I currently have 16" with ES 100's and just received some new 17" rims. So I thought I may give some other tires a try. The 16"s will be for track use if I get a chance this year so track use is not an issue with the 17"s. What is an issue is I still want a grippy tire with good feedback to the driver for daily use including very spirited drives on back roads.

I know there are better tires out there but I'm trying to stay within a budget of near $100 a tire. The ES 100's that I had to replace on my 03 MCS lasted me about 22,000 miles before I replaced them. So driving on an average of 24,000 miles a year price is a factor. I would like to get as much mileage out of a tire but still have a good performing tire.

The tires I'm looking at are the BFG GF T/A KDW2, BFG G-Force Sport and Avon Tech M550 A/S. Here is a Tirerack link comparing them to the ES 100's. It seems the KDW2's are the best choice for performance but the G-Force Sports may be a better alternative to get a little more mileage while performing better than the ES 100's I'm accustomed to. The same with the Avons.

I would like to know if anyone has any recommendations on these tires based on performance and durability.

Thanks in advance.

 

I can offer my experience. I recently put some 205/55-15 BFG G-Force Sports on 15x7 rims, and have run them for about 1000 miles. Obviously, I can't say much about their durability, but after taking them up in the mountains last weekend, I can say that they handle very well. They track well on the highway, turn-in is good, noise level is no worse than the Conti's, and they seem predictable in the twisties. I looked at the KDW2's, but they were a lot pricier, so I went with the Sports. I'm very happy with them. They don't look bad, either. I course, your results may vary.

 

How is the grip on dry/wet compared to the OEM contis Bullfrog?

 

Some people sneer at the Conti's, but I think they're actually a pretty decent tire, especially on a MINI. They're great in the rain, good on the highway, and they talk to you a lot before they let go. That said, there is no comparison between the Conti's and the BFG Sports on dry pavement. The BFG's are much, much better and hold on long after the Conti's would be squealing in protest. I can do my 'test' exit ramp 5-6 mph faster with the BFG's. In the rain, the Conti's are probably better, a lot more grooves for the water to escape, but the Sports aren't bad. The weather here will turn cold sooner or later, so I'll be throwing the Conti's and holeys back on. I wouldn't even want to think about the Sports in the snow, but I'll be looking forward to putting the Sports back on in the spring. They make a Cooper feel like a different car. I got the Konig Rewinds 15x7's on the advice of DiD and RallyMINI, and they were totally right. A great combination.