Wheel gurus - I'm going to put 16" rims on my '06 Cooper & sell the 15 inch holeys/continentals (live in So. Cal - no winter issues or need for 2nd set). I'm leaning toward the 16X7.5 SSR comps & can swing the $$$$, but I also like the look of the Rota Subzeros a lot, which are substantially less bucks. This is gonna be a daily driver, no track time. Are the SSRs worth the extra money? I know they're about 3.5 lb lighter a corner, but wonder if this is significant, or of there are any other quality differences.

thanks

K

 

bump

 

If youaren't tracking it, and $$ is not an issue, go for the wheels that you like the looks of better. 3.5 lbs is significant on the track,not on the street. SSR Comps are exactly that... competition wheels. You are paying for strength and light weight. Unless you really beat your wheels on the street, I don't see any reason to pay more for a wheel that you don't like the looks of quite as much, all for 3.5 lbs per corner. Allthat being said, 16x7.5s are, in my opinion, the best wheel size for the MINI. at least in dry weather.

 

yes, SSR Comps 16x7.5 is the only way to go for the real street performance guys.

seriously, i can't be happier with my Comps in that size. the wheel/tire
is so darn light, I can pick it up with my pinky (no joke).

 

I went with SSR Comps in 16x7 and Michelin Exaltos in 205/50-16. The car was delivered with 17x7 S-lites and Goodyear RSAs. Even on the street, I notice the difference in weight. It is like I lost a passenger (boat anchor?) by going to the SSRs and non-runflat tires. An addiitonal benefit of the wheel/tire combination is that there is no speedo/odo error (the new tires are ~.1 inch of the OEM diameter).

If the money is not an issue, go for the SSRs.

 

Money is not endless even if you now have enough to consider the SSR Comps. For most people on a budget the "wise" thing to do is consider the Rotas which are fine for the street, come in nine different finishes, moderate for weight, great on price and easy enough to replace should ANYTHING bad happen like your MINI gets sucked into a pothole from HELL.
Subzeros come in 16x7" not 16x7.5".

Save the bucks for great tires and for "Driving school". I can't think of a better thing to do unless you are an executive for Microsoft or something similar.

If your roads are really smooth then SSR comps are fine but I'd hate to think how someone would feel hitting a pothole in those wheels with low profile tires.

Generally speaking for road use consider 205/50-16 tires for performance/comfort.

3.5 pounds lighter per rim isn't a big deal for street use. You can pick tires that tend to be a little lighter to make up the difference if you want.

You get what you pay for in rims. Rotas are strong enough but are cast wheels. SSRs are pretty strong for being so light, if Rotas were as light they wouldn't be sturdy for street use. Therein lies the difference. If you want light and strong then you have to pay more. If you want reasonable prices then expect a bit more weight to handle normal road conditions.

 

guys.... SSR Comps are economy performance wheels from Japan....
The heck are you talking like if it's some platinum treasure? :impatient :impatient :impatient

 

while SSRs are lovely, my budget allows for Rotas, which have served me well. I have had a set of C8's on my miata since 200 or so, and they have held up well. Good compromise between weight and cost, without sacrificing strength (in my opinion...)

I most likely plan to use a set of 16x7 on my mini as well.

-jac