205/50/16 vs 205/55/16 on stock wheels
 

Well which to get? I was lucky enough to pick up some shrapnel in a run flat and there is no way I'm paying to put another one of those devil tires on the car. I'm down to these 2 sizes since I'll be using the stock X-lites so which is the better of the 2? Stock suspension
Mike

205/50/16's are wat I run on my 16's.

yeah I know that's the correct size but azenis are so damn cheap in 205/55 =)

I think I'm going to go with either the toyo T1s or the S03's in 205/50 though, just trying to determine if the S03's are worth the extra coin
Mike

With stock suspension you can use either tire size.

The 205/55-16 has a larger than stock 24.9" outer tire diameter, weighs about the same as the 205/50-16 tire and has a slightly softer ride but is less responsive on cornering. Good for daily street use or commuting. With stock suspension this is fine but for a lowered MINI it is too high and would rub.

205/50-16 has a 24.1" outer tire diameter so good for any MINI from stock to lowered. Firm but OK ride, good turn in response, good performance.

Potenza S-03 are very comfortable and smooth, do well in dry or wet, and perform very well on the track or street (for street tires) and that's why they are expensive. They are heavy at 24 pounds each in that size.

If you like high performance then the S-03s are very good but if you don't really drive that hard then other tires can be a good choice- Yokohama ES100, Falken ZE-512, or Toyo Proxes 4 cost less.

Azenis Sports? how about 215/45/16's? :smile:

From what I've seen 215's are to wide for 6.5" wheels, please correct me if I'm wrong

Minihune thanks for all that info...you really are an asset to the forum since I know you repeat yourself all the time without ever complaining for those of us that aren't as tire savy:smile:
Thanks
Mike

you're right, 165mm's too narrow for 215.

I just ordered some S03's they should be here tomorrow or wednesday
Thanks Everyone
Mike

While 215/45-16 can fit (with some determined muscle power) 16x6.5" rims they aren't the best fit. The tires are really for rims 7-8" wide and the outer tire diameter is a small 23.7" which is great for autocross or track but a bit less than stock so some speedo error. Not too bad though.

The S-03s are a very good choice for the MINI. I have them and really appreciate how well they work after owning a set of Yokohama ES100s for about 1.5 years.

Good choice! :thumbsup: