Would these switch out with my present wheels (stock 2006 cooper s 7-fin spoke light alloy rims w/ 6.5 J x 16 size & 195/55 R16 runflats)? This is exactly the look I want.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nippon-GT-3-Whee...QQcmdZViewItem

 

It looks OK.

I see that it is supposed to be OK for the 2007 Honda Fit which is the same sized rim as the MINI more or less.

16x7 is a fairly wide rim.

+40 mm offset is ok as long as you don't lower your suspension. If you do lower it then the rear wheel will likely rub against the inner wheel arch- requiring some trimming with a dremmel tool- nothing major.

Inner wheel bore is in question- the MINI takes 56.1mm so you can ask the seller what is the bore opening on the rim. Often it will be larger than 56.1mm and you will need centering rings that bit the MINI wheel hub at 56.1mm and fit the inside of the new rim whatever it is. Size can vary.

 

If you are interested-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/16-NI...QQcmdZViewItem

Has the same rims listed for less and for the same shipping cost.

Seems the rims weigh 17 pounds each.

Check out all the rules on shipping and California tax.
Insurance of $15 required.

 

those look hot. 17 pounds for 16's isnt bad. couple less than stock if its true.

they look bizarre though I approve. 40 offset is proper, 7" wide is not too wide as some use 7.5's. 7 width is standard upgrade for performance actually.

seems like a perfect fit. Except, they might need those hub ring things inside. cheap little plaStic black circles.

 

Thanks for the feedback, everybody. I am in unfamiliar territory here, as you may have guessed.

1) If the existing wheels are 6.5" wide, which I think is correct, will my tires fit on 7's?
2) Does 40mm offset mean I am moving the tire out from the centerline of the car 40mm? If I don't plan on lowering, is there any other reason why I might not want to do this?
3) Where do I get the centering rings? Is this something a non-mechanic (but otherwise fairly handy) should get into, should I take it to a shop, or should I forget the whole thing?

 

It seems to me that it's not good to stretch the wheels, but I could be wrong. I really like the wheel design. I think the color combo is a bit too "Jack Frost nipping at your nose" for my taste, but it's your MINI Santa!

 

If they're actual Nippon wheels they're worth the money. Rota makes a copy of that wheel (in the same color) for typically around $400 - $500 a set. But I've seen a LOT of people sell no-name brand knock-offs of expensive wheels as they brand of wheel they're copying, then claim that it was the style of wheel they were advertising, not the actual name brand.

 

Not my fault Christmas adopted red/green. It is a great combination, I think. First car I can remember was a green convertible w/ red leather interior. What do you mean "..stretch the wheels.."? Are you referring to the 6.5" vs. 7"?

Hey, look, Mama, I made a hunnerd!

 

That's cool, like I said it's your MINI and whatever you like is up to you!

Yes, it seems to me that I heard it was bad to put a 6.5 on a 7 but I'm not sure maybe it was the opposite, going from 7 to 6.5. I'm sure someone on here can clarify this. I'll ask my tire guy.

 

Incorrect. You would have no problems running 16x7 +40 with lowered suspension, especially if you didnt slam it. And if you really want, just run smaller tires.

I fit 35 under my car and it is slammed to the ground. Fitting ET 40 would be no trouble...the rumor that et40 is the lowest you can go while lowered is false.

 

You guys are awesome! I found the seller offers the hubcentric rings (73.1mm to 56.1mm) for $9. I'm still not sure what 40mm offset means. If it means the wheels put the tires 40mm further from the center of the car, that should look good, but is there anything wrong with it, from an engineering point of view, or performance-wise (I am not racing or anything)? And, can I mount my Dunlop 195 55 R16 87V runflats on these wheels? I love the wheels, but a new set of tires would push them out of my budget.

 

See if this pics help. Notice that as the offset goes lower the outside edge of the wheel sits farther from where the hub would be and thus will go more towards (sometimes past) the fender.

et 40mm puts it just inside the fender and looks great. Performance wise, it will widen your stance which is better for handling. It may not be super noticable though...

Offset diagram


Here is my car with 15x7 et40 (before i installed 5mm spacers and lowered it further) to get an idea of where 7 inch wide wheels will sit in regards to the fenders. Check out the rear, still under the fender but further out than stock.

 

To figure out how much further "out" the new wheel will be than the old wheels, you need to do some calculations. It's not as simple as "40mm out".

If the old wheels were (hypothetically) offset 35mm, the new wheels would have the center of the wheels 5mm further out than the old wheels on each side of the car. If the new wheels and the old wheels are the same width, you're done there. If the new wheels are wider than the old wheels, you need to add in half the difference in wheel width to figure out how much further out the new wheels will sit. I think.

 

yah here is the method i use

X=width of wheel
Y=offset (in mm's)
A= backspace dimension
B= Distance outside of Hub towards fender

(X/2)+(Y/25.4)=A

X-A= B


To see where it will sit in terms of the fender, let X=7 and Y=37...that's the measurement of OZ superleggeras which basically sit RIGHT at the fender. Then plug in your numbers and see how it compares.

 

I think I have answered my question as to whether my tires will fit these wheels. I looked at all the 16" x 7" wheels Tire Rack recommends for MCSC and all showed a recommended tire size of 195 55 16, what I have on my 16x6.5 wheels now. So, if 195 55 16 is the recommended tire size for every 16x7 wheel Tire Rack has, then its probably ok for these Nippons.

 

For the part of the equation that is "will these tires fit on this rim", you need to look at the specs for the tire which will list a rim width range. That information is available on tirerack if they sell the tire. Click on the "Specs" link for a tire, find the size you are looking at on the specs page, and look at the rim width range.

That's only part of the "will it fit" question, though...

 

My tire guy said the same thing. They should fit (as far as width goes), but to be sure look up the manufacturer's specs for your specific tire and that will tell you if they are OK or not to put on a 7" rim.

 

OK, passed that test. Rim width range = 5.5"-7". Next??