Hey everyone.

So I'm finally leaving my stock 16 inchers behind, and going to 18. However, the thought of just going with 17 is still lingering. I was wondering if some people could share their experiences of converting. I understand the weight issue, and I'm planning on finding a combo that is as light if not lighter then the OE setup. Otherwise, do you guys have a recommendation for a good all season tire, and any foresight on how the ride will change? Will it be a rougher ride? Would it be softer with a 17? And how about the whole dealing with a flat issue? Carry fix a flat, a small electric pump, and for longer rides, take a spare in the back?

I appreciate all the help!

 

heavier but could compensate by using lighter weight tires.
could bend easier
could be a rougher ride depending on the tire choice
can't really use fix-a-flat... they claim it only works on
larger profile tires like 50 and higher or something. best
to carry a pump and a plug at minimum, your celphone
and a donut for longer trips.

 

well, I have the x-lite wheels, which weigh around 18lbs. The wheels I'm looking at are as light, if not lighter than that, so that shouldn't be a problem.

What kind of tire would you reccomend for getting a good ride with good performance? I'm not looking to race or anything, but heading up into the hills and taking some turns is def on the to do list.

how difficult is it to plug a tire?

 

Plugging a tire is not that hard at all. The only problem is that if the hole is on the sidewall, you will not be able to plug it. The tear must be on the tread in order for the plug to work. As for 18's, the ride will be a bit bumpier because of a low profile tire that is needed to compensate for the overall diameter. You will feel everything on the road. As for a a good all season tire, I recommend the Toyo Proxes 4 or Falken 912. The Toyo will give you a bit more dry perfromance than Falken, but Falekn as a stiffer side wall which may stiffen the ride a bit more and help in cornering.

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

 

I have 18's with Toyo Proxy 4's. I have gone through 2 sets. Each set gets me about 7500-10000 miles. Total crap, but thats what you get with 35 series tires. I think they ride better than my runflats did. They handle really well. I did get a nail thru the sidewall in one so I had to get it replaced, which sucks, but thats how it goes.

 

I love the look of my 18's but you do feel everything in the road. I run Pirelli P-zero Nero's and have about 12,000 miles on them. They really show very little wear even though they have be driven hard in the twisty's every month. They've been a really good set of tires, grippy, quite, smooth except on the grooved freeways where they trammel very badly.

I find that even though we have very good roads here in So Cal (except when it's been raining for day's,pot hole city) I really need to watch for EVERY little thing in the road. I could see where someone could very easily ruin a rim. So, I bought a second set of 16 inch wheels and tires for the twisty's and long drives. I must say that it's hard to switch back to the 18's after riding on the 16 for a few day's.

So, love the look of the 18's but the ride is a little harsh (over bumps). The 16's perform great and have a wonderful ride. Get the 18's but keep your 16's with a set of Really sticky tires for canyons and track day's. A perfect combo in my book !

One last thing. I went with a 215/35/18 as most do but, to do it over again I would have gone witha a 215/40/18.

 

I went through this same decision. MINI came with 16's and I was dead set on a set of 18's. However in the end I went with 17's. Roads around me aren't that great and I road trip quite a lot, so was worried about damaging a wheel and having a punishing ride. Also (just IMO) 17's fit the proportions of the MINI better. They actually look quite large, on a lowered MINI especially.

Best of luck

 

16" OEM > 17" OEM > 18" Centerline RPM > 18" OZ SL (bent one) > 17" TD PR1.2s

Happy with where I ended up.

 

I have 18" wheels at the moment. Love the way they look.

 

I have 18's right now as well. Love the way they look, but I am seriously considering going to some nice 15 inch BBS RG-Fs.

Not really so much the ride, but I just lowered and drove in the snow and it was a PITA putting on chains.

BTW, the MINI did awesome in teh snow. I can't wait for the AWD R56.

But to get back on topic... I really liek the 18s. They look great and the ride isn't that bad.

 

I found a pair of Mini GP rims and decided to upgrade to the 18 so I can place them on my 07 S. Chicago roads are filled with pot holes, so i have to be very alert.

The ride is a bit bumpy, but not so annoying I want to go back to 17s.