Hi, I'm new to this forum and new to driving. Actually, I don't even have my licence yet but I already have money saved up since I've been working for a car ever since I knew what a car was.

So now I have enough money to buy a second hand mini, or mini S with less than about 20000 miles.

But guess what, I won't be conformed with that, I want to modify it as soon as I get enough money to do so! So I just had a question... I've seen pics on the internet of Minis with 20 inch wheels. Is this possible? I'm guessing I'll need new shocks as well and maybe something else. What would the cost be and how would it affect the car's handling? I'm pretty sure I'll loose on acceleration but I'll probably be able to maintain a cruising speed and consume a lot let gas for long trips...

I just think that it looks great, here's the site where you can see how it would look: http://www.hd-inc.com/gallery_cars.htm (just click on the two red mini's pics.)

Nice meeting you all and I hope I get some interesting answers!

xemi1988

 

:impatient whatever you do, don't buy a Mini if you plan on running 20's ...please don't destroy the image...not to mention, it would look like sh..., i mean pooh pooh

 

Welcome xemi!!! Obsession is common around here so you'll get lots of input I'm sure. 20s may be iffy, but we'll see what the experts say...I have modded nothing on my Cooper. If you're looking at MINIs your money will be well spent. Good cars...and safe!

 

Welcome! I can't help much with the requirements for adding 20" wheels, but I can offer a suggestion. Get the car first, drive it a while, then decide where you want to spend your money. Most MINI owners (not all), get the most joy from how the car drives, the fact that its a great looking car is iceing on the cake. I think the 20" wheels are unlikely to improve the handling or performance factors, but if you like the way they look enought to go for it, then go for it!

Cheers

 

I think this is a generational gap, but I would not consider 20's. Tire diameter would have to be a 1/8th of an inch thick.

 

Dubs on a MINI are like breast implants on a woman who is already a 38DD... EYE CANDY.

If you want performance you will not want to go larger than a 16" Maybe a 17" but that is pushing it. 17" wheels are HEAVY which negates any advantage they can offer. Remember we are talking rotating weight here, a simple generalization for the common person is this. Every ounce of rotating weight saved is like saving 4 ounces of non rotating weight on a car. I would advise you to go watch a SCCA solo 2 event. No Dubs there. I would even venture to say that you will see more 15" than 16"!

Didn't you say that you wanted a USED MCS? Those are already tightly sprung. Going 18"+ will make the car seem as if it has no suspension what so ever! Heck even a mear MC with 15" can have problems with washboards or grooves that develope when Semi tractor/trailers are stuck at a stop light.

Do what you want, Your MINI is a blank canvas for personal expression. Go for the Dubs if you want a trailer Queen, but i you want to drive... Stay with 16"s and 17"s

 

Here's a pic for those too lazy to click on the link:


Yikes. 20" wheels are certainly rarely seen on MINIs. Beyond the subjective issue of style, I'm sure there are spacing/rubbing issues, plus they are going to be a very large addition of unsprung weight. You may as well attach a very stylish anchor to rear bumper.

For the money you would spend on 20" wheels, you could get a set of very light, high quality 17" wheels that will enhance not only the looks of your MINI, but also the performance.

 

20's??? Screw 20's, go for 24's and just don't bother with tires.

 

Sparks! Yeah, lots of sparks! That'd be fun!

 

Just paint the part of the rim that touches the road with the liquid rubber that they dip the handles of electricians tools into.

 

[QUOTE=bee1000n]Here's a pic for those too lazy to click on the link:



I'd be happy to pay somebody to get those gosh-awful things off my poor innocent MINI.

 

well... as subjective as wheels are, one thing you can be pretty sure of is that you will do a lot of rubbing and/or scraping and those very expensive tires won't last very long if that happens... not to mention any other damage. I think 20's are not really practical, but if you don't plan on really driving the car hard I guess it's do-able. I would suggest looking into the 18" JCW wheels and similar... they are great wheels and obviously don't compromise the performance as much as oversized wheels would. Maybe ask Alex at Tirerack a few questions in the wheels & tires forum on this site. He can probably tell you what will be possible, legal and safe. I would suggest against anything that compromises safety or legality in lieu of style. A nice set of 18's on there look absolutely huge and are obviously not a problem. MAYBE 19's but if you look at the 20's you can tell that they are rubbing if you turn any more than that in the picture... which won't really work. I don't know if anyone makes them or you could figure it out, but I guess you could fit the dubs if you worked out an air bag system. The problem there is that you've thrown your handling out the window and may as well be driving an old monte carlo in the twisties.

 

too big!!!! we do drive MINIs afterall...

 

Definitely too big! The only thing worse than 20s on a MINI would be spinners.

 

You are wrong! There is something worse than 20" rims or spinners:

20 inch spinners!

But don't take all this criticism the wrong way. As you learn more about the MINI, you will probably realize that you probably decide that you want to enjoy the performance and handling of this fantastic car more than you want to look at huge wheels that will seriously harm perforamnce. . .

 

I saw some of those on a huge Escalade the other day

I then threw up.

However, to each their own. Make the MINI unique anyway you want.

 

I heard on WhiteRoofRadio that even the 18s can rub a little at extreme cornering, so I would think the 20s definitely would.... however if you plan to just drive straight, you should be AOK!

Welcome aboard!
Cheers!

 

Heck... If I was 16 and had the kind of dough it takes to buy a car I'd save it for college!


I can't believe I just said that... I sound like my mom... I'm only 31! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!

 

I think thats why JCW sells the steering bump stops for their 18" wheels. There was one thread here where somoene ran 20s but had so much trouble, they were only put on for show and taken off for "real life"

 

 

Hey, so when did this thread turn into dis the new guy? Welcome to the tribe Xemi. We all mod our MINIs. Have fun like the rest of us.

 

Worse yet would be dubs with spinners and spinners on the exhaust tip.

 

no one is disin the new guy..just his ideas...and with one post, i wouldn't be so sure this isn't just a troll

 

that picture hurts my eyes, make it stop

Annette

 

Hell... why not just put monster truck wheels on your Mini???