I'm curious to know why customers choose one wheel size over another. The reason I ask is I'm considering buying a used set of 18's. I've owned 17's on my last MINI and thought they rode unnecessarily rough. I currently have 16's on my clubie and am quite fine with them. But the price on these 18's is good enough to make me think on it. What are the pro's and con's. Thanks

 

If you found the 17" wheels to have a bad ride, the 18" will be even worse. Plus there is a greater risk of rim damage with any bump. I run 16" wheels for just that reason. I use 17" on the track because of improve handling but generally not on the street.

 

and cost of tires, for those that care. tires are *usually cheaper for smaller wheels.

 

I think 16's are the best compromise for handling vs performance, but the selection
of summer tires is a little better for 17's. I have 16's for my summer Conti DW tires
in 205/50/16 (previously had Dunlop SportMaxx and Bridgestone PP SS-03's) and
15's for winter tires.

 

Our Clubman came with 17" wheels and were a little jarring at first, but we have found if we drop the air pressure down from the recommended 38 psi they are not too bad.

 

The 18" Motegi's that the original owner had on my cubbie were in rough shape after >2 years of driving on them in SoCal, with H&R springs as well. The two fronts were bent and one of them had a crack on the inside of the wheel. I'm just thankful that I made it home to NorCal on them. I should have put the 16's on before I drove home, but didn't have time.

I'm just going to keep 16's on the car and ditch the runflats. Maybe buy a lightweight Enkiei RPF1's and be done with it. No way will this car run comfortably and safely on 18's. It was tracking too much and generally a twitchy/frenetic ride.

 

Both my mini's have 16's but the wife used my clubbie with the conti dw's and said wow I love the smoother ride, seems run flats are run like rocks.

And haven driven some mini's with 18's and 19's I'll keep my pot hole worry free 16's and I have the luxury of running my same great grip tires year round.