Tires (Summer/Winter/All-Season)

Funny, I didn't even look at my tires until I washed my car, and noticed my car came with Pirelli A/S. Honestly, with the paucity of cold days in the Bay Area, I would've preferred Summer tires, but I have been happy with the tires it arrived with; but with my driving style I expect it'll only be a couple years before I'll be replacing them. They're far cheaper than the staggered Pilot SS I've been buying for my previous DD, and will probably go with Summers next time around.

**Correction -- these are actually summer performance Pirellis. Sorry for mis-stating the equipment!

 

Yikes. Ok, I'm an idiot, and called it wrong. I thought I read A/S on the tires, but it was A/A. Looking up the info on the tire it is the summer performance. Correcting my prior statement...

 

Definitely NOT R/F, I had those on my first BMW, and hated them. I don't drive far enough to make them worth it, and yes, I know of the difficulty it is to drive with a flat, but the risk is worth the comfort, IMO.

 

My Fiona got through her first SC "winter" without swapping for all seasons. I just kept the summer tires on. But for the coldest dips in temperature (in the 20s and 30s F) I did not drive the SE. I also avoided driving the SE in the cold rain if the temp was below 50F. But I had the luxury of an ICE SUV to fall back on as needed. Otherwise, I probably would have purchased a set of all seasons to swap.

 

When I was having my MA find a quick and ready SE, I asked if it would be possible to get hyper-miler tires (hard, but mileage-friendly), and the reply was that they only came with summer performance tires, because the torque would eat anything else in a few weeks. Drive it like you stole it? Those summer performance tires are sitting in my garage until it finally stops snowing here. At least they're not Hankook, which are fun to drive, but wear out in about 10,000 miles.

 

The summer performance tires MINI selected for the SE also have an 'A' fuel efficiency rating (most efficient) per their respective EU tyre labels. They were very intentional with the the models they chose for both 16" and 17" wheel fitments to ensure this.

 

Well, I'm looking forward to achieving more than 2.5mi/kWh when I put back on the summer tires. It's usually 7 months winter tires and 5 months summer tires.

On the side note I am pleased how much smaller and lighter the wheels and tires are in a MINI. Getting too old to lift 20" wheels and tires.

 

Dang, I realize how spoiled I am living in NorCal...well, you have global warming to help you out in a couple decades!

 

Are the performance summer tires good enough for some casual autocrossing?

 

Oh for sure they're good enough for casual, go nuts have fun.

 

I think you will find that tires are not a weak link in handling. Too much body roll is the culprit. I’m just not sure what is the most cost effective mod(s) for keeping the car as flat as possible.

Of course you can compensate for the body roll to some extent by better or perhaps even wider or lower profile tires. But, that does not actually solve the real problem.


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I did not realize that the Hankook tires are summer tires until I read this thread closely today! I thought that all cars come with All Season tires. I live in the San Francisco Bay area so we don't get "real" winters. But we do occasionally get low temps in the high 30's to mid 40's. Now I am debating selling the Hankooks and get some Pirelli All Seasons.

 

This is a basic transportation EV car very agile and good , buy at least Porsche 911 base with 4 wheel drive and complain a car is **** .

 

You 100% right tires are not leaking air winter summer cold hot is every thing what you describe here

 

Those tires Hankooks are good for your climate I’m in New York and I’m doing well don’t waist $$$ here is much colder as long you don’t have snow there you will do good

 

Those tires have low rolling resistance with all season tires you going to sacrifice few miles driving distance .

 

Why not just wear out the Hankooks and then when you've had your fun, get some hard, high-efficiency, slow-cornering tires? I spent more than 20 years on those kind of tires on my gen-1 Honda Insights. What a revelation the Hankooks on the SE were for me!

I'd buy your Hankooks if you lived nearby. A kind forum member switched to even stickier, range-robbing tires and he was going to sell me his Hankooks, but shipping the Hankooks across the county would have cost too much.

 

I think I'll take you advice and stick with the Hankooks. I've only had the car for a month. I like the tires so far. I was looking into A/S tires for possibly less road noise.