New Front Tyres

[ianking]

I want to change the front tyres on the JCW as really dont like the runflats on it. The car has too much power to cope with those daft tyres.

I want to get a balance between grip and tyre wear.
Really like the look of the tread pattern on the yokohama parada but have been told that these wear out very quickly.

The toyo proxy T1R seems rather cheap so are they a bargain after all?

Anyone tried the pirelli P zero or zero nero?

Michelin just seems far too expensive so will stay away from them.

I do like to give the car a blasting but only do about 7k per year.

Your thoughts please.

[Big Gordy]

Under Johns recommendations Euan and I fitted Federals and so far they've been really good in the wet or dry:thumbs up: Paradas are quite soft but if your only doing 7K a year I don't think it will be an issue. They are soooooooooooooperb in the dry but some people ie Markyc, had some issues with there wet weather capabilities:Whistle:Pirellis are a good all round tyre in my experience with regards to grip/wear. Audi had the P Zeros on originally when I first bought it:yes nod: Not tried the rest so can't comment. Think Craig has the Proxys:smilewinkgrin:

[The Dogfather]

www.tyrereviews.co.uk (http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk)

Good tyres - Goodyear F1s, Vred Sessanta and my choice which are epic in the wet Uniroyal Rainsports 2.

Federrals are a good budget choice but tend to be a bit noisey and aren't that great in the wet. Toyos are pants IMO, I don't know why people recommend them, maybe because they have tried anything else, I have and they don't compare that well.

The site above will give you reviews of all the leading tyres.

I'd stick with the runflats unless you are changing all four otherwise you might find the front and the back of the car taking different lines on corners.

[Big Gordy]

I don't know why people recommend them

Their 18's are really cheap:Whistle: I think that's the main reason behind there popularity. I do tend to go for Yokohamas/Pirellis if I can as my experience with them has always been a positive one.
I don't find the Federals too bad in the wet:popcorn:

[ianking]

Thanks for the web site Vidal.

Not changing the back at the moment.
I did stick non-runflats (just cheapy Kumo) on my Cooper front wheels whilst it had 17 inch run flat on the back and I thought it was great. It was like a different car. However it had a lot less horses.

[GCA3N]

I am embarrased to admit this. When I got the GP alloys I was...shall we say bribed. I was offered free tyres if i took the alloys. Now at £125 a corner i thought not bad at all. I said i did not want crap on, am he said no no it will be a mid range tyre. When i picked up the alloys they had runways on:eek::eek::thud:. I asked the guy and he insured me that they were a good tyre and would serve me well. Took the car home in the dry and I thought yes these are ok, and they looked really smart, nice tread pattern and all. It's only my latter experience in the wet that scared the S&*t out of me. They have get better as they have run in, but as soon as I have 500-600 spare they are getting removed. So some good advive on what to use would help. :bigwave:

[Burple]

I think the Federals are spot on for a car with Cooper power.. anything more tho, and something better might be needed. I've absolutely no complaints whatsoever about the Federals, for £55 a corner, they've been spot on, wet and dry. In comparison, the cheapo tyres on the 18"s I've just taken off were absolutely shocking with any spirited driving.. twitchy as hell in the dry, and underpants replacing in the wet!! :eek::eek: it's like having a new car with the Federals back on. :thumbs up:
These puppies.. SS595s

http://www.vemiri.com/prodimages/large/1219400716-fedral_ss595W.jpg

If you're looking for relatively cheap tyres.. I'd recommend these, can't really comment on anything else to compare them with tho.


Ian, I think your JCW would eat the Federals to be fair. If I remember rightly Stoney said he didn't think much of them on his beastie. That may be just cos of the power thing tho..

[ianking]

Happy to spend circa £100 each corner.
Bear in mind the JCW has more than 200 horses so I think decent rubber is needed.

I love the look of the yoko parada 2 but after reading the reviews they would be no good up here due to the rain most of the year.

Perhaps uniroyal rainsport 2 would be the answer.

[Big Gordy]

I think with the Paradas it has a lot to do with the weight of the car as Ross had them on his V6 MG and they performed great in the wet or dry but it is quite a heavy car compared to the mini. It will be interesting though as I have them fitted to the Kei 18's that will be on Mutley for some of the summer:smilewinkgrin:

[Gismo]

I've been very happy with my Toyo Proxies :thumbs up:

[ianking]

I've been very happy with my Toyo Proxies :thumbs up:

Well I have seen your pace on a manky thrash and if they cope well with you then Im sure they will be fine with me.
Do you have T1R or T4?

So many choices of tyre manufacturers. :confused:

[Gismo]

Do you have T1R or T4?Hmm, T1R's

Am gonna try the R888's next though, 300BHP seems to be just a tad too much

[The Dogfather]

Happy to spend circa £100 each corner.
Bear in mind the JCW has more than 200 horses so I think decent rubber is needed.

I love the look of the yoko parada 2 but after reading the reviews they would be no good up here due to the rain most of the year.

Perhaps uniroyal rainsport 2 would be the answer.

I would recommend them, my Cooper S wheel spins much less with them on. However I'm not sure about the combination of RFs on the back in the wet, you may spend a lot of time looking out of the side window ;)

[ianking]

Nothing wrong with looking out the side window.

Never gave me any problems with the Cooper.

[The Dogfather]

I suppose the only difference is power and I guess the RFs aren't the ones putting the power down.

[The Dogfather]

http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimages/256690/uniroyal_RainSport2_d.jpg

[MINI William]

I had Yokohama Sdrives on the front with my ONE and found them to be great and brillinat int he dry but with the RF's on the back in the rain did find it to be a little more sliddy nothin stupid but just not the same as having all of the same tyre

[Craig]

I have Toyo Proxes on my 18's (The older T1S at the mo, but I have a set of T1R in the garage ;))

I would say they are a good all-round and are available for less than £100 a corner online. :thumbs up:

I also had Goodyear Eagle F1's and they were amazing. All the traffic boys use them on all their cars. :yes nod:

[KenL]

Are people without a spare happy to have non-runflats? Not sure I would be, in fact I am sure that I wouldn't be.

[The Dogfather]

Every car I've owned in the last 6 years hasn't had a spare, all without runflats. Only had to use the tyre gunk once and it got me home, and this was my first puncture in 10 years.

[Craig]

Are people without a spare happy to have non-runflats? Not sure I would be, in fact I am sure that I wouldn't be.

yeah, I have used non-runflats since 2003. hate the fact that tyres that cost nearly 3 times as much cannot (according to MINI and Manufactuer) be repaired, but the cheaper tyre with the thinner side walls can be repaired and used again. :confused: doesn't make sense to me... :rolleyes:

Also tyre technology is much better these days and the reports of the old fashioned "blow outs" is much less, more likely to get a nail in your tyre (which normally drops the pressure a bit) and you can get that repaired rather than having to buy a new run-flat as it can't be repaired (according to MINI and Manufacturer).

IMHO the std tyres perform much better than run-flats, give a better ride and make the car more "alive". :thumbs up:

[S7JGW]

I can recommend Toyo T1Rs. Seem a good alrounder.
Hav Prielli runflats on when i got the car and didnt like them at all.
Also had Dunlop tyres (non runflat) on my last cooper not good, was considering taking the wipers off the windscreen and putting them on the side windows :D:D:frown:. Compared to the Dunlops and Pirellis the T1R gives more reliable grip and gives a decent milage out of them too. Also had the T1S Toyo too and they were not to good as the T1R.
Just my 2p worth
Jim

[KenL]

I agree with you people.

Runflats are a total compromise in performance. I just wish the S came with the option of a spare.

Even worse than that is MINI dealers not happy to take a trade in with non-runflats!

[ianking]

I may just go a bit cheaper and buy the toyo's and buy 4. Keep the runflats in the loft until I am ready to trade the car back in.

Think I can get 205,45 17 toyo for about £90 each fitted.

[Craig]

sounds like the best idea Ian... I needed 2 new front tyres at one point and worked out that for the cost of 2 run flats, if I added £50 more pounds, I could get 4 std tyres. :thumbs up::thumbs up:

[Big Gordy]

I had the same scenario Craig and went for four Federals for the price of two Dunlop runflats:clap: I'm in the fortunate position of having one of those silly space savers though so don't need to worry too much about having a puncture:yawn: Forgot to mention I had Dunlop SP Sports on the Mondeo once and never again:ragin:They will kill you if its wet......terrible tyres IMO:argh:

[totalhun]

i have the Toyo proxes on the front and are a million mile away from the runflats anyways, i had trouble with my cooper s sliding when i first got it, got the Toyos on and they have been very good, i got them from tyretraders.com, i thought they were quite cheap and i ordered them at 4pm and were on my doorstep at 10am the very next day!