Michelin PS4 Non-RFTs woes

Michelin PS4 Non-RFTs woes

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RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Tuesday 12th December 2017
quotequote all
Had a new set of PS4s put on my 18" wheels in Oct 2016 to replace my OE Michelin PS2 runflats that were starting to crack on the sidewall due to age, even though they had around 4mm tread left. The mileage it had covered on those was just under 14,500 at replacement.

Went to collect the car today from my local BMW dealer who had just completed an annual oil service for me, and he reported that all tyres were at 5mm! That's a paltry 2,067 miles since new! Assuming original depths when new are 8mm, that means I've lost almost 50% of my rubber! yikes

The tread depths are evenly worn across all tyres, so can't blame suspension geometry. I certainly haven't changed my generally cautious driving style, so is this due to the rapidly deteriorating state of our roads, or are the non-runflats simply not as hard wearing as the runflats (by a country mile!)?


RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Tuesday 12th December 2017
quotequote all
Blaster72 said:
Have you measured them yourself?
No, I haven't. Only just got back indoors and needed a lie down after hearing that! ;-)
Will check tomorrow, but can't believe for a moment a main dealer would exaggerate the wear. Would they? laugh

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Tuesday 12th December 2017
quotequote all
liner33 said:
I dont think you can assume 8mm when new , I have heard from those that measure them when new that they are 6-7mm typically

A mate of mine has just taken 8500 miles to wear them from new to 2mm on the back of his rwd Skyline, thats not awful for a sports tyre
I wondered that too, but the BMW Service agent said "they're about half worn" when he pointed out the tyre specs to me from the vehicle health check sheet. They also sent me a video link footage shot by the workshop mechanic showing his chalk marks on the tyres with 3 sets of '5' scrawled across width of each tyre.

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Tuesday 12th December 2017
quotequote all
stevesingo said:
OP, I'm outraged for you! rolleyes
I'm outraged for me too.

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Tuesday 12th December 2017
quotequote all
Just checked my Invoice/Health check from the tyre fitters (Black Circles/ATS) last year, and as I had replaced the fronts 4 weeks and 14 miles before the rears were changed, they noted the fronts as having 7mm of tread. Assuming I have had inconsequential wear after driving only 14 miles, I can now safely assume the tread depths were 7mm when new.


So, not as bad as originally thought, but 1mm wear per 1K miles is a bit much nevertheless, especially when compared to almost 14,500 miles on 3 mm wear for the runflats. grumpy

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Thursday 14th December 2017
quotequote all
Thanks all. Sorry for late replying but been a bit hectic with Xmas and stuff. About to go away for a few days too.
For those who asked, my car is an 2008LCI E91 330i Auto. I've owned it since I got it from BMW as an AUC with one previous owner, and it had clocked up 8400 miles in 4.5 years. I changed the OE PS2 runflats to PS4 non-runflat last October at 14,500 miles with 5mm tread depth remaining. It has now covered 16,532 miles in total, with just over 2,000 since the PS4s were fitted.

As you can see, my mileage is extremely low, and I usually only take her out when I go on touring holidays, as I did twice this last year to Northumberland and N. Devon (from where I live near Croydon in Surrey). I have another old motor as a daily runabout/shopping trolley. Although I like to press on when on the motorway, my speed is never excessive, and I'm waaaay too old to be a hooligan! In short, I like to look after her, although I wouldn't use the word 'pamper'.

I thought I had my own tyre tread depth gauge, but I've searched high and low and cannot find it. rolleyes
I'll see if I can lay my hands on one in the next couple of days and hopefully report back then with more data. I sincerely hope that BMW's readings are incorrect, or I shall have to write to Michelin and/or Black Circles if other's mileages here are truly indicative of typical PS4 lifespans.

Nigel

RafflesNH

Original Poster:

107 posts

121 months

Friday 22nd December 2017
quotequote all
liquidfox said:
My PS4 tyres only had 6.5mm of tread on from new.
Have just had my brand new tyre tread depth gauge delivered, and have discovered that all 4 corners are reading just a fraction over 6mm each tyre. So much for the BMW dealership's claim of 5mm per tyre! What the hell were they using, a ruler? rolleyes

So with your stated 6.5mm when new, I guess that ~.5mm wear over the course of almost 2,500 miles (have just returned from a 350 mile round-trip up North) is not too shabby.

Many thanks for your input guys, and have a safe Xmas.
Nigel