Short version: Car service today. Knew one tyre was getting close to limit, bit annoyed when report came back only saying needed 3 changing but unlike every other report they do they didn’t list the depth on the 3 that they recommended changing!
Using my highly scientific ‘ruler’ I make it I have one on about 2mm, two on 3mm and the other on 5mm which agrees with what they say. As I’ve got a bit of driving ahead I do want to change the most worn one now, but debating if it’s worth changing the ones on 3mm yet. I estimate if I put them off now one will be down to 2mm in about 3 months anyway. The other probably has a year left. Do know I’d rather not spend the money in one hit.
Tyres are Bridgestone Turenza ER30 195/60R15 88H. Dealer wants £86 a pop, best I found on net so far for exact match is £65 local fitted.
Don’t know about everyone else, but I usually get 2 at a time - I find when one is low, another isn’t far behind. Probably me being over cautious, but I’d rather not have one good & one bad on the same axle :tiphat:
@wolram, Traditionally I’ve always replaced in pairs too. Spare is as new, but it’s not on an alloy like rest so it’s still pain to get it swapped over.
@Wallis, not a fan of them or are you impersonating a dodgy dealer?
After some more thought, I’ve been thinking of just changing the front two since they wear fastest. Got a year before looking at rear pair based on actual wear in last year.
I always replace in pairs unless the spare is really good and can be factored into the swap. I may not drive fast, large or powerful cars, but i have a healthy regard for my skin, and that of my kid.
(And nasty memories of a sidewall blow-out at 95 on the M25 many years ago!)
[QUOTE=mackerel;414135]@wolram, Traditionally I’ve always replaced in pairs too. Spare is as new, but it’s not on an alloy like rest so it’s still pain to get it swapped over.
@Wallis, not a fan of them or are you impersonating a dodgy dealer?
After some more thought, I’ve been thinking of just changing the front two since they wear fastest. Got a year before looking at rear pair based on actual wear in last year.[/QUOTE]
any cheap tatty remoulds are better than baldish tyres m8
but you should be able to get some tyres of ebay cheap enough, thats what i did
@Wallis, you were referring to the relative lack of tread?
So according to linked article, recommends 3mm minimum for decent wet stopping?
I had bad alignment early on in car’s life, probably caused by a heavy kerb bump leading to the odd wear pattern I’m getting. On basis of that article I’m swayed towards doing three then. The 4th one has only gone down 3mm in two years so at that rate it still has over a year on it while keeping above 3mm.
Guess I’ll have to phone around a bit tomorrow see if I can get the price down some more.
[QUOTE=mackerel;414155]@Wallis, you were referring to the relative lack of tread?
So according to linked article, recommends 3mm minimum for decent wet stopping?
I had bad alignment early on in car’s life, probably caused by a heavy kerb bump leading to the odd wear pattern I’m getting. On basis of that article I’m swayed towards doing three then. The 4th one has only gone down 3mm in two years so at that rate it still has over a year on it while keeping above 3mm.
Guess I’ll have to phone around a bit tomorrow see if I can get the price down some more.[/QUOTE]
yea dont really care about the make but tread depth is important
[QUOTE=mackerel;414155]
I had bad alignment early on in car’s life, probably caused by a heavy kerb bump leading to the odd wear pattern I’m getting. [/QUOTE]
Can you not get that sorted whilst fixing the tyres?
If the spare is as new, why not get 3 new, swap spare to a roadwheel and put the 5mm tread on the spare? If you are spending £150+ on tyres I would have thought the fitter would do that for free??
Dont even know if you have either brand over there, but…
In 2001 I bought a new GMC truck. It had “general” brand tires on it. They were gone by 30k miles. Put a set of Michelline’s on there and they lasted and were in good shape till I traded 1.5 years ago at 100k miles.
Have michellines on new car, Gas got high so I got a 4-cylinder mazda 6. It has 33k miles and tires are almost like new, and I drive it hard on curvy mountain roads and they grip tight. Still got 3/8 inch tread.
The French do two things better than anyone, make tires and disposable lighters:D
The spares rubber will eventually perish and render the tyre uselss so you might as well use it.
Last set of Pirellis I bought only got me 25000 km’s. Changed over to Michelin and have never been happier. I know you Brits don’t care much for the French so I’ll leave it there;)
I had Michelin on my Clio, had to have all 5 tyres changed at 20k miles due to the fronts being so worn and the rears and spare perishing in the tread channels. Went to Firestone (recommended by trye fitter) and the fronts have only lasted 10k miles before being illegal. Gone back to Continental Premium Contact now, had them on a lot of cars and well worth the cash (used to have the Sport Contact also).
must be a renualt thing, i buy the cheapest i can get tyres, probably why they only last i would say 10-12k a pair, i play swopping the fronts and the back but the last two times my spare (has cracked sidewall would fail an mot…) has been more legal than the tyres i’ve taken off. being only 145mm skinny things with a nice 1.4 engine has its disadvantages. stopping in general being on of the problems
have had them last shorter time but that was in a period of parking every day with a foot or less each end and moving the car from spot to spot due to parking restricted zones.
Having worked for a few tyre companies… Don’t forget the tyre compound make for quite a wide spectrum of wear characteristics and you should match the tyre to the recommendation of the car manufacturer.
Its not exactly known is it when you actually buy tyres how hard/soft a rubber your getting.
My 1st ever car I had its original tyres and they were Michelin and guess how old they were… OK I’ll tell you 10 years old and they plenty of tread still.
Got Continentals on the Alfa at the back Pirellis at the front all had on the same day which ones are for replacing ? … The Continentals.
End of the day its a mixed bag tyre make / compound softness / the loading the car places on the tyre remembering not all cars weigh the same / the type of roads you travel on etc etc / how brutal you are with the power steering when parking edit (:chuckle: if you have the luxury of power steering that is ))
If you not going mental and hammering to the limits of your motor question would be would a harder compound be more suitable ? now the warmer weather is approaching.
But I do like to replace in pairs because I am quite aware of any uneven wear… remember a few MM difference will mean one wheel covers more ground than the other driving wheel therefore you will get the car pull left or right ever so slightly.
edit2… The tyres I have had the worst luck with have been Goodyear Eagle F1 tyre … have had a couple of side wall failures and tread issues with them they grip like glue but for the reasons mentioned there a tyre I’m now avoiding.
Ordered the ones off the net, was later told the specific type is no longer made, and the replacements are on backorder with no ETA. I really don’t fancy phoning around looking to see if anyone has stock so I guess my best plan now is to replace the two fronts with something else, and do the spare swap on the worn one on rear.
I’m not too concerned about a little difference in depth, as in all the time I’ve lived in Swindon the near side has always worn out faster than the off side.
Right now I’m tempted to go down local place and get any (branded) things thrown on to keep going. CBA to spend much time on this.
10 years old and they plenty of tread still.