Tires on 2011 MINI Cooper

[MiniPaws]

Does anyone have any information about the run-flat tires not being able to be used in temps under 42 degrees F or snow... I have the Brdigeston 17" tires.

 

I recently had a flat and the Tire vendor gave me this tidbit of information. I just bought the car at the end of June and surely dont want to buy 4 new tires so I can drive it in the winter..

 

Any info you can provide would be much appreciated!

[cmcveay]

Cindy, being run-flat or not has no impact on the cold weather capabilities of the tire. If you happen to have summer tires that are run-flats, then many of them do have cautions about using them below certain temps. If you have all-season run-flats, most of them don't have the same caution.

 

If you aren't sure, repost with the name (Bridgestone is the maker) of the tire and one of us can look it up for you. I'm sure someone will offer up another website but if you have the name and maker of the tire, you can also go to http://www.tirerack.com to see what it's weather capabilities are.

[MiniPaws]

Thank you. I know they are Potenza tires. What other info or numbers would I need off the tire to properly identify it?

[Edge]

Thank you. I know they are Potenza tires. What other info or numbers would I need off the tire to properly identify it?

Cindy - it sounds like you have Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires, which are one of several tire models that MINI puts on from the factory.

 

This is indeed a "Performance" tire - designed for better summer performance (i.e. both dry pavement and rain), but not for snow or even cold.

 

As Craig said, they are also runflats, but that isn't the true source of your concern here... because you can also buy runflat all-seasons and even runflat snow tires!

 

You would not be advised to continue using these tires when the colder temperatures hit. Performance (i.e. summer) tires are generally made with rubber compounds that are designed to be softer (and therefore more "grippy") at warmer temperatures. When the temp gets below 40-42 degrees, the rubber turns hard and brittle... and the tires do not grip very well any more, even on dry pavement!

 

From my perspective, you have two basic options:

 

 

1. Buy new all-season tires to replace your performance tires... and simply use the all-season tires - all year around. (If your performance tires still have lots of tread, you may be able to resell them to someone).

2. Buy a second set of wheels - either new or used - and then buy snow tires to put on them. Store the second set at home during the warmer months (March/April through November/December), and swap the wheel & tire combo for the winter, storing your summer set until it warms up again.

 

Note: Regardless of which option you pick, the choice on whether to buy runflats or non-runflats for the new tires is an entirely personal one. Preferences and opinions differ on this issue... but it's really an independent decision from the season-based decision. All 3 types (performance/summer, all-season, snow/winter) are available in both runflats and non-runflats.

 

Now, option 2 is indeed a more expensive option up front, but once you've made the initial investment of an extra set of wheels and tires, the ongoing cost isn't any worse - because you'll still be wearing the tires out at the same rate (after all, you won't be wearing out the set that is in storage!). Note that some people who go for option 2 decide to get simple "steel" wheels for their winter set. They aren't pretty, but they are durable and inexpensive. My point here is that the extra wheel set doesn't have to be pricey.

 

The benefits of option 2 are that you get much better tire performance year-round, by using tires that work best in those conditions. All-season tires, by definition, are a compromise - "Jack of all trades, master of none", so to speak.

 

That being said, many people don't want the hassle of (or don't have the storage space for) maintaining two sets of wheels and tires, and for those people, the convenience of always sticking to the same set of wheels and tires is worth the reduction in performance.

 

It's your decision on which way you want to go.

[MiniPaws]

Edge, thank you - We just came back from the new Mini showroom in Rockville and Ryan in Parts basically stated everything as you described.

 

Our concern was that perhaps we did not receive the correct tires for a Mini in our temperature zone, but he assured us that every CooperS comes with these same "Summer" high performance tires.

 

I think we are going to wait until we wear these down and then in December we'll switch to the All-Seasons on the same 17" alloy rims we already have.

[Aether]

Our concern was that perhaps we did not receive the correct tires for a Mini in our temperature zone, but he assured us that every CooperS comes with these same "Summer" high performance tires.

 

 

I have a 2011 Cooper S - admittedly a convertible, not a hardtop - but it came with the Conti all season run flats.

 

-A

[cmcveay]

Cindy,

Should the weather change and get some really cold days before you change the tires out, just be really careful. I put my summer tires on Archi on a Friday and we had a little snow storm on Monday. I was able to drive to work and back but I was a complete nervous wreck the entire time!

 

Craig

[Edge]

Edge, thank you - We just came back from the new Mini showroom in Rockville and Ryan in Parts basically stated everything as you described.

 

Our concern was that perhaps we did not receive the correct tires for a Mini in our temperature zone, but he assured us that every CooperS comes with these same "Summer" high performance tires.

I'm sorry to say it, but Ryan is not quite 100% correct on this point. If you go to the MINI Configurator (at www.miniusa.com) and build a Cooper S Convertible with the "Conical Spoke" or the "Black Star Bullet" 17 inch wheels, you'll find that yes, the performance tires are standard... but you also have the option of choosing All-Season tires instead, for no extra charge. That is one of the benefits of "ordering" a MINI to exactly your specification - you get to make choices like this.

 

(Important side note: The other two 17" wheel choices ("Infinite Stream" and "Web Spoke") don't allow you to choose all seasons, so in that sense Ryan is correct - which 17" wheels do you have? Note too that all of the 16" wheels on the Cooper S have all-season tires as optional)

 

Unfortunately, if you buy a MINI off the lot, you end up with the choices that someone else made when they ordered it (often times, the dealer themselves). If you're in this boat, and you didn't know the car was specced with the (standard) performance tires instead of the (optional) all season tires, then you didn't know to ask.

 

Mind you, I'm in the Option 2 group, so I personally prefer the performance tires, but I can totally respect your desire for the simpler, lower maintenance of all seasons.

[TATTRAT]

Does anyone have any information about the run-flat tires not being able to be used in temps under 42 degrees F or snow... I have the Brdigeston 17" tires.

 

I recently had a flat and the Tire vendor gave me this tidbit of information. I just bought the car at the end of June and surely dont want to buy 4 new tires so I can drive it in the winter..

 

Any info you can provide would be much appreciated!

 

With the car still being so new to you, why not go back to the dealer and ask if there is any swap they could do? Tell them that you would prefer an all season, see if they would work with you.