Hello,

I am getting ready to order a 2008 Mini Cooper S. I have decided on almost most of the options I want. However, I am still trying to decide which wheel-suspension combo I should go for.

17" alloys with Standard Suspension or 16" alloys with Sports suspension?

I prefer not to go with the other obvious option (17" + Sports suspension) since I do not want a very harsh ride.

Which one would you pick and why?

I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

 

Neither of your suggested packages is optimal, IMHO. Your best bet is to spec 16"wheels (the lightest possible - Bridgespokes, I think), with standard suspension. All the OEM wheels are seriously overweight, but the 16" offerings are lighter than the 17". Less weight= less unsprung mass for the suspension to control. Standard suspension works just fine for 16" wheels. The best solution would be to take off your stock wheels and runflats, save them for winter (order all-season runflats), and mount some lightweight 16" aftermarket wheels with sticky non-runflats. The very significant reduction in unsprung weight vs the OEM wheel/tire package will enable the standard suspension to perform as well as sport suspension with heavier wheels/tires.

As delivered the OEM wheel/tire packages are far from optimal, but if you choose to keep the OEM setup you should make every effort to get the lightest wheel/tire package available. The money you save by not getting sport suspension could be applied to some lightweight wheels and tires.

My thoughts.

 

sport package with both 17 and sports suspension all oem and under warranty

 

I've gone with what Diploman suggests -- standard suspension & lightweight 16" aftermarket wheels. I like it on the twisty country roads in Carmel Valley and Big Sur. If you feel you want to improve it later, a 19mm sway bar is said to be the most bang for the buck.

 

JCW suspension; throw out the wheels and buy some light ones with good rubber....

 

Go with S-winders and sport suspension. S-winders are 17.4 lbs each - really quite light. Bridge spokes are 20.9 lbs each - a significant 20% heavier, although better looking in most eyes.

 

+1
This is exactly what I will be doing!! I have ordered mine with 16" Bridge spokes (not the lightest stock 16", BTW, but the S-winders were just too ugly IMO) and will use those for winter with the All-season runflats. Also I didn't order the Sport package because I felt there are much better aftermarket options to get a good suspension, if I felt it was needed.