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Tyre wear mystery

About 4 years ago I fitted a set of Conti premium contacts to my wife's Toyota Yaris 1.3 and a set of the same my Focus 2.0 TDCi.

My Focus is very heavy on the front end and I tend to drive it "enthusiastically". I got 20k miles out of the fronts before replacing them with the same which also lasted 20k.

The Yaris is quite light and my wife drives like nun. The fronts are now down to 2.5mm and she has only done 10k miles. The wear is even across both tyres so its unlikely to be due to bad setup.

So how come her tyres have worn out twice as quick as mine given the difference in the cars and they way we drive them? The only thing I can think of is that I go through a set of fronts in a year and she takes four years. Perhaps they wear quicker as they get older? I must remember to check her odometer out against the satnav to make sure her milage is correct but I think that's very unlikely.

Reply to
Paul Giverin
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Could be the geometry of the Yaris is just plain poor.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I bet you're a much smoother driver than she is. Smoothness can really extend the life of your tyres - think Button vs Vettel tyre wear rates in F1. Not that your missus is Vettel, but that's the best analogy I could come up with.

Reply to
SteveH

If she more steering input at parking speeds, that can easily account for it. Rubber scrubs off quickly in those conditions.

John

Reply to
John Henderson

In message , SteveH writes

That is possible I suppose. And the extra front end weight of my car is offset by the wider tyres which may result in a better weight/contact patch ratio.

OT: looking forwards to the race on Sunday. Spa is without doubt the best car circuit in the world.

She does have a spattering of German and she does whinge a bit when she doesn't get No.1 status but her performance in traffic gives the game away ;)

Reply to
Paul Giverin

That's possible. 95% of her driving is in town whereas most of my driving is on open roads.

Reply to
Paul Giverin

But presumably has narrower tyres, and a smaller diameter.

IME Conti Premiums wear quite quickly (on twisty roads); I think you've done well to get 20k with enthusiastic driving in a FWD 2.0 TD. How much motorway driving in there?

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

Yes that's right

On the first set that I had on the Focus, it was mainly a daily 70 mile round trip dual carriageway run. Same for most of my second set.

Even so, 10k miles on a Yaris isn't great.

Reply to
Paul Giverin

Paul Giverin wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giverin.adsl.co.uk:

Are you sure she is releasing the handbrake? Or rallys when you not about?

Reply to
Tunku

One thing I've noticed some women do, is steer when stationary. I suppose if you did enough of it, the wear would even itself out.

Andy C

Reply to
Andy Cap

In message , Tunku writes

Now you mention it, Snetterton circuit is only 8 miles up the road. She's probably taking the Yaris up there for track days when I'm at work.

Reply to
Paul Giverin

That probably explains it then. She'll be accellerating, stopping, and turning more, so even if you do all that harder, there's less of it.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

Swap them to the back and you'd be looking at 6 years' wear from a set of Contis. You can't complain about that...

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

I can tell that you are a "glass is half full" sort of guy ;)

Reply to
Paul Giverin

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