Can you run the 215s on the standard Mini 17" Rims? Also, thoughts about trading off [205 and 21 lbs] vs [215 and 23 lbs] on the sport suspension?

 

I am using Michelin PSS 215s on my stock webspoke rims with no issues, and I am also lowered on nm springs.

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OEM 17" MINI rims will take either-
205/45-17 or 215/45-17 no problem.

The 2 lbs weight difference is not that much when you use a heavy OEM rim.
If you had really light 13 lbs 17x7" rims then there would a slight difference when accelerating, braking, and cornering hard.

 

Tires ordered - I'll let you know what I think when they arrive!

 

Put a set of Michelin A/S Pilot 3's on today - I ordered them a week ago from Discount Tire- out the door 703.00 and the best money I've spent in ages.
I didn't realize how bad those fun flats were to ride on and drive -

These tires put the grin back on my face - and fortunately I was able to sell the RF's on CL for a good price to make it even better. I was impressed with Discount Tires service. They offered to give me 200.00 for the set of Bridgestone RF if I couldn't sell them on CL.

All in all a very happy outcome.

Steve

 

Report back when they're scrubbed in a bit and tell us how they grip, turn in, ride, etc! I'm still holding out for some reviews before I pull the trigger

 

Good postings. I am going to Discount Tire to see about the Mich AS-3s. Right now I have Yolohama S Drive and they are pretty noisy and can no longer be balanced. They came on the car. We'll see how much and I will report back once on the car.

 

Naylia and Ninja Turtle:

What size did you go with on the AS-3s?

 

205, Costco wouldn't go to 215 for me. Only done a short test drive, but they felt great slaloming down the middle of the street.

 

I'm particularly interested in your impressions since I'm riding on worn out S.Drives right now as well.

 

You'd need to get one of their managers to sign off on the 215's for them to do it. They also tried to tell me that the extra weight on the 215's would put too much strain on the MINI's engine and it could shorten its life so I'd be safer with the 205's. In the end, I ended up going to a local family owned shop for the 215's.

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Hi all
I picked up a set of a/s3's. A couple weeks ago. These tires are bitchin. Ohh what a tire. I took off a set off my a/s plus cause they were cracking. These tires kick the crap out of the plus's. First thing I noticed was it went over cracks in the road with out my teeth smacking each other.. They stick to the road so much better the steering actually feels stiffer. Then they were quiet enough I could hear a new rattle in the door panel. I think this was one of the better buys I have made for my clubman. On a side note I bought a set of breyton wheels at the same time as the tires. I had a set of 215/45/17 on the car before so I ordered the same size. Now they rubbed? Thank god I had a set of coil overs to raise them up. If I put anything in the car it rubbed. So I went back to the stock size( never in my live have I put a smaller tire on any of my cars). But what a difference I think car looks better and don't rub anymore. Now I can lower it down again. Yea. The profile of the new tire is real square a-posed to the a/s plus was more rounded.. I'm still happy. I love this car now.

 

My Discount Tire wants $790 for a set of A/S-3 in 205/45-17s W rated and $738 for the V rated. Does this sound right?

 

Ouch - I just got a set of 4 V Rated at Costco for $628 installed (that was after a $70 instant coupon thing) and our wonderful CA sales tax.

 

MSRP is $774 and $688 at michelinman.com

TireRack.com is
205/45-17 84W $612
205/45-17 84V $564
You can determine shipping and price of local installation on the site without ordering. No sales tax.

DiscountTireDirect.com has no 205/45-17 Michelins of any kind in stock.

 

Got mine for under $600 at Costco

 

For my fellow Canadians, they're available at 1010tires for a good price. I'm going to order my set next week. It's nice to not have to worry about duty and shipping for once.


http://www.1010tires.com/Tires/Miche...ort+AS+3/76335

 

Just had a set in 205/45-17 84V mounted on mine, the Conti Run flats were too harsh for where I drive and my first impression is WOW!!!, Huge improvement in comfort and noise, can't wait to break them in and see how they handle. If you have a BJ's Wholesale Club close they have a $70 instant coupon thru mid August so they come out to roughly $600 installed with Tax and Road hazard

 

Just took off the Conti runflats. Old British sports car ride. That was okay and fun. Rain handling was scary! Hydroplaning! Sliding in traffic circles at 20 mph. Their is a large bump at an expansion gap on the BaltWash Pkwy. Car would rotate left after leaving the ground.

New Michelin Pilot AS/3 $132 each at Radial Tire. Gone is any skitterishness. The car feels mature and locked to the ground. Tried real hard to break it loose. Would require very high speed
The handling limits have been raised significantly while retaining the smile on my face. Gone are all the crash bangs of the OEMs.

They look great and stick significantly out of the wheel well compared to the Contis.

 

FWIW my local tire shop guy says he's not impressed with the look and feel of the AS3, and says Michelin watered down the quality to meet a price point. I'm considering the Conti DWS now, since it's seen some winters and has a good base of users.

He wasn't trying to sell me anything pricier, so the skeptic in me couldn't find any reason to call BS.

I hate choosing tires

 

Has anyone tried these in a 195/55-16?

 

This is how I feel too. Did a rally run through the hills last weekend and I felt significantly more confident in the handling of my car than before. Constantly surprised by the sticky feeling the have on the road.

 

Drove in the city ruts potholes and all. The bang crash of the runflats has been replaced with a low throom. Hey, it's a Mini.
I bought it for the direct experience of driving.
The improvement the AS3s bring is serious however. I can still rotate the Mini in a curve but all because I want to. Huge contrast. The G forces in a traffic circle cause that Mini smile.

My car is all clean and I can't wait until it rains.
Who knew?

 

I have just over a 1000 miles on mine in just about two weeks and can't be happier. NYC roads that made me cringe are now a breeze, backroads, tars strips and even a bumpy gravel road up to one of my buddies house are easy now plus the tires inspire confidence.

I may just wait until we actually get snow before I invest in a winter wheel/tire combo!

 

Sorry, but the B.S. meter is ringing loudly.