Tips for knackering my tyres quickly

[Vertigo]

Strange request but bear with me...

Popped into KF today to get them to check my front tread depth, as I've lost my own gauge thingumy. Front left is at 2mm and the front right is 3mm.

Now the lease company will only authorise replacement tyres when they get to 2mm or under. The guy said he could replace the front left there and then and then replace the right when it wears down. I said I didn't want that doing as I'd not be keen on having a brand new tyre on one side and only 2-3mm on the other for a while, especially as I'm off to Germany in a few weeks, so I left it.

What I need to do is wear at least 1mm off the front right tyre in the next 2-3 weeks so I can get two shiny new ones before the 'ring trip. Ok I could wheelspin at every possible opportunity (bear in mind it's a diesel so not that many opportunities ) but is there a better way to wear a tyre down than acting like a hooligan at lights. Don't really want to just put extra miles on by going for some long drives as the mileage is too high as it is.

 

[Vertigo]

Wheelspin at every oportunity and lock the wheels under braking when safe

ABS for the lose

If you wheelspin while turning the wheels, you're going to be putting major stress on the gearbox and drivetrain.

Especially with 236lbft of torque

But, seeing as how it's not your car... DO IT!

Well there is that but then I don't really want the drivetrain and/or gearbox falling apart in the middle of Europe.

 

[Vertigo]

Contract Hire maintenance agreements often don't cover the cost of replacing tyres with punctures.

Mine does as I had a replacement at the back for an un-repairable puncture a while ago. Think they might start getting suspicious if one front tyre needs replacing but the other doesn't, yet has suddenly been punctured.

 

[Vertigo]

Cant you take the fuse out for abs?

Could do I suppose but all I'd be doing is flat-spotting the tyres rather than producing even wear.

 

[Vertigo]

They will cover all accidental damage to tyres from nails and such like but won't cover malicious damage. As I said though, would be a bit too suspicious.

The easiest solution might be to just bung the KF guy a fiver and ask him to tell the lease company the tyre is at 2mm rather than 3

 

[Vertigo]

Ok well I've tried switching the ESP off and acting the chav away from a standstill a few times but it's not working very well tbh.

Due to the sheer weight up front and the decently sized 205 boots, it's taking a fair amount of revs and a viciously released clutch to break traction and get the wheels spinning. Problem is that when I do this and traction is broken, the revs rapidly race toward the 4500rpm red line and I'm forced to back off, at which point the tyres bite again. So I'm getting very little in the way of wheelspin and in return am doing the clutch and other mechanicals no good at all.

It is relatively easy to break traction if I hammer the throttle whilst going round a slow corner but of course I can't do this for more than a split second or the nose runs too wide. What I really need is some quiet open tarmaced area where I can burn around in circles for a bit but where exactly?

I spoke to the guy at KF about just telling the lease company they were both at 2mm but he said they sometimes ask to keep the tyres and send someone round to check them, just to make sure. Doesn't sound very likely to me tbh, unless you've shredded a whole set in 5000 miles but hey ho.

I'll probably end up doing around 300 miles this coming week and then the same again the week after, although 200 of this in each week is going to be motorway cruising. I really don't think this is going to get a whole 1mm off the errant tyre in time for Germany

I may have a word with the lease company about this as I'm not sure exactly what they expect me to do. With one tyre at 2mm already, if it's not changed before the trip then it'll be illegal before I get back and replacing one front tyre and not the other is unsafe in my view. They must have some sort of contingency for this situation, hell if they asked me to fork out £10 or £20 towards the cost of the tyre that's being replaced early I'd probably just say yes.

See, company cars aren't always hassle-free

 

[Vertigo]

Just put the handbrake on and sit there doing a burnout, knock it into 2nd if you can, be worn down in no time at all.

Doesn't that harm the handbrake at all?

Just go for some spirited driving on some B-roads, or have a trackday.

Going on the ultimate trackday in a couple of weeks

 

[Vertigo]

I bow to your wisdom oh master, I am but a padawan learner when it comes to the noble art of shredding tyres

 

[Vertigo]

Yep, 2.0TDI.

Tis due for renewal in December and the latest news is that the 170bhp/250+lbft variant of this engine will be available around September time. It's already been announced for the Golf.

 

[Vertigo]

Anyone know off the top of their head if ATS are authorised tyre centres for Automotive Leasing (Leaseplan)?

Spare is a space saver unfortunately.

 

[Vertigo]

Update: Both my front tyres are now at 2mm

The wonders of deserted industrial estates on a Sunday afternoon. Will get myself down KF this week to get the tyres changed which will also give me enough time to check they're ok and balanced properly before subjecting them to 130mph on the autobahn