OT - BMW Mini rims and not run flat tyres

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

Can anyone in the know help please

Im just about to buy some BMW Mini Cooper S 17" wheels with out tyres

Can you put any tyres on or are you restricted with makes and run flats??

I need to let the guy know tonight if Im buying them

These are the wheels

[SteveD]

some insurance companies get funny about changing from runflats ,as its considered a modification , worth a search on the interweb

you can fit normal tyres but remember with a mini you dont have a spare so normal tyres are no good when there punctured unlike runflats

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

I was thinking of just carrying one of those puncture repair bottles (Like I do with the westy)

Ill speak to the insurance in a min

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

Insurance are fine with it, as they are BMW Mini Wheels, no extra charge

Think im going to bite the bullet and buy them

[SteveD]

its not the wheels thats the problem its changing from runflats to non runflats thats the problem in some cases ,there have been cases recently where people have been refused insurance because they are none standard tyres ,because the car is set up (suspension wise) for runflats (stiffer sidewall tyres) and these have been replaced with normal tyres

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

Thanks Steve, helpful as normal bud

I have this nagging doubt in my head now about fitting non run flats, plus the tyres I have found on line for half price. They are the right size and speed rating but I can just see that when I take the wheels to get the tyres fitted, their going to say the tyres wont work with those wheels

Its only a Mini one, so its only going to be a town car. Thinking I should save the money and spend it on the Westy

[SteveD]

Thanks Steve, helpful as normal bud

I have this nagging doubt in my head now about fitting non run flats, plus the tyres I have found on line for half price. They are the right size and speed rating but I can just see that when I take the wheels to get the tyres fitted, their going to say the tyres wont work with those wheels

Its only a Mini one, so its only going to be a town car. Thinking I should save the money and spend it on the Westy

tbh the cooper s wheels weigh a freakin ton anyway , i would just leave alone and spend the money on a few track days

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

Yeah, I forgot about the weight............ Think im gonna stick with whats on the car and leave it a loan and standard.

More money to spend fixing the Westy and for next years events

Thanks again Steve for you quick reply's

[markcoopers]

You might be right as fitting run flats to a non runflat wheel is a big no. They will not sit too well and the loads on the wheel are all too much. so if the sitting of the wheel on the rin is different it stands to reason that the same issue works in revers?

[deanoecosse]

I have fitted non runflats to my Cooper S as have many owners and can tell you it bl**dy transforms the awful rock hard ride. A Mini Cooper S is one car that should NEVER have been offered with run flat tyres because they are shockingly harsh on such a small car. I loved the car but only lasted 4 months after buying it with the stupid run flats, and since fitting standard tyres-Toyo T1R's (there is no difference between a run flat rim and a standard rim by the way, the difference is the tyre construction), its like a completely different car. Its still a stiff ride but is no longer crashy over rough road and the handling is even sweeter. It doesn't have the twitchyness that runflats give at the limits of adhesion either. Highly recommended

[SteveD]

I have fitted non runflats to my Cooper S as have many owners and can tell you it bl**dy transforms the awful rock hard ride. A Mini Cooper S is one car that should NEVER have been offered with run flat tyres because they are shockingly harsh on such a small car. I loved the car but only lasted 4 months after buying it with the stupid run flats, and since fitting standard tyres-Toyo T1R's (there is no difference between a run flat rim and a standard rim by the way, the difference is the tyre construction), its like a completely different car. Its still a stiff ride but is no longer crashy over rough road and the handling is even sweeter. It doesn't have the twitchyness that runflats give at the limits of adhesion either. Highly recommended

but legal ? have a serious or be involved in a fatal accident and have the car checked by the police accident investigators ,i have seen them go over cars and bikes its unbelievable , and things are less likley to get more lenient over the next few years

[deanoecosse]

but legal ? have a serious or be involved in a fatal accident and have the car checked by the police accident investigators ,i have seen them go over cars and bikes its unbelievable , and things are less likley to get more lenient over the next few years

No legal problem at all. Declared to insurers incase they had any issue and was told no problem with the change, note put on file, no change in premium, job done. As a side note, the Mini was actually designed to run standard tyres, it was only a crazy last minute change of mind by BMW that saw them spec runflats (a decision that must have lost them a load of potential buyers who hated the harsh ride). Sensibly, you can now spec runflats OR normal tyres on the current Mini configurator

[dombanks]

You might be right as fitting run flats to a non runflat wheel is a big no. They will not sit too well and the loads on the wheel are all too much. so if the sitting of the wheel on the rin is different it stands to reason that the same issue works in revers?

Don't seem to have effected my car too much and from most accounts most z4 owners seem to think it was an improvement transforming the ride. similar stories with the insurance too.

Recently some variants of run flats have been coming up trumps so maybe the technology has moved on

[Dommo]

I swapped out the runflats on mine back in 2002. Went a smidge wider as well and really transformed the ride. Runflats and sport suspension plus was a great combination until you ran over a stray ant. I had the 16" star wheels though - those 17's are really heavy.

I thought the ONE didn't get runflats?