Tire Choice?

[EcosseGP]

^^ I have no issues with run flats and once you know their limits they're just as good as any other tyre. I know that they can't be pushed to the same limits as non run flats but they serve a purpose for those looking for peace of mind travelling big distances or in the fear "what if I get a puncture" :)


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[badwolf340]

ps Sorry not been on here for ages - family situation etc. Anyway, I'm still alive!!!![/QUOTE]
Really great to see you posting Euan

[CiderFex]

I never really gave the run flats a hammering on 1499 but when I drove GP0002 around Silverstone I ragged the nuts off it with run flats fitted and they amazed me !!
I suppose that my confidence was sky high as I knew that I was not paying for any damage caused but they held their own on a track with my limited driving talents.
The first thing that I really noticed when changing to normal tyres was just how quiet they are in comparison.


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[CraigR53]

I have Dunlop Sport RF on mine right now, not going to lie, pretty bad in the wet. But don't really have a bad thing to say about them apart from how bumpy my life is in town


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[EcosseGP]

Like Pete says Craig you'll notice a massive difference in the ride quality for starters and also the tyre noise just changing from RFs to NRFs


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[ELFMAN]

Given the list of performance improvements in your signature, you sound like someone who could make use of Pilot Super Sports - they really are a big step up from the Contis. The extra bite in the steering on turn-in would amaze you.

Cheers. Yes, definitely food for thought... I do like the Contis, but anything which makes the car better to drive is certainly worth the extra few £££. I do a relatively tiny mileage, so they'd last for ages! I have Works suspension which can be a wee bit lumpy on a lot of our roads (its great on the smoother stuff!), so having the best rubber would make the most of it. Certainly highlights the importance of 'joined up thinking' when it comes to tyres, wheels and suspension.

Still swithering about going for Rota Blitz or similar lightweight alloys, rather than just sticking new tyres on my Crown Spokes. Having less unsprung weight at the corners has to be a good thing! Not sure exactly how much less the Rotas weigh, but it could improve things. Have to "weigh" up the possible improvement of a wheel swap versus the extra cost though. Also takes away the 'standard' look of the car... Hmmm.

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Like Pete says Craig you'll notice a massive difference in the ride quality for starters and also the tyre noise just changing from RFs to NRFs

I scared myself far too many times on my runflats! Especially in cold/greasy conditions. More skip than grip on my setup. I still have to watch want I'm doing from time to time, but it's SO much better without the rather 'wooden' feeling I had with the runflats. I know runflats have improved in recent years though, so the difference might not be as huge as it used to be?

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Really great to see you posting Euan

Cheers, it's good to get the old MINI part of what's left of my brain back in gear! I may be on less these days, but I'm still NMS!

[ELFMAN]

Found this on Blackcircles for the
Michelin Pilot Super Sport;
205/45 R17 Y (88) £120.36 Fully Fitted Price

Does the price look right?
Is the weight rating correct for MINI?

[Angib]

Does the price look right?
Is the weight rating correct for MINI?

The price is good. For a laugh, I asked my dealer how much these would be and the screen showed about £100 and £170 per tyre - £170 was the retail price, so my guess is that £100 is the wholesale price to the dealer. I ended up paying £155 per tyre with my local tyre shop who I prefer to use.

88Y is the correct rating - this is an XL tyre which the Mini doesn't need (my original tyres were 84V) but it also has a * or (*) on the end, indicating it is a tyre approved by BMW/Mini.

[ELFMAN]

Thanks for that! Before I read your post I had just nipped out to confirm my Contis as '84V'

Just out of interest, I checked the difference between the 84 and 88 rating on Black Circles chart and it seems the 88 is good for an extra 60kg load over the 84. Is this down to tyre construction and does it have any effect on how the tyre operates on a 'lighter' vehicle? ie If the Mini only needs an 84, will an 88 be 'stiffer' as it's made to handle more load, or is any difference negligible (which it must be if BMW/Mini approve it). Obviously preferable to have more load capacity than not enough. I'm probably thinking too much about the minute details here!

[Angib]

Some people seem to believe XL-rated tyres have stiffer sidewalls than regular ones, but I suspect that is a cast-iron fact because they once read it on the internet, where no misinformation is ever spread....

Do the XL Super Sports feel stiffer than the non-XL Contis they replaced? In bounce, no, though the steering response and bite is so increased that it's hard to tell if they are stiffer laterally. Basically the first week on the Super Sports I spent turning in and then taking steering lock off since they seem to dive into a turn so fast. I'm dreading going to my winter Contis as I think the steering will feel like genuine blancmange after the Super Sports.

There isn't a non-XL-rated Super Sport in this size, so XL is wot yer gets.