I know this subject may have been covered before, I have found bits of info on the MCO, but not quite all the info I need, here's the scenario:

My car is a 2002 S with the 17" S-Lite wheels that have a 50mm offset.

I have a line on a set of OZ Super Leggarro White's in 17-7 but the offset is 37mm. This would mean I would need a spacer to make up the difference.

My question is, has anyone put an aftermarket wheel on their 2002 Cooper S with an offset of around 37mm?

If so, what type and size wheel spacer did you use and how long have you had it installed?

How well has the set up held up? How much do you like it?

You don't need to be running the same wheel I am looking for, I just want to know about people's experiances with offsets and wheel spacers.

Thanks!

Hank,

I'm currently using the Hamann HM4 with an offset of 43mm. The wheel is right to the edge of the fender and I've had rubbing issues with the car being lowered. I would think that the 37mm is not going to work at all and stick out way too far. I've seen others use offsets to this extreme and had no problems so I guess it's all based on the style and width of the wheel. I have 8" wide wheels which has caused most of my issues.

Jason

Jason:
Yup, your comments confirm what I suspected. I think I have to set my sites on a different wheel :~( The width on the OZ's is 7" and with the offset being 37mm I would have to either trim the plastic wheel arches or fit the extra wide aftermarket wheel arches from Mini Mania, both of which I don't want to do.

Thanks for the feedback, it saved me a great deal of anxiety, plus it also saved me some bucks too cause those OZ White Super L's are expensive, $230.00 a pop!

Hank,
As you probably now know spacers put the wheel farther outside and would make the 37 offset even worse.
It seems backwards but smaller offset moves the wheel and tire toward the outside of the car, larger offset moves it toward the inside.

37 is an agressive fit in Superlegera. Tirerack sells that fitment, and with 205's its parralell to the outside of your fenderlip, looing down the body profile, its stands /Very agressible by your rockers, as they sweep in.

Alex

I'm running 5mm H&R spacers on my S-lites, or a total offset of 45mm at 7" wide, with zero rubbing. This is a surprise to me, because the clearances are negligible.

Cheers,
Ryan