the 17's and the Michelins give a great ride, but the 16's are smoother and easier to drive, and generally quieter while retaining the essential character of the car. If you want the ride of 16's but a little more beef, DEFINITELY consider the effect of rim WIDTH as well. A 7 or 7.5" rim makes the tire look beefier and wider, and sharpens the handling.

I can also tell you that runflat technology has improved significantly since the Pierlli Euphori@ and the original Goodyears. They're quieter and less harsh (not I didn't say "smooth").

Again, good luck!

 

First off welcome to NAM.

A MINI is a very different car in it's driving dynamics than most others. You'll learn to love it.

What ever tires & wheels you buy be sure to consider the weight of those wheels & tires. If you go with a heavy package it will hurt your performance. Lighter is better.

Enjoy the new MINI, motor on.

 

I have 17 inch s lites run flats.. and Dixon knows His stuff! They are ruff... and they are loud... and get louder when its time to replace them.. I don't notice "slowness" but thats because I drive a S. It all boils down to preference.. I love the look of the 17 inch... and I do like the S lites.. and the runflats. so if I do lose some speed, (not that I need anymore lol), I don't notice. I didn't notice a difference when I moved from the 16 inch run flats.. I need new tires, and am overwhelmed by the threads of which tires work, which don't. Cahmon Dixon, throw me a bone will ya?

 

Different folks have different opinions on what is important. For some looks outweigh performance & that is certainly OK.

I'll have to agree with you that on a MCS wheel weight isn't going to affect acceleration as much as on a non-S. As far as handling & braking goes both varieties of MINI's will be affected the same. On a Cooper it will affect acceleration too.

If you put a lightweight wheel & tire package on your MCS you will feel the difference, even if you drive on the docile side. That difference my not be important to you, but that difference is there to see & feel.

As to what tire would be quietest & work best for you that is a tough one. Lots of varying opinions on what make a good tire. If you rotate your tires they will remail quieter longer no matter what the flavor of tire you choose.