i get my tires rotated every 6 months yet despite that my service guy told me they're not wearing properly. could it be the wheel alignment or something about the tires (pressure?). tires are less than 3 years old and i put maybe half the miles per year as the average (12000/yr) person. how often should one get the alignment checked? the guy also said many places will do the alignment for a lot cheaper than them (my dealership) but warned against pep boys. are they generally not very good?
If your "service guy" is any good he can tell you what he thinks is the cause of wear. He's rotating the tires. Doesn't he check the pressure? OK, so he does and that's not the problem. What type of wear is it? Are the tires scalloped or worn on the inside or outside edges? Say, while it's up in the air why not check the tightness of the suspension at least for worn parts? And if the tire guy is merely a tire guy, he can call someone over for a brief look. Bottom line is you're not getting the service you need.
It is impossible to tell without details of how the tires are wearing, type of car, type of tire.
Be particularly careful if someone who charges big bucks for "alignments" tells you that you need one.
It would be nice to know what kind of car this is and what type of tires and how you drive. For example, heavy front wheel drive cars driven in twisty mountain areas by folks with heavy feet will tend to chew the outsides off the front tires in a few thousand miles.
Underinflation causes a very similar wear pattern in that the outsides of the tires tend to get worn. Difference is usually a more chewed look for fast cornering and that the outside edge tends to be worn more than inside.
Check your tire pressure AT LEAST once a month. Buy a guage and do not think of trusting the ones at the service station.
If your tire shop claims you have alignment caused wear, have a full four wheel alignment done. The dealer may be a bit more expensive but will usually do this by default.
Another good place to have alignment done is at a specialty alignment shop.
The worst places are Pep Boys, Sears, tire stores, chain stores, etc.
Another good place to look is the internet. Go look at your tires yourself and then head for Select the "Care & Tips" under "Care & Warranty" and then check your tires against the menus.
formatting link
also has a tire owners manual but you'll need Adobe Acrobat.
Or just head to the closest tire store and look at the pictures. Or ask your tire repair store to explain it to you and make a recommendation on fixing it.
Some cars need alignment every year, particularly if you drive on bumpy streets, hit curbs, etc. a lot.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.