04, R50. Ok.. I know there must be a link out there with this question being asked 100s of times but trust me, I've just spent 30 minutes searching this tire forum and can't get the answer I need. I simply want to swap my 15 inch wheels and tires for 17's with a non run flat tire. I've found some wheels on ebay I like ( lotus) but want to make sure I can swap em before I purchase. Any warnings or advice from those who've done the same?

Thanks

RRR

 

Yes no problem in switching from a 15 to a 17. Provided the the lug pattern & offsets are correct. You will lose some performance with the swap though. The 17's are going weigh a lot more than the 15 wheel tire package.

 

2004 base Cooper with 15" wheels likely 15x5.5 4x100 bolt pattern, +45mm offset and 175/65-15 Conti All Season tires. Assuming you have stock brakes and stock suspension then Yes you can change wheels with little fuss.

You are looking for-
17x7" rims 4x100 bolt pattern, +38 to +45mm offset and 205/45-17 tires preferably but 215/45-17 will also work with stock suspension. The 215 mm wide tires are heavier but give you more tires to select from.
Offset determines how far out the wheel mounts in the wheel well. Stock MINI 17" offset is about +48mm but few aftermarket wheels have that much offset, most range from +38 to +45mm. +45 makes the wheel sit further into the wheel well while +38 sits farther to the outside of the fender.

If you shop at tirerack.com or edgeracing.com you can pick a rim and add a tire of your choice. If you go on ebay you can get rims alone and add tires but you'll pay more for shipping then mounting and balancing for each wheel.

17" rims are going to be heavier in general unless you pay more then they could be about 13-15 lbs which is good. Stock MINI 17x7 rims are more like 22 to 25 lbs each. Stock MINI 15" rims are about 12-14 lbs each.

One compromise is to consider 16x7" rims +40 to +45 offset and 205/50-16 tires.

 

Wow! Thanks Minihune.

 

17's will definately not be a problem as Minihune explained. We have some good deals in 17's at the moment and you also get a crappy gift with the order, jaja. The best bang for the buck in that size would be the Enkei NT03+M for $169 a wheel. This would be a great buy if you are looking to do auto-x or track events due to the lightness and sturdiness of the wheel. Take a look at our site and let me know if you have any questions on any of our products.

Leo Barrios
leo@edgeracing.com
800-489-5353 x211
http://www.edgeracing.com
NT03+M Sale: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=125822