watching buyers of expensive replacement tires go into shock

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: hpb

I've commented before about the mileage you guys get out of tyres...seriously, you're disappointed at only getting 80,000km on a set of soft, sporty, tyres fitted to a front wheel drive turbo car? Your roads must be completely straight and made of polished glass or something - over here, I'd expect that car to be done with a set of tyres within 35-40,000km, which is what, around 25,000 miles. I wonder why there's such a vast difference in the Southern Hemisphere?


Seriously? I was being sarcastic. The tires I referred to are all seasons that I use as my winter tires.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan

Just kidding, but I think I'd like to try the 318ti on some skinny tires. I think it would be more fun on the street than the mazdaspeed3 with sticky steam roller tires. Slot car handling isn't all that fun, even with slot cars.


My ti came with 225/60-16 tires; I switched to 205/55-16 after talking with several CCA club racers who found that the 55 series tires provided more than ample grip. The ti and MS3 are both a lot of fun on the track; the ti is a momentum car- you screw up one corner and you pay for it the entire lap- or longer. In contrast, the MS3 rewards the classic "slow in-fast out" driving style- take a very late apex, point, and shoot.

 

[emg]

Originally Posted By: hpb
I've commented before about the mileage you guys get out of tyres...seriously, you're disappointed at only getting 80,000km on a set of soft, sporty, tyres fitted to a front wheel drive turbo car? Your roads must be completely straight and made of polished glass or something - over here, I'd expect that car to be done with a set of tyres within 35-40,000km, which is what, around 25,000 miles. I wonder why there's such a vast difference in the Southern Hemisphere?


I was always bemused by people talking about only getting 30-50,000 miles from a set of tires in North America, because I don't think I ever got more than 12,000 out of the tires on my X1/9s in the UK. As you say, it's probably because the roads here are straight--the trip to my girlfriend's parents' house is about 400 miles with only about half a dozen bends worthy of the name--whereas I was continually sliding the back wheels around corners in the UK.

 

[hpb]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: hpb

I've commented before about the mileage you guys get out of tyres...seriously, you're disappointed at only getting 80,000km on a set of soft, sporty, tyres fitted to a front wheel drive turbo car? Your roads must be completely straight and made of polished glass or something - over here, I'd expect that car to be done with a set of tyres within 35-40,000km, which is what, around 25,000 miles. I wonder why there's such a vast difference in the Southern Hemisphere?


Seriously? I was being sarcastic. The tires I referred to are all seasons that I use as my winter tires.


My bad then, I missed the sarcasm.

 

[MCompact]

I get @25,000-30,000 miles out of the summer rubber I fit to the MS3; ditto for the ti- but then both see the odd track day.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
My ti came with 225/60-16 tires; I switched to 205/55-16 after talking with several CCA club racers who found that the 55 series tires provided more than ample grip.

The overall diameter of 225/60-16 (26.6") is much larger than 205/55-16(24.9").

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: MCompact
My ti came with 225/60-16 tires; I switched to 205/55-16 after talking with several CCA club racers who found that the 55 series tires provided more than ample grip.

The overall diameter of 225/60-16 (26.6") is much larger than 205/55-16(24.9").


If it is a track car though that is equivelant to a gear change.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: MCompact
My ti came with 225/60-16 tires; I switched to 205/55-16 after talking with several CCA club racers who found that the 55 series tires provided more than ample grip.

The overall diameter of 225/60-16 (26.6") is much larger than 205/55-16(24.9").

I believe MCompact goofed on this one. His ti came with 225/50/16 tires from the factory, in which case 205/55/16 has about the same diameter.

 

[ccap41]

^ Ahhhhh that also makes sense

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

I believe MCompact goofed on this one. His ti came with 225/50/16 tires from the factory, in which case 205/55/16 has about the same diameter.


Exactly. Sorry about that.

 

[3for3]

It turns out that one of the people in the sales department at work drives a late model Range Rover Sport Supercharged SUV. She has 20" Unicorn tires on her SUV.

An $85 20" tire on a $80,000 luxury vehicle. And, she sports a few different Luis Vuitton, and Fendi handbags. Interesting.

I had to Google Unicorn tires in her cars size because I had never heard of a Unicorn tire. http://simpletire.com/catalog?select=1&a...0&width=275

 

[Claud]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: IndyIan

Just kidding, but I think I'd like to try the 318ti on some skinny tires. I think it would be more fun on the street than the mazdaspeed3 with sticky steam roller tires. Slot car handling isn't all that fun, even with slot cars.


My ti came with 225/60-16 tires; I switched to 205/55-16 after talking with several CCA club racers who found that the 55 series tires provided more than ample grip. The ti and MS3 are both a lot of fun on the track; the ti is a momentum car- you screw up one corner and you pay for it the entire lap- or longer. In contrast, the MS3 rewards the classic "slow in-fast out" driving style- take a very late apex, point, and shoot.


So you are one of the few who would notice the improvement in handling and grip, I wish you luck making the best of your cars cornering ability, as long as you do it on a track. But for most of us, we will only approach our cars limits in dire emergencies.

Claud.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: 3for3
It turns out that one of the people in the sales department at work drives a late model Range Rover Sport Supercharged SUV. She has 20" Unicorn tires on her SUV.

An $85 20" tire on a $80,000 luxury vehicle. And, she sports a few different Luis Vuitton, and Fendi handbags. Interesting.

I had to Google Unicorn tires in her cars size because I had never heard of a Unicorn tire. http://simpletire.com/catalog?select=1&a...0&width=275



Hahahaha I thought the term Unicorn Tires was an ironic statement.. apparently it is an actual brand.

Anyway, that is the thing that sickens me with people. They pay out the [censored] for a vehicle but, essentially, won't maintain it. If they are spending the bare minimum on tires you know dang well nothing else is being done other than oil changes. Heck, they probably hop down to the nearest speed lube and have dino 5w30 put in it.

I'm just glad I have pride in my own stuff.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: 3for3
It turns out that one of the people in the sales department at work drives a late model Range Rover Sport Supercharged SUV. She has 20" Unicorn tires on her SUV.

An $85 20" tire on a $80,000 luxury vehicle. And, she sports a few different Luis Vuitton, and Fendi handbags. Interesting.

I had to Google Unicorn tires in her cars size because I had never heard of a Unicorn tire. http://simpletire.com/catalog?select=1&a...0&width=275


I rode by a newish Lexus with Milerun tires on it the other day ago. Even my bikes have better tires.

 

[CKN]

These cars are either on leases for the most part-or bought used. When the vehicle comes in as a trade-many times the tires are shot and the dealer puts on the cheapest they can find.

Same thing with a lease, the "leasee" knows they will be returning the vehicle at some point, why spend a $1,000.00 on tires.

There is a method to the madness.....that you don't have to agree with.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: CKN
These cars are either on leases for the most part-or bought used. When the vehicle comes in as a trade-many times the tires are shot and the dealer puts on the cheapest they can find.


This. Sometimes it's the owners, sure. My Toyota Certified used Corolla came with dealer-installed [censored] tires, Telstar Weatherizer. I figured I'd run them for 25K but after 15K and nearly crashing a few times, I bought a new set of Michelin MXV4's (made easier by the lower price of small tires). The Michelin's weren't that great, but at least they didn't try to kill me every time the road was wet.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: CKN
These cars are either on leases for the most part-or bought used. When the vehicle comes in as a trade-many times the tires are shot and the dealer puts on the cheapest they can find.


This. Sometimes it's the owners, sure. My Toyota Certified used Corolla came with dealer-installed [censored] tires, Telstar Weatherizer. I figured I'd run them for 25K but after 15K and nearly crashing a few times, I bought a new set of Michelin MXV4's (made easier by the lower price of small tires). The Michelin's weren't that great, but at least they didn't try to kill me every time the road was wet.



The issue being that the MXV4's are not that great-but are recommended on here ignoring that fact. At least two of us on this board (in real life practice probably more) had real wet traction issues after the first 30,000 miles or so.

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: Claud
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: IndyIan

Just kidding, but I think I'd like to try the 318ti on some skinny tires. I think it would be more fun on the street than the mazdaspeed3 with sticky steam roller tires. Slot car handling isn't all that fun, even with slot cars.


My ti came with 225/60-16 tires; I switched to 205/55-16 after talking with several CCA club racers who found that the 55 series tires provided more than ample grip. The ti and MS3 are both a lot of fun on the track; the ti is a momentum car- you screw up one corner and you pay for it the entire lap- or longer. In contrast, the MS3 rewards the classic "slow in-fast out" driving style- take a very late apex, point, and shoot.


So you are one of the few who would notice the improvement in handling and grip, I wish you luck making the best of your cars cornering ability, as long as you do it on a track. But for most of us, we will only approach our cars limits in dire emergencies.

Claud.


Exactly correct. Bad weather traction is much, much more important that dry weather traction.

Tires can get crazy expensive. Have to watch that when you buy a vehicle.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: CKN
These cars are either on leases for the most part-or bought used. When the vehicle comes in as a trade-many times the tires are shot and the dealer puts on the cheapest they can find.


This. Sometimes it's the owners, sure. My Toyota Certified used Corolla came with dealer-installed [censored] tires, Telstar Weatherizer. I figured I'd run them for 25K but after 15K and nearly crashing a few times, I bought a new set of Michelin MXV4's (made easier by the lower price of small tires). The Michelin's weren't that great, but at least they didn't try to kill me every time the road was wet.

The issue being that the MXV4's are not that great-but are recommended on here ignoring that fact. At least two of us on this board (in real life practice probably more) had real wet traction issues after the first 30,000 miles or so.

While this was my least pleasing set of Michelin's ever, MY issue was the cheap tires were unfit for purpose, even during their first 10K miles. The MXV4's had more wet traction at 60K then the Telstar's ever had.

 

[CKN]

Glad that you are having good luck with the MXV4 tires. I drive very conservatively. It's a strange thing about how they can be good on one car....and absolutely terrible on another.