Oil change interval

If you like having your tires matched, then tire rotation will cause them to all wear out at about the same time, so you can replace them with all of the same type of tire (instead of trying to match your remaining not worn out tires that may no longer be available).

Please, pleasem don't remind me! It would be cheaper to run the car on Beer if possible.

Andy Lee wrote

But some of the "designer" mineral waters on the supermarket shelves is even more expensive than their petrol :-)

Why? I don't get this. If the tyre is worn out replace it. What possible difference can it make putting a part worn tyre from the back of the car on the front? I'm no expert but I would guess having the best possible tyres on the wheels that steer the car would be the best bet.

Whats cheap about replacing the oil more frequently than the Car manufacturers intervals. Do you think that this will stop the engine wearing out more often?

The best tires should be mounted on the rear of your car.

If you are not driving very low distance (

The simple truth is that the tires tend to wear even and so last longer. Many tire stores will rotate and balance tires bought in their store at regular intervals for free. Driving on evenly worn and well balanced tires sure makes the car drive better. As the shop owner of the last place I bought tires said, "be sure and come back every 6,000 miles and let me rotate and balance your tires. They'll last longer, you'll like them more and that will make you buy your next set from me as well".

Smart business man.

Freddie

As the shop owner of the last place I bought tires said, "be sure and come back every 6,000

Here in the UK the front tyres on my Focus are down to the legal limit (1.6mm) within 10,000 miles. I wouldn't be going back many times, would I.....!

I guess this is down to the fact that not many roads here are straight for more than half a mile or so. Also, because of much higher traffic densities, there are many more traffic lights, roundabouts and other junctions than in the US. Nipping out smartly into a busy traffic stream must take its toll.

Getting back on topic, before my '99 Focus I owned two other Zetec engined cars. (Both Escorts). These only ever had oil changes at 10,000 miles. Both vehicles ran totally reliably up to 4 years old/80,000 miles. None of them have ever needed a single drop of oil to top up with between changes. I would say these longer intervals between changes are fine unless you regularly do trips less than 3 miles.

Chris

In message , Michael Heiming wrote

Surely not on a front wheel drive car? The fact that the front tyres wear faster than the rear suggests that the best tyres should be fitted to the front.

You must go like jensen Button- both sets of (4) tyres on my '00 Zetec have lasted 25k!! I dont hang about either.

Tim..

Ever heard of hydroplaning/aquaplaning? If the front wheels get out of control, not a big problem, but if the rear ones do, well you'll be skidding and be hardly able to get it back safely.

It doesn't matter what kind of car, the best tires belong to the rear, unless you live in a desert. You can try that with some small toy car and some tape on the front/rear to simulate no contact.

Nah you only think you go fast Tim :-) Seriously mine normally last around 20,000 as well. Chris must really give em some stick!!!

All this rotation stuff is bollocks Tires wear faster at the front and less at the rear. If you leave em on the back they will last a lot longer and just replace the fronts as and when. I could see if you were concerned about keeping the same tyre make and model all round but on cars like a focus I don't see this as a major problem

Not sure of the validity of your technical terminology Andy, but I agree

Chris

...and why in the hell would you not want the same make and model all around?

It looks as trashy on a focus as on any other car. I can't imagine a people noted for their love of motor cars and driving, thinking it's OK to have more than one make and model tire on a car. What's become of all that pride, the stiff upper lip and all that good stuff. Sir Reginald out for a spin in his MG with 2 or 3 different kinds of tires? What's this world coming too?

Freddie

Two things that may be an issue with mismatched tires:

1. With half-worn tires in front and new tires in back (assuming same make and model of tire), the front will grip better in dry conditions, while the back will grip better in wet conditions. Might make for some "interesting" handling characteristics. Different make and model tires may also grip differently.
2. It is possible that if you just keep changing front tires as they wear out (never moving the partially worn tires to the front), the rear tires may deteriorate due to age before you use up all of the tread, so you'll have wasted some of their tread life.

Being honest I really couldn't care less what make of tyre is on the wheel so long as it does the job, as for cosmetic purposes if you spend your time worrying what makers trade mark is moulded into the tyrewall then you have way too much time on your hands.

As a keen driver I'm more concerned with a tyres performance going around bends than what it looks like. Do you guys still paint the makers marking with white or gold paint? I'll leave that to the chaps who are more show than go :-)

You really want to watch those sterotypes old been they will catch you out one day :-)

Well it seemed like a good term at the time but maybe not. The comment lower down the thread about the rears perishing before being completely worn out has some validity, but I'm fairly sure no rear tyres I've ever had have ever experienced this problem they usually last around twice as long as the fronts and are never perished when replaced. It could be a problem in countries where exposure to the sun is more of a problem or in cars that have a very low annual mileage rate.

You mean Stereotypes? Who, me?

Freddie

Yep, I agree. Tyre rotation for a car you are going to keep really is bollocks. ESPECIALLY, all this bollocks about the best tyres should be on the back!! Who are these morons?

1. Tyre tread is there only to cope with water on the road.
2. Tyre tread is not necessary for acceleration, is the tyres slip while giving it some stick - so what, you know what you are doing.
3. You need very good water removal when breaking and cornering, and its the fronts that do all the braking and cornering. The back wheels just follow, that's why tyres on the back last longer than on the front.
4. And where is all the weight on a car - the front. Ever seen a car sinking in water - always front first.
5. Even on non ABS cars, it is never possible to lock the rear wheels. There is very little braking effect from the rear wheels as they lock up so easily, so why do you need tread?

So, starting with a new set of 4 tyres, I wait until the fronts are 2/3 rds worn at the front, then swap the fronts for the backs. This gives me a few more K miles when I end up with worn out backs, and 1/3 fronts. Then by 2 new fronts, and put the used fronts back on the back. When the backs get down 2mm, I buy 2 new for the fronts, and new the warn fronts to the back.

This is a great way to use the tyres to their fullest amount, while limiting tyre purchase to only 2. Give a try. 4 tyres at a time is too rich for me!

And how do I know when it is time to change the fronts? - When I go round a corner I know well, in the rain, at a particular speed, I can feel the front starting to slide.

And I wonder why UK TDCIs can do 12,500 UK miles before an oil change, and yet USA TDCIs can only do 5000 Km (2500 miles). Must be due to the low cost of oil products. If us in the UK were told to change the oil every 2500 miles, we would say to the car manufacturer 'get knotted' and they wouldn't sell a single car.

Uk costs would be about £18-20 for the oil plus £30-40 for the change if you paid someone to do it - I guess as I usually do it myself.

You in the USA should do the same thing.

So if the front wheels get out of control/aquaplane its not a problem? Would you like to explain how one controls a car with no steering.

Never heard of opposite lock? How do you think rally drivers control a car which is almost always skidding.