Tire Life

[DITTRICH]

I lashed out on a tire tread depth gauge after glancing across the invoice for my new tires.
Assuming I had 7mm trade to start off with, my 205/60 R16 92V Hankooks are estimated (past actual plus estimated future to 1.6mm) to last 50,000 miles on front and 75,000 miles on rears.
I measured 3 points widthwise at 90 degrees and averaged the readings.
Given that I drive like a granny these days they seem to be lasting in spite of the fact they aren't a premium tire.
I'd be grateful for any indications that the lifetime isn't good. What lifetime can be expected on other tires?

 

[alabbasi]

Tire pressure has a lot to do with tire life and so does alignment, regular rotations and the condition of the road surface. The only thing that anyone can tell you is that you're not supposed to drive on them past 6 years. The rest requires optimism

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

New tread is 8mm

Tyre life averages somewhere between 40-50k, with some less, some more. (Duh, obvs)

I doubt that anyone can forecast accurately mileage variation between brands.

It’s braking which shortens life, not acceleration. In the real world few accelerate hard in day to day driving.

Watch the brake lights of cars in front and you’ll see many daft coves braking as they come up to predictable turns while others just ease off the Dino juice.

Legal minimum is 1.6mm but most will replace closer to 3.0, especially in the run up to Winter

.

 

[Kudly]

(8mm used to be standard at new, sadly many tyres - big names too - are now coming in at 7mm)

 

[Germgh0st]

Tyre life averages somewhere between 40-50k, with some less, some more. (Duh, obvs)
.

Really?

I changed my fronts at about 10k with about 2.5mm left and the rears at 12k with about 2mm left. On previous cars I've never had much more than 12k out of my tyres.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Really?

I changed my fronts at about 10k with about 2.5mm left and the rears at 12k with about 2mm left. On previous cars I've never had much more than 12k out of my tyres.

Yep, "some more, some less."

If you drive on your brakes, it'll be down to 10k, or less.

Google is your friend. Tyre resellers will suggest 20-40k - they have a business to make. Owners' groups will say more.

I'm quoting from tyre replacement histories I've seen on the, very heavy, V8's that I've owned.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

(8mm used to be standard at new, sadly many tyres - big names too - are now coming in at 7mm)

From Merityre:
How much tread do you get on a new tyre and how long does it take to wear down

 

[Germgh0st]

Yep, "some more, some less."

If you drive on your brakes, it'll be down to 10k, or less.

Google is your friend. Tyre resellers will suggest 20-40k - they have a business to make. Owners' groups will say more.

I'm quoting from tyre replacement histories I've seen on the, very heavy, V8's that I've owned.

I have never had tyres that lasted this long, 12k was the longest. Yes if I'd run them down to 1.6mm it might have been a little more but I don't think I'd reach even 20k. I'm a very proactive driver, yes I have my hooning about moments where I'm late braking, but generally I use engine braking to slow down. The figures quoted in the link you posted must surely be based on harder compound rubber than I normally buy.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I have never had tyres that lasted this long, 12k was the longest. Yes if I'd run them down to 1.6mm it might have been a little more but I don't think I'd reach even 20k. I'm a very proactive driver, yes I have my hooning about moments where I'm late braking, but generally I use engine braking to slow down. The figures quoted in the link you posted must surely be based on harder compound rubber than I normally buy.

Let's see if another C43 driver is prepared to comment.

Replacing tyres every 12-18 months seems curious.

 

[Germgh0st]

Let's see if another C43 driver is prepared to comment.

Replacing tyres every 12-18 months seems curious.

It was the same on my three previous Focus ST's - The rears lasted longer on those as they're not driven, I think about 15k before I felt the need to change them. But still 10-12k on the fronts.

In my case that's more than a year, I only do about 3 - 4k a year.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , My car has a Mercedes M276 with the 3.5 litre engine.

The car from new ran on Conti 5p and never achieved more than 7000 per set with tyres failing with plenty of treat on them.

I must say that the tyre company behaved honestly and gave me refunds for the failures.

My C207 is now shod with Goodyear Asi 5 and so far so good. My car is used in the Hereford / Worcester area or I might have acquired Michelin tyres.

My mate at the tyre dealer acquired brand new tyres ( year and month ) and took a couple days to arrive.

If I achieve 12000 miles I would be over the moon.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Tyre life averages somewhere between 40-50k, with some less, some more. (Duh, obvs)

I doubt that anyone can forecast accurately mileage variation between brands.

It’s braking which shortens life, not acceleration. In the real world few accelerate hard in day to day driving.

Watch the brake lights of cars in front and you’ll see many daft coves braking as they come up to predictable turns while others just ease off the Dino juice.

Legal minimum is 1.6mm but most will replace closer to 3.0, especially in the run up to Winter
.

Ahh....so you are one of them.....no Advance driving test for you!!.....How do the people behind know you are slowing down for that bend at all??....your brake lights of course.....accept of course that your wont be on.

Only joking....but my advanced instructor penalised me for doing that very thing...slowing without braking. It was a fair argument. Also of course using the brakes to slow down rather than the clutch or transmission means you are wearing the right parts.....brake parts are rather cheaper and easier to replace than clutches and auto gearboxes!!

And as for braking causing the tyre wear rather than accelaration....really?....so why so the rear tyres on RWD Mercs wear out in half the time the front tyres do when the fronts do 80% of the braking........?....probably the same reason by rear bike tyres last about 3000 miles and the fronts last 10,000......and I only use the rear brakes on the bike in the rain!!! Acceleration and aggressive cornering kills tyres....

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Ahh....so you are one of them.....no Advance driving test for you!!.....How do the people behind know you are slowing down for that bend at all??....your brake lights of course.....accept of course that your wont be on.
Only joking....but my advanced instructor penalised me for doing that very thing...slowing without braking. It was a fair argument. Also of course using the brakes to slow down rather than the clutch or transmission means you are wearing the right parts.....brake parts are rather cheaper and easier to replace than clutches and auto gearboxes!!
And as for braking causing the tyre wear rather than accelaration....really?....so why so the rear tyres on RWD Mercs wear out in half the time the front tyres do when the fronts do 80% of the braking........?....probably the same reason by rear bike tyres last about 3000 miles and the fronts last 10,000......and I only use the rear brakes on the bike in the rain!!! Acceleration and aggressive cornering kills tyres....

No advanced driving test for me because I passed both Advanced Driving Tests when I was 20. My point was that some people brake unnecessarily as they come to a predictable change of speed. That's not the same as braking into a fast corner so that you can accelerate out.

If you remember, "Roadcraft" said don't change down through the gears, to lose speed, use the brakes. That's a different point to just letting the car lose speed as you drop from 70 to 50, or as you pull up to a road junction.

Agreed that drive wheels show more wear, but most drivers are not accelerating anywhere near that hard. If your rear tyres are wearing out in half the time, you are an exception to the industry.

Google is our friend. Look at what the motoring associations and tyre fitters say. I'm just saying that THEY say a set of tyres in 10,000 miles is exceptional wear. I've worked with a lot of people doing high mileages: 40k or 50k was routine, and they weren't changing tyres every 3 months.

 

[DITTRICH]

Thank you all for the replies. I suppose that I ought to feel lucky that my tires are lasting so long. My behaviour behind the wheel leads me to believe that it is driving habits and "style" that determine tire wear as well as miles travelled. My rears are lasting much longer than the fronts. In my younger C230k days, I used to get through tires more quickly. Nowadays, I try to keep my acceleration and braking as stress free as possible.

 

[Will]

There’s just so many factors here that tyre wear measured in miles covered is almost pointless. You change them when they need changing, that’s it

Some tyres will wear better than others. For certain the Michelins on my GL are outlasting the Pirellis it came to me with by some margin.

It’s a bit like asking people how much they pay for insurance

Ask MB how many miles they get out of a set of tyres on their ‘ex demonstrator’ cars at Brooklands, you know the ones that are gently used around the little track

 

[Kudly]

From Merityre:
How much tread do you get on a new tyre and how long does it take to wear down

My post on new tyres coming with less than 8mm tread was based on searches which found many mentions on various forums but perhaps one should not trust forums ... here are four very quickly found:

New tyre tread depth ? | Wheels, Tyres, Brakes & Suspension
Tyre Depth Question...?
New Corolla tyre tread
Tread depth - new tyres

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

My post on new tyres coming with less than 8mm tread was based on searches which found many mentions on various forums but perhaps one should not trust forums ... here are four very quickly found:

New tyre tread depth ? | Wheels, Tyres, Brakes & Suspension
Tyre Depth Question...?
New Corolla tyre tread
Tread depth - new tyres

I mainly use/see Continentals on my Mercs and BMW’s, which come to me used with 8mm still on them.

I don’t know what happens with other brands.

The Broad issue here was how long tyres last and I’ve certainly “had” to replace tyres more than ten years old on cars that I’ve bought, and there’s plenty of discussion on here about “whether” to replace six year old tyres.

(I’m one of those dull coves who checks pressures and tread every other month.

But broadly,

 

[Will]

I’ve definitely had brand new Continental tyres with less than 8mm tread.

It depends on the tyre type and spec I guess, 8mm is not standard across the board.

 

[TC350]

Hi , My car has a Mercedes M276 with the 3.5 litre engine.

The car from new ran on Conti 5p and never achieved more than 7000 per set with tyres failing with plenty of treat on them.

I must say that the tyre company behaved honestly and gave me refunds for the failures.

My C207 is now shod with Goodyear Asi 5 and so far so good. My car is used in the Hereford / Worcester area or I might have acquired Michelin tyres.

My mate at the tyre dealer acquired brand new tyres ( year and month ) and took a couple days to arrive.

If I achieve 12000 miles I would be over the moon.

I have the same engine but in a W204. From new (11 years ago) I’ve been getting just over 20k miles per set of tyres, changing all four when the lowest reaches 3mm. I suspect that different driving styles have a significant influence on tyre wear, but I don’t hang around! So far I’ve had three different makes of tyres and seen no noticeable difference in longevity.

 

[190]

My post on new tyres coming with less than 8mm tread was based on searches which found many mentions on various forums but perhaps one should not trust forums ... here are four very quickly found:

New tyre tread depth ? | Wheels, Tyres, Brakes & Suspension
Tyre Depth Question...?
New Corolla tyre tread
Tread depth - new tyres

I'll throw in a measurement for Nexen Eco Blues at 7.4 mm when new
If you think 7mm is bad try Motorcycle tyres: Michelin M45's 5.75mm Front and 6.25mm Rear.

I know that one way tread depth can vary is speed rating. The same tyre can have a shallower new tread depth in higher speed ratings due to movement of deeper tread depths producing more heat. Speed ratings have tending to rise over the years which might explain reducing tread depths. Seems a good reason not to choose a higher speed rating than needed.