Re: Dunlop Tyres.

A Rover 214 is not a heavy car but how do you use it?

If it is all low mileage town work the power steering will crucify the tyres.

The same goes if the tyre pressures are not checked and adjusted properly.

Finally, how aggressively do you drive?

Currently on 24k on a VW Bora TDi for the fronts, although they're now down to 2mm. They are Conti EcoContacts. Apparently a record, according to Mr Kwik-Fit...

Phil

I don't think that in general you can say that any one brand of tyre is good/bad for any particular characteristic. It is down to the individual tyre model and how it is used. Within any brand there will be tyres for high performance driving, which stick like glue but wear quickly, or tyres built for low noise, high mileage, low price etc. etc.. You really need to research the market.

I recently replaced the rear OEM Yokohama A028 tyres for the first time on my Nissan 200SX, after 48,000 miles. I'm still on the original front tyres, which have around 3mm left across the centre 3/4 of the tyres. Nearly all of this mileage has been on motorways so I would expect very good mileage on a car with well set up tracking/suspension.

I replaced them with top spec 205 55 R 16 91W Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3s for £83 each, fitted, from

My girlfirends VW Golf TDi has just had hers replaced after 25,000 miles and the garage said they had tread left. That seems high to me and we have a long journey to do, hence getting them done now.

The really strange thing is that she drives the thing damn fast!

crucify

answer seems to be, Driving about 3500 miles a year, Town work must get them replaced Peter.

That kind of usage is definitley your problem .

I was shckoed when the Michelins on my first FWD car were worn out @ 13k - so I drove very carefully on the replacments - same thing. Mostly town driving

Later on, had a Cavalier - initially town-type driving, could get 13k with care. Then changed jobs, motorway commuting - 40 - 50k! Fantastic difference - same car, same driver.

Probably means you corner too quickly ;)

Seems rather low. I got 16,000 from my Pirelli P6000s on my 216. Are they wearing evenly? Perhaps you need to get the alignment checked to make sure they're not wearing prematurely

So far my Camac tyres on my Xantia have done 35K mostly motorway miles, 4mm of tread left accross the central 3/4 of the tyre, although the shoulders are a little bald.

I swapped the tyres front to rear 20k miles ago, since the rears hadn't seemed to have worn at all where as the fronts looked like they were going to need replacing imminently.

It's looking very much like all 4 tyres need replacing now, since the shoulders are so worn now. May be a sign of underinflation or maybe its the way I drive...

-- James

Well . . . how long's a piece of string? It depends on how the car is driven, what road surfaces, and what speed and load.

Town driving is hard on tyres in terms of miles, but in terms of years, you've managed approximately three years from the tyres, so that's not too bad, all up. It's hard because of constant velocity changes, i.e. speed and direction.

Motorway driving is comparitively easier on tyres (fewer changes in velocity), so your mileage can vary.

Some cars are notably heavy on tyres, the Rover 600 being one. The Fiat Cinquecento is light on tyres.

Typically, low rolling resistance tyres tend to last longer, whereas sportier tyres sacrifice longitivity for performance, and so last for less miles. I did quite a bit of nerdy research on tyres when Kermit's were due for renewal, which you can check out on my site (although as I write this, the update is b*ggered so it might look a bit . . . strange).

Just replaced my fronts, so now Conti Sport Contact II all round - they seem to be lasting well so far but initial turn in is astonishing - car felt twitchy at first but is dead stable hands-off, just way more responsive to steering input!

Underinflation if both shoulders worn, I would say.