So I'm not to savi when it comes to this but I want to get a smoother ride on my 07 justa what can I do?

 

Change the shocks to Koni FSD's

 

If it has run flat tires get rid of them and replace with regular, non runflats.

 

On a justa, 15' rims (if not already equipped) is an option with stock brake calipers....
15 inch rims can easily be traded for (with cash tossed in with tires) from a owner wanting your 17's or 16's....
Or bought pretty cheap.....deals on 15's are common, but tire selection is more limited to mostly grand-touring and a few high performance all seasons, so it depends on how you drive!!

 

PS
How many miles? The struts might be due for replacement just from wear and tear....mini oem struts tend to get very firm with age

 

I have about 67000 miles. when should i replace them?

 

It depends on the type of roads and loads your car carries...It varies WIDELY.
A few questions first to try to get some info to make sure we are all getting you good info....
IS there a change or did you just suddenly tire of the ride? Or just buy the car and want it softer?
And what size rims does your car have? 15 is stock on a cooper, or the optional 16 or 17?
Any idea if the car has been modified to be "lower" with lowering springs?

In my case, the struts on my r53 (2005) were riding very firm (not like when I had bought new) after about 5 years and 40,000 miles....
But many say 50,000 or so...heck sometimes if you are lucky, you can go MUCH longer...kinda depends on luck...and your tolerance of a bad ride...
the traditional "bounce" test does not seem to work for the mini struts too well....but when removed for replacement, it is easy to tell they are "dead" or too slow to rebound to really do too much.
Many folks (me included) go to a strut called KONI FSD, which is a upgrade from the oem....it is valve to be both extra comfortable, AND act as a performance strut when you need/want it...very nice, but kinda $$.
The OEM strut/style of strut is widely available, and it is suggested you buy/replace them in pairs, with all 4 usually suggested.
But as I mentioned before, Tire/rim choice makes a HUGE difference in ride, as do other changes folks make, so more info please!!

 

I have not changed rims or any shocks car is new to me but it was used. It came with the mini oem 16's.

 

!6's usually provide a OK ride...but were RUNFLATS from the factory...they ride very FIRM, and are $$$. Most folks switch to regular tires....heck the cooper has a spare, so the runflats are not needed on a non-S car (they do not have spares).
So look at the tire...check to see if it has DSST in the tire name or molded into the sidewall...this means it is a runflat..with sidewalls so stiff, you can drive on the tires with 0 PSI for a short time.
If you are not sure, post the tires name...some folks DO stick with run flats, but most go to a conventional tire.

 

This is another vote to go with the Koni FSDs.

Then change the wheels to 15". The MINI "holeies" are your best option as they are light weight, which will also improve the ride. You could also go to a light weight aftermarket wheel. But your best option is to buy some used 15" MINI wheels off NAM here. I made this specific change myself (16" down to 15" w/185s) and noticed an improvement in ride quality.

As for tires, go to a 185-65x15 which is up one size from the OEM 175-65x15. These are slightly taller than the OEM size, which will improve the ride, plus there is the bonus that there is a greater selection of tires. Also, don't get runflats; your car should have a spare hanging down in back and you don't need RFTs.

 

Just what I did on My S for commuting! KONI FSD's, and 15's......

The 185-65x15 size actually matches the 195/55r16 very closely...within an few fractions of an inch...I still have my 16's for fun, But i was so impressed with my 15' snow tires, I sad heck lets experiment!
I've gained a bit of MPG on an S, and still have pretty good handling...but the 16's for the twisties with sticky tires will be kept for "fun".
I found rims/tires/tpms off a 2013..sold the tires and TPMS sensors, and put the tires on I wanted. Ended up doing it pretty cheap....
Of note...IMO keeping light tires/rims on a MINI makes it more fun...makes it handle more playfully, and makes the steering light

One note...The 2013 cars have a different tire PSI sensor (TPMS) than the earlier gen2(cars 2007+) and older gen1 cars (pre 2006 hardtops) do not use in tire sensors.....

 

Im going to look into getting some new rims and shocks. 1st off any one what the measurements for the rim are so it fits? and where can i find some koni shocks thats a reliable seller

 

Suggestion...
Do one..see how you like it, then the other!
Another question...are you going to install the struts/shocks yourself, or are you going to take them someplace to do them?
If you are going to take them somewhere to get done, just check to see they will install a customer brought in part BEFORE you buy them. Some places will do it no issues, but some (usually the chain places) will not.
For rims...many places will sell you tires/rims premounted, and them to you, but YOU WILL NEED TO MOVE the TPMS from the old rims to the new ones/buy new ones (or you will have a "flat tire warning).....so getting them this way MAY NOT be the best option.
Most any of the vendors here are good and reliable and ship pretty darn fast...prices on the KONI-FSD's vary a bit...so look around, but usually ship to addresses in the US, sometimes Canada.
Where are you?
Sometimes you can find a local MINI owner and just do a swap....some folks with 15's wish they had 16's and vise-versa...if the years match up, you might get a set of OEM rims/tires that MAY have the right sensors for free, maybe even make a few $$ since 16's are worth a bit more, depending on the rim/tire combo condition!

 

Many of the vendors who post on NAM seem to be pretty good. I have had really good success with Way Motors. It looks like he has a sale going on now for the FSDs:
http://www.waymotorworks.com/koni-fs...5-r56-r57.html

Go to Tire Rack for wheels, they have a ton of options and good search function. Just enter your car and it will do the rest. There are sorting options for weight and size to help you find what you want.

The stock 15" are 5.5" wide and have an offset (ET) of 48mm, but anything in the 40s will do. It looks like a lot of aftermarket rims are 6.5, 7, and 8 inches wide. The 185s will fit the 6.5" wide rims but if you go wider, you will need to go with a wider tire.

Remember, as the wheels get wider and the tires get wider, the weight increases. As weight increases, your ride quality will decrease. This is why the MINI holeies are so great...they only weigh 11 lbs. A lot of the aftermarket wheels are 15+ lbs and the tires for a wider wheel are 3 - 4 lbs heavier than the stock tire size. All total you could be 8 - 10 lbs heavier per wheel than the stock setup. The heavier wheels and tires will also cut into your gas mileage and your acceleration.

 

I am in Utah. I think that i might go with changing the tires first. Now just to find some

 

We have these on our Justa and are very happy with them:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Speed+Rated%29

But, it all depends on what you are looking for. How much ride is important vs how much handling is important to you.

Personally, I believe the wheels and tires will make a significant difference for you.

 

If you confirm if you have runflats or not on your 16's, that should influence your decision. If your 16" tires are not runflats, then the improvement by going to 15's will be moderate at best. Do you drive your car in the winter, or need snow tires? If you need snows, it may make sense to keep the 16's for winter.

If your 16's have runflats, then going to 15's with non-runflats will be a significant improvement.

Any idea if your car has sport suspension? I don't know the options well enough for the MC, but if so, then the improvement by switching shocks will be more dramatic.

I would expect that you would have $1000 installed in FSD shocks. You may get lucky in finding 15's for a swap, but if not, you will have $800 or so in wheels/tires if you buy new, plus the sensors.

My reccomendation: if you are on runflats, get the new wheels. If no runflats now, get the shocks first.

Have fun,
Mike

 

No run flats on my mini. Still haven't found some wheels going to keep looking thanks for the help everyone