I'll try and lay this out as clear as I can. To start with I have stock suspension on an '04 S with almost 100,000 miles. It was time for new tires and I was a bit short on cash, so instead of the Pirellis I got a set of Kumho ASX. Good tire, quiet, didn't corner as well as the Pirellis, but a lot cheaper. I got just over 12000 miles out of this set ( pretty much the same as the Ps) and decided to buy the Kumhos again. This set was quite a bit noisier. Ending up getting a drywall screw in one and plugged it. By 9000 miles it sounded like I had a flat. You could feel it in the floorboard as well as the steering wheel. I'm thinking well I do have a plugged tire, so maybe the belts got messed up. They were always a bit loud though.
So, replace the whole set. I went with Kumho MX this time. Noisy. The noise gets louder when I turn then quiets down as I straighten the wheel. I know being chamber challenged, when I turn I'm starting to run the outside edge of the tire, but tire noise seems to be becoming more common. The MINI tech doesn't think it's an alignment issue. Maybe Kumho in general? If an older suspension "sags" wouldn't that put a little more neg chamber if anything? I've had the suspension checked the beginning of this year for any old age issues...none found.
Oh also when I took off the 9000 miles tires, I put on my track set until I got the new tires mounted. These seemed to be noisier then I remember. Last time I ran them though was about Aug last year. These tires are Falken 615's.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

Having a car with your milage, an alignment wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, how did they check for 'old age issues' with the springs and dampers? I would replace them considering your milage.

 

Sounds like you need a wheel bearing too.

 

I had an alignment done at start of year, but was thinking on getting another anyway even with the tech saying he didn't think it would cause this problem. As far as the "old age" problems he checked the control arms, ball joints, that type of thing. I'm sure that the springs and dampers no longer spring or damp, but didn't think they would cause a thump,thump,thump noise. Oh ...forgot to say that the problem was a thump,thump,thump
sound.

Don't the bearings squeal when they go?

Thanks for replies.

Ok I got 2 wheel bearing and 1 CV joint from M|U.
Maybe it a pig that squeals not a bearing.

 

Well,turned out to be wheel bearing. You hit it right on the nose PenelopeG3. Thanks all.

 

Leprachaun,
I also had the same noise issues and they returned after having both front bearings (hubs) replaced. I took my car to a local shop and a crafty old mechanic sprayed the bead under the rims of the tires with silicone - voila! noise gone. He explained that as tires age they can move a bit on the rims and if there's grit or rubber build-up, then this noise can occur. Watch for more noise and try the silicone trick - I now have a can in the trunk just in case.