I have these, same ones that @MichaelC has: https://neuspeedrswheels.com/products/neuspeed-rse05-8805?variant=39655667892337
Actually, I have the 17"x7.5" ET40 version of that style: https://neuspeedrswheels.com/collections/mini/products/nm-eng-rse05-nm8805?variant=31935769837681
Those look great!!! I just ordered a set of the RSe11Rs, went 225/40-18 Hankook Ventus S1 EVO2 tires because they were one of the several OE rubbers offered on the SE. Will post pics as soon as they're mounted https://neuspeedrswheels.com/collections/mini/products/nm-eng-rse11r-88112?variant=39304404402289
Looking forward to your photos. MINI never offered OEM 18-inch wheels on the SE, but with the 40-aspect-ratio tires they look great on any MINI. I assume these open wheels will make you want to paint (or cover) your brake calipers.
After ~4620mi, my BFGoodrich Comp 2 A/S tires are toast. Large full width slice across all 4 tires and noticable vibration on the highway. I assumed it was some sort of road damage but Tire Rack says it's a "visible tread splice" and the tires are splitting at the seam due to high torque or hard braking... Sounds like BS to me especially for "ultra high performance" tires but either way, they're going back under warranty and have been replaced with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus. I also changed from a 215/45R17 to a 215/50R17 to get a bit more sidewall and ground clearance for dirt roads. No clearance issues so far but the sidewall is uncomfortably close to the shock, the Continentals are quite a bit wider than the BFGoodrich tires. Definitely going to look into a slightly larger spacer. Will update with an efficiency comparison after enough miles.
It's great that Tire Rack was on your side rather than claiming you shouldn't have tried to run after the police had time to call another cruiser to lay down a tire-shredder strip.
The way I read it is that tire rack was actually claiming that the damage was due to high torque and such as opposed to road hazard, therefore the tires were not covered by their roadside hazard coverage. Instead, they were covered by the manufacturer warranty by continental. So tire rack was not on his/her/their side in terms of honoring tire rack roadside hazard protection.
I wasn't that clear about it because it doesn't matter to me who's covering it but you are correct. A direct quote from Tire Rack: "This isn’t technically warrantable, but BFG typically covers this under goodwill"
A buddy had the same issue with the R compounds he put on his Cooper S last season. They said he didn't break them in properly, and he ran them when it was too cold. Think about it, the tire he bought was so he can push the handling to the limit laterally, but he put too much torque or it is a little too cold and he destroyed it. That is confidence inspiring.
The Michelin 21" on the plaid generally starts to fall apart at the sidewalls around 7k miles (rear tires). Haven't heard too many problems with the 19" Pirelli ones.
I’d love to know how the rear tires split from either “high torque” or “hard braking.” That sounds like a crock.
The explanation my buddy told me they told him is that the crack is at the seam where the band of tread meets. Supposedly a bond is created from the heat cycles in "ordinary" driving. If the car is subjected to hard braking or acceleration, the pressure at the seam causes the crack. They then told him that he should have paid for the tires to be heat cycled. Don't shoot the messenger.
Yeah I get that, but the rears face no rotational torque stress under acceleration, and a negligible amount under braking (compared to the fronts).
Not shooting the messenger, but this is the first time I’ve heard of this and I can’t be the only one. This car has 199 lbf•ft of torque, about the same as an early-90s Eagle Talon. I find it ludicrous that they’d have the coglioni to blame the tires’ defects on the driver.
A high performance tire is supposed to be more supple to grip the road better, which means it should be relatively softer to begin with (which also explains why they wear more quickly). Their excuse is pitiful.
This is a common issue, on soft autocross tyres. Some brands being worse than others. This is likely why Tire rack are blaming your driving and not heat cycling the tyres before use. I've not seen it on normal road use, though. They are all seasons, ffs. They shouldn't need warming up in May! Treadwear also suggests to me that you have not been driving your Mini as God intended.