The tires on your Mini Cooper do more than just rotate to get you from once place to another. They have a massively important role in the performance and handling of the vehicle. Performance rated Mini tires will help you accelerate solidly, take corners stably, and brake smoothly.
A star embedded into the sidewalls of the tire designates that it matches Mini’s performance standards. Depending on the type of tire you have, you’ll find that they’re suitable for all weather conditions, hug the road with ease, and in some cases allow you to drive a set distance on a flat.
There’s no way to understate the importance of quality tires on a Mini Cooper. But when they’re exposed to harsh conditions like bad road surfaces or extreme weather, it’s possible that they could get damaged. This can be exacerbated by choosing poor quality tires; so do not skimp when choosing.
Signs of bad tires include:
In the United States, tire tread depth is measured in 32nds of an inch. New tires typically come with 10/32” or 11/32” tread depths, and some truck, SUV and winter tires may have deeper tread depths than other models. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends replacing tires when they reach 2/32”, and many states legally require tires to be replaced at this depth.
The idea of the penny test is to check whether you’ve hit the 2/32” threshold.
Here’s how it works:
Place a penny between the tread ribs on your tire. A “rib” refers to the raised portion of tread that spans the circumference of your tire. Tire tread is composed of several ribs.
Turn the penny so that Lincoln’s head points down into the tread.
See if the top of his head disappears between the ribs. If it does, your tread is still above 2/32” , If you can see his entire head, it may be time to replace the tire because your tread is no longer deep enough.
When performing the penny tire test, remember not only to check each tire, but to check various places around each tire. Pay special attention to areas that look the most worn. Even if parts of your tread are deeper than 2/32”, you should still replace the tire when any areas fail the penny test.
Consistent wear around the whole tire is normal, but uneven tread wear could be a sign of improper inflation, wheel misalignment, or a variety of other things. If you see uneven tread wear, you should have our technician inspect your vehicle ASAP. It seems like it rains all the time here in South Florida, your Mini Cooper needs good tires to keep you safe.
Give us a call 954-921-1515 or stop by, we can check your tires immediately.
The tires on your Mini Cooper need to be properly aligned, which means adjusting the front and back suspension parts to make the steering direction perfectly straight. Poor alignment will decrease the life and performance of the tires. This is because misaligned tires will be at an angle to the road surface, causing fast and uneven wear. Not only that, but it’s incredibly dangerous as your car could swerve or lose contact with the road surface.
Also, if your car is not aligned properly then some tire warranties will not be honored. If you’re getting new tires on warranty then you need to make sure that your current ones are aligned properly before doing so.
Your tires will be checked during the Inspection and that is recommended by Mini. At German Car Depot we can replace and align your tires to ensure they match specification and that you’re driving safely. We are staffed by professional mechanics that can give you great service, but are able to offer you great price savings when compared to a dealership on the cost to repair.
