Marque specific forum nonsense

[KungFuPanda]

I’ve recently bought a very cheap 2007 VW Touareg. Currently got it at my mate’s garage for a bit of a suspension overhaul. I posted about this on a marque specific forum as a bit of a hello post from a newbie.

I also mentioned that I was going to fit two new front tyres and get the tracking done. One poster posted this to which I’ve not responded:

“ Note all 4 tyres must be identical - same make, same model, same tread pattern, same size and with no more than 3 mm tread depth difference between the front and rear axles.”

Now technically, this poster maybe correct. I’m well aware of the risks of diff wind etc etc but this is a £2500, 15 year old car. I’ll be damned if I’m sticking on a full set of new tyres when only the fronts need doing. Also, I’m not sure how true about the requirement for the same model and tread pattern is.

I’ve seen examples of such squinkiness on certain Porsche forums but didn’t expect it on a VAG forum. Or am I being a bit touchy because I’m currently in a bad mood?!?!

[Alorotom]

Manufacturer specific forums are full of over the top nerds who treat their cars, irrespective of age, as brand new (or like to make out that they do)

I’ve had all sorts of VAGs, of all drive train configurations and I always just kept the tyres on the axle the same. Lots of old wives tales about horror stories but very few first hand experiences from what I’ve seen.

[Swoxy]

Check the manual, they're trying to help - I encountered something similar with the original X3.

[anonymous-user]

Probably true.

Many years ago when the Volvo V70 AWD came out a mate bought one, he did quite a few miles in a short time with work etc. Fitted 2 new tyres and fairly soon after something in the AWD blew up.

Volvo repaired under warranty and they failed to mention the tyre differences. Within a month the same part blew up again and only then they told him it was his fault due to the front tyres being changed and they refused to repair again under warranty.

[sixor8]

Presumably the diff. There is such a thing as 'diff wind-up' if the tyres have grossly different amounts of tread but depends on if a car has an LSD or is permanently AWD and / or switchable. Unsure which I'm afraid, I'm sure there's info via Google, I haven't had a 4wd for donkeys.

[Tom4398cc]

The economy way to combat diff wind up is to drive on slippy surfaces regularly so that any wind up can easily unwind

[Alex_225]

Marque specific forums can vary quite a bit and you will get the techy over the top gimps.

I found a Merc forum to be overall pretty good and not too much of a clique. Other forums a bit annoying. I've actually found that groups that relate to cars that are a bit of an underdog seem to be less snobby. For example, the darling of the mini-hot-hatch world back in 2008/9 was the Fiat 500, the Twingo 133 which I own wasn't the go to model and in turn it seems many of the owners are a bit more laid back. There's no superiority complex as such.

[Dog Star]

I’ve found US forums to be full of mentallers - the sort who change their oil every 2000 miles and it MUST be original, as must the washer fluid etc. and if you don’t you’ll break your car. They always list what they’ve done to their cars in huge sig blocks - LED interior bulbs, hole cut in air box sort of thing.

[iphonedyou]

KungFuPanda said:

I’ve recently bought a very cheap 2007 VW Touareg. Currently got it at my mate’s garage for a bit of a suspension overhaul. I posted about this on a marque specific forum as a bit of a hello post from a newbie.

I also mentioned that I was going to fit two new front tyres and get the tracking done. One poster posted this to which I’ve not responded:

“ Note all 4 tyres must be identical - same make, same model, same tread pattern, same size and with no more than 3 mm tread depth difference between the front and rear axles.”

Now technically, this poster maybe correct. I’m well aware of the risks of diff wind etc etc but this is a £2500, 15 year old car. I’ll be damned if I’m sticking on a full set of new tyres when only the fronts need doing. Also, I’m not sure how true about the requirement for the same model and tread pattern is.

I’ve seen examples of such squinkiness on certain Porsche forums but didn’t expect it on a VAG forum. Or am I being a bit touchy because I’m currently in a bad mood?!?!

Squinkiness. Love that!

Marque specific forums attract weirdos. Avoid.

[Draxindustries1]

Your car may be £2k 15yr old car but the advice given is correct, it can cause damage with odd tyres.
Tbh though with a car this age and value, I wouldn't worry about it. There's likely enough wear in the drivetrain with enough slack to compensate for any slight difference in tyre dimensions and likely been run with odd tyres many times before your ownership anyway..

[Sheepshanks]

Dog Star said:

I’ve found US forums to be full of mentallers - the sort who change their oil every 2000 miles and it MUST be original, as must the washer fluid etc. and if you don’t you’ll break your car. They always list what they’ve done to their cars in huge sig blocks - LED interior bulbs, hole cut in air box sort of thing.

I was wondering if it was a US contributor but the OP said 3mm.

If it was a US forum they'd have suggested shaving (seriously) the new tyres.

In the US, though, they're mad on tyre rotation to even wear. It's unheard of here.

[gazza285]

This vehicle has a centre, a front, and a rear differential, how is wind up even possible?

[KungFuPanda]

Draxindustries1 said:

Your car may be £2k 15yr old car but the advice given is correct, it can cause damage with odd tyres.
Tbh though with a car this age and value, I wouldn't worry about it. There's likely enough wear in the drivetrain with enough slack to compensate for any slight difference in tyre dimensions and likely been run with odd tyres many times before your ownership anyway..

You’re right. I’m sure there’s a small chance mismatched tyres could cause damage but it was put across on the other forum as if it was gospel.

This is my station car so to speak. I’ll use it to go to the cash and carry and drive around town. I’d probably look at the situation differently if it were my other car. A newer Audi S8 which would probably make me cry if something seriously went wrong with that!

[993kimbo]

I went to a Porsche car meeting once and a bloke followed me on foot from the moment I drove in to where I parked and informed me I didn’t have N rated tyres on my car.

[Heaveho]

993kimbo said:

I went to a Porsche car meeting once and a bloke followed me on foot from the moment I drove in to where I parked and informed me I didn’t have N rated tyres on my car.

I was going to bring this up. One of the most pathetic crocks of cack regurgitated in motoring folklore, and sadly so often repeated as to have become something everyone believes. Except insurance companies, who, despite supposedly always looking for reasons to cause you a problem, have no issue with you not fitting them.

[carlo996]

S2KI....makes all other forums seem quite normal

[KungFuPanda]

Heaveho said:

993kimbo said:

I went to a Porsche car meeting once and a bloke followed me on foot from the moment I drove in to where I parked and informed me I didn’t have N rated tyres on my car.

I was going to bring this up. One of the most pathetic crocks of cack regurgitated in motoring folklore, and sadly so often repeated as to have become something everyone believes. Except insurance companies, who, despite supposedly always looking for reasons to cause you a problem, have no issue with you not fitting them.

Yep. Heard it all before with the Porches guys. That Bosch S5 battery will never pass the 111 point inspection…

[Sheepshanks]

gazza285 said:

This vehicle has a centre, a front, and a rear differential, how is wind up even possible?

I've always assumed the issue is that the car detects a difference in the front and rear rotation signals so it thinks a wheel is slipping and goes mad trying to correct it.

[sixor8]

Sheepshanks said:

I was wondering if it was a US contributor but the OP said 3mm.

If it was a US forum they'd have suggested shaving (seriously) the new tyres.

In the US, though, they're mad on tyre rotation to even wear. It's unheard of here.

Well, I do it. On FWD cars, the rear tyres can last so long, they start to perish before they're worn out, So I've switched front to rear more than once. Many owners manuals suggest doing it too.

[Sheepshanks]

sixor8 said:

Well, I do it. On FWD cars, the rear tyres can last so long, they start to perish before they're worn out, So I've switched front to rear more than once. Many owners manuals suggest doing it too.

Sorry, I meant unheard of in garages.