when do you replace your worn tyres?
Discussion
steveo3002 said:
Sheepshanks said:
For me it would depend on what car they're on, what sort of journeys you do and what your weekly mileage is.
Also whether they're a common size so you could change them in a hurry if necessary.
mk1 focus , lots of filthy back roads, does a fair few miles maybe 1000 a month, common size so could change em anytime reallyAlso whether they're a common size so you could change them in a hurry if necessary.
Keep an eye out on the medium term weather forecast and look out of deals on tyres.
OTOH you could just change them and forget about it.
Road cars I generally change around 3mm ish. Its not worth taking the risk.
On our heavies which never see more than 55mph we re groove at c.3mm to c.10mm. (legal limit 1mm)
Leaves plenty of headroom and saves quite a lot of money when you are dealing with vehicles with £2500+ worth of tyres for a set.
On our heavies which never see more than 55mph we re groove at c.3mm to c.10mm. (legal limit 1mm)
Leaves plenty of headroom and saves quite a lot of money when you are dealing with vehicles with £2500+ worth of tyres for a set.
Don Veloci said:
Is that little wear marking built into the tread set around 1.6mm? 
It's supposed to be at 1.6mm, but I've had fast-fit places measure tyres on company lease cars as 3mm when worn flush to the tread wear indicators. Lease companies will only change at 2mm, so once someone has said "3mm" you've got a right battle on your hands. And trying to judge the right point when you're sometimes doing 1000 miles a week is a right pain.
Hassle with tyres was one of the reasons I opted out of company cars and got my own car.
Just getting around to changing my front's (having them fitted tomorrow). They were down to roughly 2mm but were originally on the rears so virtually no wear from when I swapped over in September. Will be nice to have x4 new tyres fitted as I was unhappy with the ditch-finders the garage fitted!
I normally change at around 2.5mm, although depending on the time of year I'll go earlier ot later. Coming into summer I'll hold them until 2.0mm, if its winter coming Ill change early, or do what I did this year which was fit the winters a month early and fit new tyres in the spring.
Sheepshanks said:
Don Veloci said:
Is that little wear marking built into the tread set around 1.6mm?
It's supposed to be at 1.6mm, but I've had fast-fit places measure tyres on company lease cars as 3mm when worn flush to the tread wear indicators. Lease companies will only change at 2mm, so once someone has said "3mm" you've got a right battle on your hands. And trying to judge the right point when you're sometimes doing 1000 miles a week is a right pain.
Hassle with tyres was one of the reasons I opted out of company cars and got my own car.
steveo3002 said:
reason i ask ..got 4 michelins with between 3-4mm , sensible head says new ones would be nice what with winter and all that , my wallet is saying run them a bit longer
I've started selling mine when they get to about this. Surprisingly easy to sell. I got £100 for 4 G'Year F1's I took off an Impreza not so long ago and put that towards the new ones. My thinking was that before long they'll be scrap so why not raise a few quid and buy the new ones a little bit earlier. I try and avoid going below 3mm.Chap that bought them was taking his new ones off his car before it was sold.
I had a main dealer give me an advisory on an MOT for 4.5mm!
When I change them depends on who is regularly in the car, if it is just me (the daily driver hardly ever has anyone else in it) I start thinking about it at about 3mm, then change at about 2-2.5mm or sooner if I see a decent offer. If the car regularly is full of the family I replace them sooner.
When I change them depends on who is regularly in the car, if it is just me (the daily driver hardly ever has anyone else in it) I start thinking about it at about 3mm, then change at about 2-2.5mm or sooner if I see a decent offer. If the car regularly is full of the family I replace them sooner.
ash reynolds said:
I've started selling mine when they get to about this. Surprisingly easy to sell. I got £100 for 4 G'Year F1's I took off an Impreza not so long ago and put that towards the new ones. My thinking was that before long they'll be scrap so why not raise a few quid and buy the new ones a little bit earlier. I try and avoid going below 3mm.
Chap that bought them was taking his new ones off his car before it was sold.
I always wondered who bought used tyres, especially that worn. I guess it only works if buyer and seller are local - it can't be worth shipping them.Chap that bought them was taking his new ones off his car before it was sold.
Mind you, my loaded BIL bought a couple of used tyres to put on his lease car before it went back.
GrizzlyBear said:
I had a main dealer give me an advisory on an MOT for 4.5mm!
At about the same level I got a call from the VW dealer servicing one of our cars telling me the tyres were worn close the European legal limit of 3mm.Apparently "European legal limit" means the advisory German limit - someone has probably told the thicko service receptionists that it applies because the car is German!
The car doesn't go to the dealer any more.
Sheepshanks said:
It's supposed to be at 1.6mm, but I've had fast-fit places measure tyres on company lease cars as 3mm when worn flush to the tread wear indicators.
Lease companies will only change at 2mm, so once someone has said "3mm" you've got a right battle on your hands. And trying to judge the right point when you're sometimes doing 1000 miles a week is a right pain.
Hassle with tyres was one of the reasons I opted out of company cars and got my own car.
Yes I have tyres with both 1.6 and 3mm tread wear indicators, UK and European I think.Lease companies will only change at 2mm, so once someone has said "3mm" you've got a right battle on your hands. And trying to judge the right point when you're sometimes doing 1000 miles a week is a right pain.
Hassle with tyres was one of the reasons I opted out of company cars and got my own car.
gavgavgav said:
Yes I have tyres with both 1.6 and 3mm tread wear indicators, UK and European I think.
Never seen that. Winter tyres have a set at 4mm - they cease to qualify as winter tyres where required by law when worn to that level.ETA: Just Googled it and apparently Continental are introducing 3mm "summer" treadwear indicators, marked with a raindrop. That's going to cause some hassle.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Friday 27th November 00:28
ash reynolds said:
I've started selling mine when they get to about this. Surprisingly easy to sell. I got £100 for 4 G'Year F1's I took off an Impreza not so long ago and put that towards the new ones. My thinking was that before long they'll be scrap so why not raise a few quid and buy the new ones a little bit earlier. I try and avoid going below 3mm.
Chap that bought them was taking his new ones off his car before it was sold.
Buyer says..."needs new tyres mate,that's £500 off the price"..Chap that bought them was taking his new ones off his car before it was sold.
If my last tyre change is anything to go by, then i change my tyres directly after the mechanics at my local VW dealership refuse to drive the car because the inside edge of the tyres have worth through the wire and are exposing the inner layer beneath.... 
But generally speaking, at 2mm or thereabouts - and i now check the WHOLE tyre, not just the bits i can see easily...
The 370Z got two new rears at slightly over 2mm there last month.
But generally speaking, at 2mm or thereabouts - and i now check the WHOLE tyre, not just the bits i can see easily...
The 370Z got two new rears at slightly over 2mm there last month.
Edited by daemon on Friday 27th November 09:02
GroundEffect said:
Usually the first thing that makes me want to change is grip level in the wet when accelerating. If the TCS kicks in, or if I feel slip, where I'd previously not, then I'd estimate they're on the way out and get them changed.
This is happening at the moment on my M3 and they are around 2.0mm tread left on the Pilot Sport 2s. They're getting changed on Saturday to Super Sports.
^ This.This is happening at the moment on my M3 and they are around 2.0mm tread left on the Pilot Sport 2s. They're getting changed on Saturday to Super Sports.
gavgavgav said:
Sheepshanks said:
It's supposed to be at 1.6mm, but I've had fast-fit places measure tyres on company lease cars as 3mm when worn flush to the tread wear indicators.
Lease companies will only change at 2mm, so once someone has said "3mm" you've got a right battle on your hands. And trying to judge the right point when you're sometimes doing 1000 miles a week is a right pain.
Hassle with tyres was one of the reasons I opted out of company cars and got my own car.
Yes I have tyres with both 1.6 and 3mm tread wear indicators, UK and European I think.Lease companies will only change at 2mm, so once someone has said "3mm" you've got a right battle on your hands. And trying to judge the right point when you're sometimes doing 1000 miles a week is a right pain.
Hassle with tyres was one of the reasons I opted out of company cars and got my own car.
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