Hey there everyone!! Just picked up a pure silver R53, wow this car is fun!! I'm doing the rear brake job this weekend myself... wish me luck! However, need tires bad as well. Right now...it's running Nankang ns2's. 205/45R17.

What's a good tire (or upgrade?) for the mini that will be a decent all season/V rated tire...but won't drive me poor? hahaha. Thanks in advance guys, so excited to be here

 

I just had a set of cooper zeon's, all season tires put on my R53 cooper S for $493 out the door and so far they seem to be a great tire. They were rated the best high performance all season tire of 2011 by consumer reports. Hope this helps.

 

It really does help!!! I've done some research on that tire since you mentioned it and I think that's the winner!!! Hard to fun tho....
can I ask where you picked them up? Was suprised tire rack didn't have them. Bob summerel
wants 700$ out the door.... did find a store on eBay selling them for 426$ shipped... but who do I trust to mount/balance? Thanks!!!

 

Picked up Hankook Ventus 12's for $96 shipped from Tirerack.com
Had them road balanced at Goodyear shop ($85).

So far... Excellent!!

 

Look into Continental DWS I love them. They are quiet, have great traction and work good in snow too. Check tire rack as they tested it and several others.

 

I am going to be buying a set of Sumitomo tires for my R53 in early march. Here is the link:

http://www.performanceplustire.com/p...reDataID/27761

Check out the reviews. The new production run this year will be hitting the stores at the end of the month.

 

In 205/45-17 Ultra High Performance All Season tires

Continental ExtremeContact DWS
$119 each 540 treadwear W speed rated

General G-Max AS-03
$107 each 480 treadwear W speed rated

Kumho Ecsta 4X
$101 each 420 treadwear W speed rated

If you want a V speed rated tire you can check the Summer tires but W is fine for an All Season tire.

If you go with tirerack they can tell you a good shop to do the mounting and balancing. For more info talk to Alex@tirerack.com extention 294

 

Plus 1 on the Conti's, I have had 10 or more sets of tires on my Mini, these are the best riding ones so far, just dont track or Autocross with them.

 

Agreed on what others have said regarding Continental Extreme Contact DWS. Just put a new set on my R53 S and ditched my Bridgestone Potenza's. What a difference. Super quiet, super grippy (especially in the wet) and confidence inspiring. A good friend (also a Mini owner) recommended them highly. It was down to the Cooper Zeons or the Conti's...and I went with the Conti's due to the overhwelming reviews and close personal experience. Initially, I actually went into Discount Tire and was asking them to order the Coopers, but they had a set of the Extreme Contact DWS's in stock and beat the price of the Coopers (Coopers were priced cheaper than the Continentals at my local Discount Tire.)