At what tread depth do YOU replace your tyres?
- Thread starter bledd
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
It doesnt depend at all, did you not read what I said? Here is a worked example.
Example A: Buy 2 tyres at once
Month 1: Car arrives with 4 new tyres.
Month 24: Car needs 2 new front tyres. Buy them at £100 each.
Month 36: Car needs 2 new rear tyres. Buy them at £100 each.
Total expenditure on tyres: £400
Example B: Rotate and buy 4 at once.
Month 1: Car arrives with 4 new tyres.
Month 12: Rotate tyres
Month 24: Rotate tyres (and put money in the bank you didnt spend on tyres this time)
Month 36: Car needs 4 new tyres. Buy them at £100 each.
Total expenditure on tyres: £400
See? Overall it doesnt change the cost, because it can't do, you are still using tyres at the same rate overall.
relativity again... that's why there is a legal minimum tread depth. Maybe it could be upped from 1.6mm to 3mm, but would that would solve the issue of cheap hard compound tyres?
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Soldato
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Yeah only difference is when you sell, if you happen to have all four close to worn and don't replace you might save a bit over the fact you haven't replace two. No great odds.
Soldato
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Going to ask a potentially stupid question, but is there massive disadvantage to making tyres start with a deeper tread?
Too much lateral movement in the tyre on corners? Or similar?
Do they all start with 10mm?
Too much lateral movement in the tyre on corners? Or similar?
Do they all start with 10mm?
[TW]Fox;24714866 said:
Indeed, that's why I generally change 2 at a time
its not such a big dent in the wallet in one hit.Anywhooo, I digress, here's a vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2c9Ry0JfMw
Indeed, that's why I generally change 2 at a time
It's like trying to explain this to a brick wall!
You simply put aside the money you would have spent on 2 tyres. So its there for when you need to replace all 4.
You are buying 4 at once but you are buying them LATER than you would if you bought 2. So when you reach the point at which you'd have bought 2, but the money aside. Bingo, 'big hit' mitigated.
relativity again... that's why there is a legal minimum tread depth. Maybe it could be upped from 1.6mm to 3mm, but would that would solve the issue of cheap hard compound tyres?
Not really though, in terms of aquaplaning resistance, compound has no relevance, tread pattern and depth is everything.
whilst that is technically correct, a tyre needs to perform well in all conditions, and when the tyre eventually hits the road after a few seconds it will grip again. when it grips it needs to retain stability.
There's a lot of complex physics involved. None of which I claim to fully understand.
Here's a cheesy video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFLQU17e31M
Depends what type of car I have at the time. If its something sporty where I can justify paying "top dolla" for the best tyres then I can also justify changing them at 3mm. If its something normal where I can't justify it and I am just using midrange tyres then ill just do it when their approaching the legal limit.
Generally tyres with high tread have higher rolling resistance too. That gives a mpg penalty. I've seen a site recently that seated a 20% more rolling resistance than a more worn tyre. That equates to a few mpg.
This. Nearer 2 than 3mm, but I'd never go below 2mm.
Just replaced my fronts as they were getting near to 2.0mm (2.1 -2.3mm all around on my tread level indicator)
I read in some tyre test and saftey articles that the ability to stop well when it is wet starts to diminish a lot after a tyre is worn down to 3mm and less and under 2mm its pretty damn dodgy!
Seen as we live in the UK and i like chucking my VRS around the twisties on my regular work journey, i didnt fancy going down to the tread indicator.
It also means i have PS3's all round so all four are matching now
got a great deal on the Michelins as well due to the £50 fuel voucher they were doing with them a few months ago. Bought them in advance to take advantage of that 
I read in some tyre test and saftey articles that the ability to stop well when it is wet starts to diminish a lot after a tyre is worn down to 3mm and less and under 2mm its pretty damn dodgy!
Seen as we live in the UK and i like chucking my VRS around the twisties on my regular work journey, i didnt fancy going down to the tread indicator.
It also means i have PS3's all round so all four are matching now
got a great deal on the Michelins as well due to the £50 fuel voucher they were doing with them a few months ago. Bought them in advance to take advantage of that
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Whilst we're on the topice of tires is anyone doing a particularly good all round price on fitted tyres at the moment? I'm looking for 4 x Pirelli Scorpion Zero Asymmetrics at 235/55 R17 V and so far Black Circle are best at a depressing £150 a piece. In the Berkshire/oxford/west London area
Soldato
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I wait until mine are exactly 1.45673mm before replacing.
Or until they're worn out.
Or until they're worn out.
As with anything it's relative..
According to pirelli.com ....road car tyre which displaces around 10 litres a second at regular road speeds.
Presumably that road tyre had ~6mm tread. If that same road tyre had 1mm tread, well I'm no physicist but...
The car would probably still scoot across. The trouble is when you hit it off center irrespective of tread, and we get big puddles here sometimes which can be deceptive. When I've driven on very low tread tyres I would typically have to drive very cautiously in the wet and try not to venture far. They're even more fun in the snow.
It's much nicer with new tyres of course, but I wish we could relax the rules during heat waves. \o/
Caporegime
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Just replaced my aging Contisport 3 on the rear at about 2-2.5mm because it was hairy in the last couple of heavy storms with lots of standing water on the M1.