I have put a few thousand miles on my 2012 MINI Cooper S. I am coming from thousands of miles in a 2004 R53. I am surprised at how much bump and torque steer there is in my R56! My 2004 R53 was rock solid with almost no hint of any bump or torque steer.

My 2012 R56 still has the run flats on and I'm hopeful that a switch to a conventional Michelin AS3 will help some.

What have and are other R56 owners experiencing?

Thanks

 

I drove an '07 R56 for 97,000 miles after parking my earlier '03 R53 (135,000 miles, needed new suspension bushings, probably clutch soon, more...) & noted the difference early on too. Changing to non-RF's may help though with the wide variance in brands and specs whether your choice of AS3's will remains to be determined.

When I changed to the Bridgestone Potenza S3 Pole Positions I'd been running on the R53 I soon noticed extreme inside cupping of the rear tires from the different suspension design of the R56 while bump steer was reduced.

Changed to Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs when the Potenzas became unavailable, moved Dunlops onto the '13 Clubman I bought when the R56 was no longer worth the effort to keep it running (persistent problems with crankcase breather blowing oil into places it shouldn't have been going). I still note a bit of steering angle shift if I'm hard on it in a corner should I encounter an expansion joint in need of attention but that's just part of what makes FWD what it is I guess. Switched to 205/50R-16 Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport SL last year, like them a lot.

My Very First Mini (1965 Austin-Cooper 1275-S) was wayyy more prone to display this predilection....

 

This is my first MINI (2010 R55 S) so I don't have anything else to compare it with, but I can say that it's a handful at all times.
Apply heavy power? Torque steers all over the road unless the traction control is off. Then it's not AS bad.
Hit ANY little bump in the road? Bump steers like crazy.

I have the factory RF tires still and bought it certified, so I never had the alignment checked since purchased.

 

The R56 is lighter and more powerful than an R53. Torque steer is going to be more pronounced.

 

My roadster had severe torque steer with the OEM contipro runflats even if the wheels were pointed straight. I switched to Dunlop Star Specs after 2500 miles and am now on Michelin A/S 3's for street and Hankook R-S3s for autocross. Since removing the runflats I have not experienced any torque steer despite fast as possible corner exits while autocrossing.

I've never had any bump steer. I have the factory sport suspension and the electronic differential that comes with DTC. I turn DSC and DTC off when autocrossing.

My review of A/S 3 here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...hing-well.html

 

When you hit the "sport" button, do you feel the same level of over-steer and torque steer?

I too came from a 2004 R53, took a few year break and then picked up a 2011 R56 MCS... I suffered from the same feeling. Some features are improved, but the handling of my R53 is superior.

I find the sport mode feels more like my R53.

 

I've found that torque steer is drastically reduced with upgraded torque arm inserts.

I really noticed the torque steer once I installed my JB+ and since I've done the inserts it's virtually nonexistent.

 

Mine was pretty much eliminated through the use of torque arm inserts. Not completely but enough where it doesn't bother me and is easily handled but expected. Also got rid of runflats very early on, so the combination might be needed.

 

whens the last time an alignment was done?

 

Powerflex wishbone rearbush+torquearm insert+Quaife LSD = less torque steering....