I am curious to know if any other owners have had this problem. Of the 5 cars I have owned in 30 years I have had more flat tires on my 03 Mini Cooper that the other 4 combined X2. This weekend I had a flat repaired by AAA and the technician pointed out a screw sticking out of another tire. I figure there have been at least 12 flats in 7 years! I am driving on Continentals, the only ones the local tire dealers say they can get. Do these tires attract nails and screws? I go out of my way to avoid construction sites.

 

The only nail I have ever had was in a Continental RF lol.

They also tend to pick up TONS of rocks/pebbles/ect.

Just a very small blocky tread pattern. Picks up everything. I'd be willing to bet its part of the problem.

On all my other (non-runflats) with more wide open agressive tread patterns... no holes

 

Only one nail in 5 years.
No real difference from all of the other cars (6 in total at my house).

 

I picked up a nail from the street not 2 feet in front of my parked car's near side front tire. It was a roofing nail, best way to collect them before they cause mischief. Have you discussed getting you tires from Tire Rack with your dealer? They've got a little wider selection to choose from.

 

Three flats in 30 years. One screw, two keys
Latest was a key in a F1GS-D3 on the MINI. First on the MINI in 6 years.

 

Crazy. Just finished putting on the 3rd new tire in a year and got stuck behind a flatbed truck hauling 12 crushed cars shedding chunks of metal and bolts all the way up the road. This car attracts road trash!