[Bogus]

HI All,

I have just picked up a Cooper S 5 door with 18" run flats. I have been trying to get some winter wheels and tyres and needed some help.

when I use a tyre calculator, it says that 215/45/R17 is a good replacement for the 205/40/R18s that came with the car.

Now I am aware that you should be using narrower tyres for winter and hence the confusion.

Can someone who has fixed 17" wheels let me know the size of teh alloys and tyres they have gone for ?

Also, how do i find PCD, Offset and dimensions of the allow wheels that came with my car. I have gone through the entire manual and could not find these details.

Thanks
Bogus

 

[Angib]

I would not recommend using narrower winter tyres in Brtain. In countries where snow lies on the ground for three months or more, narrower winter tyres may make good sense, but in Britain, where snow will be on the ground for no more than a couple of weeks per year, they don't.

Narrower winter tyres are only of benefit on snow - all the rest of the time (95% or more) they don't work as well as wider ones. Even on ice, wider tyres are better.

 

[lawrothegreat]

I've fitted Dunlop SP Wintersport 4Ds to my MCS in the 205/45 R17 size (direct size replacement). It hasn't really gotten cold enough yet to take advantage, but I am happy with them.

 

[Angib]

On the question of winter tyre width, I was interested to see these US tests on winter tyres on snow, using 215/45-R17 tyres on a US (ie, bigger than European) Civic and also trying 205/55-R16 winter tyres:

0-40mph acceleration on snow:
Summer tyres - 41.7 sec
All-season tyres - 14.5 sec
Winter tyres - 11.7 sec
Narrower winter tyres - 11.0 sec

40-0mpg braking on snow:
Summer tyres - 351 ft (107 m)
All-season tyres - 184 ft (56 m)
Winter tyres - 156 ft (48 m)
Narrower winter tyres - 147 ft (45 m)

The 205 .v. 215 difference isn't very great but it does show that while narrower tyres are better in snow (and at no other time in my experience), the difference is tiny compared to the change to winter tyres.

And lest anyone thinks 'all-season' is a standard British tyre, it is not - the 'ordinary' British tyre is a summer tyre.

 

[ashleydburgess]

I may be completely mis-informed, but I would think you would need a tyre with an R18 number at the end. You said your car was speccd with 18 inch alloys not 17?

 

[Minimad]

I have fitted the same tyres. As Dunlop winter sport 4d come out top in winter tyre test for uk conditions as these work really well in cold wet conditions. Have used them since 2008 with very good results. They were called 3d back then. I'm on 205/45 R17 as well. Fitted non run flat as well to keep cost down and they work better due to more flex in the side wall.

 

[jeremybingham]

Check the my tyres.co.uk website for pcs etc. Really good.

 

[Angib]

Yes, I would like to try out the Dunlop winters as they seem to get good test results on dry roads. All winters are brilliant in snow/slush/ice, but it is how well they cope with normal wet/dry roads above freezing that distinguishes the really good ones. So far I reckon Conti are best but would like to try a set of Dunlops to compare.