Car stuff I learnt: The tyre conundrum
In 18 years of car ownership, I never really paid attention to my tyres! I was always happy with the tyres that came with the car, and I subsequently left them in the capable hands of service technicians, replacing them whenever they said I needed to. My Mini came with run-flats. Being a small car, with no room for a spare tyre, that made complete sense. But as I started to spend more time on the track, I knew I needed a change. But which tyres? Should I stick to the options listed on the car door? What about those fancy Michelins and Yokohamas? All track day peeps seem to love them, but I can't get them in the listed sizes. Does this mean I need new rims too? What rims should I get? Bigger wheels look cool. And you get fancy rims with lighter alloys. But bigger the wheels, the heavier and slower they are, so perhaps if speed is what I'm after, I need smaller wheels! Should I buy brand new rims, or second hand, given my mini may not have too many years left in her? So many ...
