Tire Tread Life?

[pioneervato]

I just replaced my Michelin LTX M/S P265/70R-17 tires on my '04 Chevy Avalanche that were put on October of 2008. I had picked up a screw several weeks ago and so I developed a very slow leak and thought it was time to take it in to get it fixed. I also knew, going in, that I had put a lot of miles on the Michelins and would be due for some new rubber.

My sales rep for Discount Tire went out to look the tires over and came back with a big grin on his face and asks me if I knew how many miles I had on the tires. I told him a couple thousand at least. He laughed and said "how about almost 71,000 miles?" Then I said just pull the screw out and patch her up and I should be good for at least another 5-10K!

Well, I knew it was time and so I had a brand new set of Yokohama Geolandar H/T-S tires put on.

Seriously, I know I could have gotten another 5k out of my Michelins. Until the slow leak occurred with the screw I never had a flat or an issue with the Michelins. What a great tire but I saved about $350 by going with the Yokohamas with a 60K tread life warranty. I know they also have a good reputation. Will they stack up to my Michelins? I guess time will tell. If not, then I will go back to Michelins as I have done in the past.

So, what is the most miles you have gotten out of a set of tires?

 

[mhardy6647]

Susan's 2005 Escape Hybrid came with Continental Eco-something-or-other low rolling friction, high-pressure tires. They were noisy (sang like the tires on big ol' 18-wheelers) but lasted 110,000 miles. By the time we needed new tires (last year), the originals were out of production?! We bought a set of Michelins; cut gas mileage by several percent but they are much, much quieter.

The low-profile Michelin radials that came on our 1998 Windstar Limited (16" wheels; big for those innocent times) lasted 75,000 miles.

 

[skippy_ps]

Nothing like that here. Goodyear RTS, GSA or Wranglers on the suv's I've owned were good for about 20 to 25k. Worn down to those little wear-bar thingies.

Murray

 

[Fisherdude]

Nothing like that here. Goodyear RTS, GSA or Wranglers on the suv's I've owned were good for about 20 to 25k. Worn down to those little wear-bar thingies.

Murray

You need to stop sliding around corners. Or put more than 25 psi in them.

 

[hardrock94]

Tire wear is going to depend on how well you take care of them. It's all about keeping them aired up to proper inflation. Wheel alignment,and balance.
A lot of factors in how long of tread life you'll actually get. A 50,000 mile tire will wear out in 10,000 miles if not taken care of properly....:yes:

 

[Jailtime]

I have Michelin Energy MXV4 (I think) on my STS right now. Over 40K, still have some good life left in them. I drive hard on rural highways too.

Think I'll try some Michelin Pilot Sports next time.

 

[Cactus Bob]

I had 55k on my Michelin Pilots on my Sonata. Just purchased a new set last week. They are worth the extra bucks! Love the handling!

 

[skippy_ps]

You need to stop sliding around corners. Or put more than 25 psi in them.

I keep them aired up on the Mountaineer to 28-30 psi and check them once a month. I have maybe 4 tire gauges so I know they're close. Alignment is ok with the exception of maybe a little too much negative camber on the rf but not enough to make a big issue. I always make sure the balance is spot on.

I think it has something to do with the hot weather here (although Vato's weather is about the same) and, uhhh, I don't know what else. Not very much hot rodding in the Mountie, lol.

Murray

 

[mhardy6647]

My 2000 Focus ZX-3 came with some sort of Goodyear Eagle tires that lasted about 25,000 miles. I replaced them two or three times with the exact same kind of tires until I wised up and tried different tires

 

[whoaru99]

I just replaced my Michelin LTX M/S P265/70R-17 tires on my '04 Chevy Avalanche that were put on October of 2008. I had picked up a screw several weeks ago and so I developed a very slow leak and thought it was time to take it in to get it fixed. I also knew, going in, that I had put a lot of miles on the Michelins and would be due for some new rubber.

My sales rep for Discount Tire went out to look the tires over and came back with a big grin on his face and asks me if I knew how many miles I had on the tires. I told him a couple thousand at least. He laughed and said "how about almost 71,000 miles?" Then I said just pull the screw out and patch her up and I should be good for at least another 5-10K!

...So, what is the most miles you have gotten out of a set of tires?

I have the same tires on my truck, albeit 16" instead of 17". They've been on the truck so long I don't remember when they were put on nor how many miles are on them. My estimate is 80,000+ miles, as for some reason 120,000 miles sticks in my head and the truck now has 203,000+ miles on. The tires still have quite legal, usable tread. Problem is, they're so old that they're fairly weathercracked on the sidewalls but they just won't wear out.

Edit: Just looked at the truck, mine are not LTX M/S but are the LTX A/T.

 

[gearhound]

I would regularly get 50K+ on a set of Cooper Tires.

Steve

 

[pioneervato]

I have run with many major brands and by far Michelin has always held up the best. I have never had tires last 70K, often the effect of UV from the sun tends to shorten the life span of tires in this dry and wicked heat. Yeah, tire rotations, proper inflation, and driving habits all weigh in towards tire longevity but this is the first time I have ever had a set of tires last me this long. I would say that my average has been around 40K. Dry rot will usually take it's toll around here many times over before the tread wears out as it did on the set of Goodyear tires I had on them previously.

And of all the tires I have run on my vehicles (mostly trucks) I have had the worst luck with BF Goodrich. They went through a phase of tread separation issues with several of their LT series and I have never used their tires again since then.

 

[skippy_ps]

The new "advice" is to replace tires after 5 years due to the increased possibility of tread separations. Probably makes sense and even more so operating a vehicle in the desert.

I've never had a tread come off a tire but they can really do a lot of damage when they come loose. Inexperienced drivers can panic and either slam on the brakes or jerk the steering wheel and end up hanging upside down by their seat belts.

So, I sorta change mine after 5 years or so, regardless of tread left. Perhaps more important for those with family members that drive these cars.

Murray

 

[RichPA]

My 2000 Focus ZX-3 came with some sort of Goodyear Eagle tires that lasted about 25,000 miles. I replaced them two or three times with the exact same kind of tires until I wised up and tried different tires

Our 2000 Focus ate tires, too. On the other hand, our Altima got almost 60K on the original tires before we picked up a nail in the sidewall.

 

[Rodzilla]

i put a set of michelin harmony's on my civic last fall..they cost a little more than many,but they come with an insane tread life rating,which is easily believable when you look at the depth of the tread on a new set..they're a good tire in about every way one measures,as i said the cost is a little more,but tires really are one of those things in life where you get what you pay for...

i had a cheap set of Falken's on my car prior to the michelins...they were just plain wore out in about 20k kilometers...they were cheap,but not near cheap enough to justify that,i don't put a lot of miles on my car,but 20k is yearly replacement or better for most folks...

 

[whoaru99]

My 2000 Focus ZX-3 came with some sort of Goodyear Eagle tires that lasted about 25,000 miles. I replaced them two or three times with the exact same kind of tires until I wised up and tried different tires

Goodyear "Eagle" tires are generally a performance tire with softer tread compounds. Relatively short life is not unexpected.

 

[tobyj17]

At work we run Michelin on our semis. If the driver practices good driving habits we can get about 450-475k out of a set of drive tires. Good years you are lucky to get to 300k. Of course that's on a big truck..but still the same brand of tire.
Not related to car tires at all, but when it comes time to change tires we are able to sell the tires back to a vendor to get re-capped. Some won't even take good years.. but they'll pay between 60-70 bucks for a good michelin. They'll put the same tread design back on them, and we are able to get another 400k out of them. Very good tires!

I had a set of coopers on my car, and i was able to get around 50k on them. Dealing with a ton of tires i can say that good years are just that.. you can get one good year out of them...never had good luck with them at all.

 

[Bstable]

Tire wear is going to depend on how well you take care of them. It's all about keeping them aired up to proper inflation. Wheel alignment,and balance.
A lot of factors in how long of tread life you'll actually get. A 50,000 mile tire will wear out in 10,000 miles if not taken care of properly....:yes:

+1 :thmbsp:

I have a 2001 Toyota Tundra (265/70/R16 tires) I am now on the hunt for my FIRST set of replacement tires. Since it is mostly a work truck, I only put 4k-5K a year on this vehicle. Only 48,000 on the original Bridgestone duelers, and they still have plenty of tread left, but I know the rubber is past its prime...UV WILL take its toll sooner or later.

Anyway I have been reading up on tires and reveiws. You have to read between the lines of some reviews!!! Some reviewers have said that my Bridgestones are crap, and that they only got 22,000 miles on their set. I find that hard to believe, but the way I see people drive it might not be suprising. You can't drive a 2+ ton vehicle like your Civic. Some buy HT tires (meant for Highway type Travel) and then use them for semi off-road. Can't understand why they didn't hold up. :scratch2:

I am looking for a 65,000 mile tire that comes in under $150 per tire, and have considered the Pep Boys Dakota HT (made by Cooper) I got a quote of $600 installed as they have a buy 3 get 1 free offer. I am very easy on tires, and have always got 60,000+ on any set that I've bought...I don't buy the most expenive by any means either. I think how you drive/maintain a tire is more important than thinking you can abuse a supposedly well built tire.

Just my .02

 

[whoaru99]

I think how you drive/maintain a tire is more important than thinking you can abuse a supposedly well built tire.

Just my .02

I think it depends on what you mean by that. If you mean run underinflated, do burnouts, etc. and have a tire still last a long time then I'd probably agree. However, I do think that some tires hold up better to road hazard stuff like potholes and such better than others.

Next time you're at a tire shop check the sidewalls of the cheaper tires compared to some of the more expensive ones. Some of those cheap tires have some really thin and flimsy feeling sidewalls.

 

[bigstereo]

The Goodyear Wrangler AT's that came on my '08 Silverado 1500 4 x 4 are almost wore out at 25K miles. I found out through experience that I need to use higher than specified air pressure in the tires on this truck due to it eating tire tread and the way I drive it. I keep em aired up around 40 psi and they seemed to stop wearing so fast. I had an alignment done when I put new Bridgestone Duelers on it and then had it rechecked about 6 months later. They said the alignment was dead on both times. I keep the Goodyears on steel rims for winter but will probably get some new winter tires this fall. I'm thinking Cooper.