Hey guys,

Me and my dad have been going over runflat replacement tires for the OEM 16' V-spokes. I think the size is 16 x 6.5. Just to get the size right, would 205/50/16 tires fit ok? I did some searching and found that that size would fit ok on 16 x 7 wheels, but is the half inch that big of a difference?

Now onto tire life and grip. My dad is looking for max tread life, he said he found a tire that can last 80,000 miles for about 80 bucks. While I'd be happy that a tire can last that long, since I'm the one doing the driving I am concerned the grip levels would be so bad I'd be nervous to drive around. What kinda tire would fall somewhere in the middle of this, to compromise both our interests?

I heard BF Goodrich gforce sports could do this, they come in the right size and cost is 78 per tire I think.

Any other ideas?

Thanks for reading

-Drew

 

205/50-16 or 205/55-16 will fit the stock 16x6.5" rims you have.
205/50-16 will fit rims 5.5-7.5" wide so no problems with 6.5" wide rims.
These tires are a little shorter than stock height at 24.1" tall.
205/55-16 is a little taller than stock height at 24.9" but it will fit a MINI with stock suspension. Both tires are OK, 205/50-16 is a good choice.

BF Goodrich g-Force Sport is an Ultra High Performance Summer tire.
Tirerack.com has it listed for $84 each
340 treadwear AA traction V Speed rated 21 pounds

Generally best performance will come with softer rubber and higher prices.
Long treadwear usually means harder rubber and less traction. Once compromise would be Ultra High Performance All Season tires- decent performance in wet or dry with some snow capabilities and moderately good tread life if you keep tire pressures up and rotate the tires.

For 205/50-16 in UHP All Season tires from tirerack.com
Pirelli PZero Nero M&S $102 400 tread A traction W speed rated
Kumho Ecsta ASX $68 420 tread AA traction W speed rated
Dunlop SP Sport 5000 $93 340 tread A traction V speed rated

Or in HP All Season tires (less performance but still ok for street use)
Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S $163 400 tread A traction V speed rated
Bridgestone Potenza G009 $97 460 tread A traction H speed rated
BF Goodrich Traction T/A V $111 440 tread AA traction V speed rated
Fuzion HRi $61 400 tread A traction H speed rated
Kumho Ecsta AST $57 400 tread A traction H speed rated

Talk to or email Alex@tirerack.com for more info.

H rated tires are more for street use and generally offer less performance and better prices than W or V speed rated tires.

On your family minivan or sedan the long lasting 80,000 mile tire might be OK.
On a MINI you're better off with something with higher performance in mind. Front tires will wear out quite a bit sooner if you are not careful and tires are not likely to last as long as 80,000 miles unless you drive the speed limit and do mostly highway miles.

 

Thank you sooo much for the info

 

I drive "work" vehicles which do not have soft rubber. Since having my MINI I guess I drive more aggressively in general. Boy, those long wear tires let go quickly and with little warning. They are fine for driving "stable platforms" but no good for cornering, braking or accelerating. Don't go with long wearing tires! They are a real hazard. By the way, runflats add to the cost and don't add any security or value, unless you drive through a war zone where you really can't stop to inflate, slime or plug a tire. If you get non runflats you can buy three tires for the price of one and hence soft grippy rubber can be as economical as harsh, hard runflats.

 

Thanks a lot for the advice, I just wanna be able to drive it with some confidence thats all

 

You are smart to consider all the aspects of your tires. Lots of folks think tires are round & black & that's it. An 80,000 mile tire will stick to the road like a hockey puck. Not so good. You should be able to find a good compromise in minihune's list.