How long before new tyres reach optimum grip?

[GreenArrow]

I put some Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance tyres on my Mazda 6 at the start of the year. 500+ miles later and a little incident tonight where car started to push wide beyond the tyres grip at a not ridiculous speed makes me think they still aren't gripping to the max yet. I appreciate it was only a couple of degrees out there but the car Never understeered on the old Bridgestone in the dry. Just how long does it take to wear in tyres these days?

[GreenArrow]

BritishRacinGrin said:

TobyLaRohne said:

True, after 500miles it is rediculous, however you made a blanket statement saying its a myth and isnt it isnt necessary nowadays...which is bks, as I pointed out

In this thread it has been suggested that new tyres need running in for 'a couple of hundred miles' and that new tyres are exibiting a lack of grip due to release compound after more than five hundred miles. This is a myth. Unless you drive everywhere at eight tenths on the old tyres, you'll be able to drive on new tyres in exactly the same way as you drove on the old ones.

Nedzilla said:

Cold Tarmac,tyres and grit all over the place certainly won't help. Also it's not uncommon for old worn tyres to perform better in dry conditions than brand new ones.

This is the other thing. These Goodyears have replaced a tyre with a stiffer construction and probably less than 3mm tread remaining. The new tyres have a very flexible construction and 7mm tread- the tread surface is going to move about more relative to the wheel and this can feel like understeer.

Good points, thanks. Also I might get an alignment check. I've had a new dynamio damper fitted to the nearside front after the old one wore out which has slightly changed the balance of the car (for the better) and I wondered if perhaps the alignment might be out slightly now.