17 replies to this topic

[Edvard]

Model: Rover Mini Cooper
Year:2000
I live in Finland and need pretty soon winter tires to my Mini. My (preferred) tire size is 145/70R12. I know Yokohama and Hankook make non-studdable winter tires, but are there others? I would actually prefer studdable winter tires but have found none.

PS: Where to get 12x4.5 rims for these? Steel or aluminium.

Appreciate all hints you can give. Edvard

[jaydee]

The original rover minilites are 4,5x12.
By the way 145/70 r12 give a very harsh ride to your mini and really dont have a good grip at all.
I'd reccomend getting some 4.5x10" and go for yokos or falken. There are some mud & snow tyres available, but they wear very fast if used on dry roads.
Out of topic..Whereabout in finland?

[stickycreambun]

The original rover minilites are 4,5x12.
By the way 145/70 r12 give a very harsh ride to your mini and really dont have a good grip at all.
I'd reccomend getting some 4.5x10" and go for yokos or falken. There are some mud & snow tyres available, but they wear very fast if used on dry roads.
Out of topic..Whereabout in finland?

Why would 145/70 on 12's give a very harsh ride, are you getting confused? Im pretty sure the factory 4.5x12 minilights would have come with 145/70 rubber, and if not 165/60 would not be that much different. If I was driving in snow I would rather the 145's to be honest. I think there is also more chance of finding a wider range of tyres in 12" than 10"

[shorty]

i have 145's on my 12x4.5s and the ride is fine..however the case could be different on winter tyres

[Bungle]

might pay to look for rally tyres

mini's have been rallyed for years and there should be a good selection

4.5x12 was a standard wheel size for mini's for many years and you should be able to pick up steels quite cheap

[Wil_h]

Interesting question. In the UK there is no requirement to fit winter tyres, hence why everyone crashes at the mearest flurry of snow. As such none of the regular tyre suppliers in this country would supply such a tyre, certinally not studded. Not many cars were ever fitted with 12" wheels, so you are most likely stuck with the tyres you have already found.

As stated above, the standard 12" wheel on a mini is 4.5x12, so they should be readily available, although maybe not in finland.

[Edvard]

The original rover minilites are 4,5x12.
By the way 145/70 r12 give a very harsh ride to your mini and really dont have a good grip at all.
I'd reccomend getting some 4.5x10" and go for yokos or falken. There are some mud & snow tyres available, but they wear very fast if used on dry roads.
Out of topic..Whereabout in finland?

Vantaa, Southern Finland.

[Edvard]

Interesting question. In the UK there is no requirement to fit winter tyres, hence why everyone crashes at the mearest flurry of snow. As such none of the regular tyre suppliers in this country would supply such a tyre, certinally not studded. Not many cars were ever fitted with 12" wheels, so you are most likely stuck with the tyres you have already found.

As stated above, the standard 12" wheel on a mini is 4.5x12, so they should be readily available, although maybe not in finland.

Thanks for all answers. I agree about the 12" being the best choice for winter. Meanwhile I've been asking importers and it seems there are no studdable tires for Mini. I think I'll settle for the 145/70R12 Yokohamas which performed well in a recent test.

Edvard

[rozzer1275]

I had some second hand snow/mud tyres when out in sweden (not studded), 145/12 but bigger side wall, they where very close to rear radius arm bkt (and touched it on one side of my mates mini but not mine) and on front wheel arch no good for lowered cars.
they said on them 'nokia finland'

oh yer set your dampers to soft

[jaydee]

The original rover minilites are 4,5x12.
By the way 145/70 r12 give a very harsh ride to your mini and really dont have a good grip at all.
I'd reccomend getting some 4.5x10" and go for yokos or falken. There are some mud & snow tyres available, but they wear very fast if used on dry roads.
Out of topic..Whereabout in finland?

Why would 145/70 on 12's give a very harsh ride, are you getting confused? Im pretty sure the factory 4.5x12 minilights would have come with 145/70 rubber, and if not 165/60 would not be that much different. If I was driving in snow I would rather the 145's to be honest. I think there is also more chance of finding a wider range of tyres in 12" than 10"

Yes, 145s are better in the snow because narrower, they give harsh ride on normal roads basically because theres less air inside compared to 165s.

[jaydee]

The original rover minilites are 4,5x12.
By the way 145/70 r12 give a very harsh ride to your mini and really dont have a good grip at all.
I'd reccomend getting some 4.5x10" and go for yokos or falken. There are some mud & snow tyres available, but they wear very fast if used on dry roads.
Out of topic..Whereabout in finland?

Vantaa, Southern Finland.

Lol cant believe that..I was nearby Espoo a couple of months ago =) Im planning to get back there in April

[Bungle]

they give harsh ride on normal roads basically because theres less air inside compared to 165s.

"Don't give out incorrect advice - if you don't know the answer, don't post!"

[minisilverbullet]

Model: Rover Mini Cooper
Year:2000
I live in Finland and need pretty soon winter tires to my Mini. My (preferred) tire size is 145/70R12. I know Yokohama and Hankook make non-studdable winter tires, but are there others? I would actually prefer studdable winter tires but have found none.

PS: Where to get 12x4.5 rims for these? Steel or aluminium.

Appreciate all hints you can give. Edvard

Hi Edvardm,

I am in Sweden, only unstudded (friction) tyres for us Im afraid.

The only ones i found where 145 70 12 and they will fit your car well, i have just put them on my 96.

For me changing from a 13 x7 deep dish wheel, the winter wheels made the car feel totally different much more smooth.

I think there are about 3 or 4 brands to choose from in that size with the yokos being the cheapest, prices start at 40 euros

Even if i could get studded i would still have chosen the unstudded for a quiter smoother ride, But you are a bit further north than me (malmö, south sweden).

I bought a set of 4 wheels 12X5 from huddersfieldspares in the UK they were only 45 pounds each plus 35 postage, pretty good deal i thought!

sorry wheels in alu!

Edited by minisilverbullet, 04 November 2009 - 05:44 PM.

[Edvard]

Model: Rover Mini Cooper
Year:2000
I live in Finland and need pretty soon winter tires to my Mini. My (preferred) tire size is 145/70R12. I know Yokohama and Hankook make non-studdable winter tires, but are there others? I would actually prefer studdable winter tires but have found none.

PS: Where to get 12x4.5 rims for these? Steel or aluminium.

Appreciate all hints you can give. Edvard

Hi Edvardm,

I am in Sweden, only unstudded (friction) tyres for us Im afraid.

The only ones i found where 145 70 12 and they will fit your car well, i have just put them on my 96.

For me changing from a 13 x7 deep dish wheel, the winter wheels made the car feel totally different much more smooth.

I think there are about 3 or 4 brands to choose from in that size with the yokos being the cheapest, prices start at 40 euros

Even if i could get studded i would still have chosen the unstudded for a quiter smoother ride, But you are a bit further north than me (malmö, south sweden).

I bought a set of 4 wheels 12X5 from huddersfieldspares in the UK they were only 45 pounds each plus 35 postage, pretty good deal i thought!

sorry wheels in alu!

Hi,

thanks for advice! I will check hundkoja.com as well

hälsningar: Edvard

[brianmini]

Yes, 145s are better in the snow because narrower, they give harsh ride on normal roads basically because theres less air inside compared to 165s.

Thats genius mate.... what mind altering drugs were you on when you dreamt that one up? hehe

145's have a higher profile, so although they are narrower they likely hold the same or more volume of air than 165's. Theoretically because they have a higher sidewall profile then they should give more springing effect, and therefor a softer ride, but less rigid in corners.

145's tend to give more grip in the snow/wet due to them reducing the cars footprint (i.e. the actual contact patch in contact with the road), this means that the weight of the car is put down over a smaller area! Think of it this way, walk through the snow and your size 9's will sink into it, wear snow shoes and your walk on the surface (or certainly not sink in in the same way).

I too am interested in winter tyres, maybe not studded (we get a bit of slush up here in Scotland lol), but I'd like to be able to use my mini more of the year.