Did any of you guys notice the really funky tire tread patterns on the MINI tires. This is a picture of the 17" performance tires on my MCS

I do not think I will ever understand tread patterns

 

What, the asymmetrical pattern? I recall asymmetrical Michelins on my Dad's Citroen in the 1960's. They've been around awhile.

What are those, Doomlaps, Continental Drift & Contact, or Bridgerocks? All weather, or Summer?

 

Those are Dunlop Summer tires. Back in the 80-90 in go kart racing we used to splice a hard and soft rubber tires together, but I just found this pattern on these tire stranger than normal.

I have been boored at work, so I have been looking over all the tires at tire rack and amazed at the variation. I think some of the patterns are just for looks.

this is the tire that came with my MCS http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....nSpeedRating=H

 

Check out the red stripe down the middle.I've got them and I like the look .

 

$210 each and the "Would You Buy This Tire Again?" rating is 1.5 out of 10. I guess the "DSST" in the name stands for "disrespected."

Why does BMW keep putting these tires on MINIs?

 

Read somewhere that the busier tread on the inside of the tire allows better grip where it's most important when driving the curves and twisties.

 

If that were the case, the busier tread would be on the outside of the tire. The inside of the tire is busy to aid in wet traction, the smoother outside tread is geared more for dry traction.

 

One would intuitively think that, wouldn't one.

 

I have these Dunlops too. Not exactly confidence-inspiring reviews from the 3 people, eh? I can't say I notice a lot of noise, at least not on smooth roads. I do notice quite a bit on more uneven surfaces, but I figure that's par for the course. I'll be pissed if they wear out in 12-15k miles though. I already plan on using regular tires, not RFs when their time is up.

 

While waiting for my car to arrive in the U.S. I researched the various runflat tires that were used on last year's MINI Cooper (the only info available at the time). What I came up with was pretty discouraging. One tire stood out a notch above the rest though and that was the Goodyear Eagle RS-A EMT Performance All season tires (only available on 17" wheels). Here's what Tirerack has to say about them:

http://www.tirerack.com/tire-12/Good...RS-A+EMT.shtml

The tires being used this year supposedly don't have the hard ride of last year's tires thus it does look like these Goodyears aren't being used this year.

I hadn't been real happy about my having ordered 16" wheels and I was not at all pleased with the reviews I had read on most of the tires. So .. My dealer had an R53 on the showroom floor that had the exact combination I wanted, the S Lites with the Goodyears. I gave my dealer $800 and he took the tires off the showroom car and put them on mine. I don't mind the firmer ride .. kind of like it. Here's the result:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0&ppuser=29789

 

In tread wear and ride comfort but certainly not in performance

If you order 17" wheels with all-season tires on an R56 you probably get 205/45-17 Continental ContiProContact SSR tires.