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Since I nearly managed to take myself and my old R53 out in a blaze of white powdery glory back in 2009 on a country lane, I've had winter rubber on that and and my R56 each year.
This is the first winter with the F56 - Cooper S on coventional NRF 17s.
I was looking at getting some winter alloys so the swap would be simpler and more cost effective over time, especially if at the end of my PCP I buy another Cooper S (let us remember that as Mini as I am, Europe's 2018 hot hatch landscape could be ridiculously enticing) I could use the same alloys.
But whichever way I worked it out, buying from Mini was never going to make the numbers work, plus the Mini winter wheel and tyre packages only include Run Flats and that is in no way happening. After markets would just about be cost effective, but I haven't been terribly impressed by various places lack of assurance about sorting TPMS out, and I like having someone to categorically blame, and that person or persons is typically best a Mini dealer as they have a brand to maintain and my future business to win.
Anyway, I have now decided to go the same route as before and just swap rubber over on my existing wheels. However, I always worry about damage being caused to my tyres during removal when they need preserving for another year or two, and general damage to my wheels. I don't know if anyone else has had issues in this regard. I think in the past I've had run flats for both winter and summer which are apparently harder to remove without damaging them for the next time around.
Secondly, does anyone have any experience of what is a good winter tyre for the F56 S? I'm thinking Continental Winter Contact T S850P, as I can get them for £600 for a set which seems borderline acceptable. I'm not a big fan of paying out for tyres, or for anything for that matter(!), but it does make me feel psychologically at peace with myself in the depths of winter (assuming we have a bad one this year in the UK) that I've at least got them strapped on whether they will make that much difference in actual fact or not.
Thirdly, I do have a Mini dealer that has a tyre hotel and will do the swap for me. Now the swap is £70 and I think it's another £70 to use their tyre hotel. Now most places will do the swap for £40, but like I saw they invariably damage my alloys and since we will go outside and have a look at my wheels beforehand and check condition, I'm fairly convinced that if it happens under a Mini dealer's stewardship, it will get sorted FOC and likewise the hotel is pricey but I get annoyed with them hanging round the garage when they're not being used and plus if one goes back on and is knackered and it's been nowhere else other that a Mini dealer for 6 months, I take it that common sense would prevail and dictate we come to an amicable solution.
So basically, my plan is one that minimises the chances of me getting done over down the line by just loading it up at the front end by getting stitched up royally on the price, but at least that then gives some certainty of good service and no nasty shocks down the line.
Failing that, can anyone recommend any GOOD tyre places (chain or indy) in Cheshire/Manchester/Staffordshire who don't duff your wheels up as a hobby and operate a tyre hotel?
In closing, thanks for reading and sorry for boring!
Since I nearly managed to take myself and my old R53 out in a blaze of white powdery glory back in 2009 on a country lane, I've had winter rubber on that and and my R56 each year.
This is the first winter with the F56 - Cooper S on coventional NRF 17s.
I was looking at getting some winter alloys so the swap would be simpler and more cost effective over time, especially if at the end of my PCP I buy another Cooper S (let us remember that as Mini as I am, Europe's 2018 hot hatch landscape could be ridiculously enticing) I could use the same alloys.
But whichever way I worked it out, buying from Mini was never going to make the numbers work, plus the Mini winter wheel and tyre packages only include Run Flats and that is in no way happening. After markets would just about be cost effective, but I haven't been terribly impressed by various places lack of assurance about sorting TPMS out, and I like having someone to categorically blame, and that person or persons is typically best a Mini dealer as they have a brand to maintain and my future business to win.
Anyway, I have now decided to go the same route as before and just swap rubber over on my existing wheels. However, I always worry about damage being caused to my tyres during removal when they need preserving for another year or two, and general damage to my wheels. I don't know if anyone else has had issues in this regard. I think in the past I've had run flats for both winter and summer which are apparently harder to remove without damaging them for the next time around.
Secondly, does anyone have any experience of what is a good winter tyre for the F56 S? I'm thinking Continental Winter Contact T S850P, as I can get them for £600 for a set which seems borderline acceptable. I'm not a big fan of paying out for tyres, or for anything for that matter(!), but it does make me feel psychologically at peace with myself in the depths of winter (assuming we have a bad one this year in the UK) that I've at least got them strapped on whether they will make that much difference in actual fact or not.
Thirdly, I do have a Mini dealer that has a tyre hotel and will do the swap for me. Now the swap is £70 and I think it's another £70 to use their tyre hotel. Now most places will do the swap for £40, but like I saw they invariably damage my alloys and since we will go outside and have a look at my wheels beforehand and check condition, I'm fairly convinced that if it happens under a Mini dealer's stewardship, it will get sorted FOC and likewise the hotel is pricey but I get annoyed with them hanging round the garage when they're not being used and plus if one goes back on and is knackered and it's been nowhere else other that a Mini dealer for 6 months, I take it that common sense would prevail and dictate we come to an amicable solution.
So basically, my plan is one that minimises the chances of me getting done over down the line by just loading it up at the front end by getting stitched up royally on the price, but at least that then gives some certainty of good service and no nasty shocks down the line.
Failing that, can anyone recommend any GOOD tyre places (chain or indy) in Cheshire/Manchester/Staffordshire who don't duff your wheels up as a hobby and operate a tyre hotel?
In closing, thanks for reading and sorry for boring!