lumyeinjun

iTrader: (1)

Hola Azine!

Quick question: How many miles did you guys have on your OE Potenza RE030s before you replaced them?

Background Info (optional read):
I have excessive outer treadwear on ONLY my front driver's side tire. The outer portion on the tire is nearly bald, but the other three tires seem to be wearing fine and (relatively) evenly.

I have 25,000 miles on these tires and I am lowered on H&R sport springs (~1.4 inches). I've gotten two 4-wheel alignments already, but I believe my alignment was thrown off a third time after being poorly repaired following a front-end collision I had a few months back. The ride slowly became more and more harsh over time and the road noise steadily increased to an almost unbearable point before I decided to check my tire wear. Should I just replace the two front tires immediately, or should I just get a few hundred more miles on these tires and replace all four during the summer? I live in sunny southern California, so i'm not too worried about the dangers of riding on a bald tire for a few hundred more miles, but any expert opinion is welcome as well!

more info:
1) I drive like i'm retired 90% of the time (under 80 on freeways; slow acceleration to speed limit on local roads).
2) Most wouldn't even consider my "spirited driving" spirited.
3) I rotate my tires approximately every 3,000 miles.
4) Bought the car brand new in July 2008.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Get an algnment first to see what/where the problem might be, from the front end accident or the rear is out of alignment and the tire was worn before rotation. You don't need new tires before an alignment can be done, so do this first.
Sounds like camber wear if smooth on the outside, so if that is the case additional measures need to be taken as the TL has no camber adjustment.

After the suspension specs are corrected, and if you don't drive hard, stay away from a summer tire and get a set of A/S tires that have a better tread wear rating. Look for a 245/45-17, and sorry to say, but IMHO, stay away from Bridgestone's.

lumyeinjun

iTrader: (1)

I just called an alignment shop and they tell me I should replace the tires BEFORE I get the alignment done. I was thinking of getting the alignment done first, then rotating all the tires around a couple of times to get a bit more life on them before I send them to the graveyard. Bad idea? I don't want to replace two tires at a time, especially since my tires are already near the end of their lives. I'm thinking replace all four at a time or don't change them at all.

Here are my options:
1) Get alignment + tire rotation first, replace tires after 1 or 2 thousand miles (the middle road).
2) Replace all 4 tires first, then get alignment (most costly).
3) Continually rotate tires so that treadwear is even on all four tires before replacing (longest tire life; least performance; cheapest option).

Thanks for the reply, and I will definitely stay away from the OE Potenzas. They're just too noisy for me. How many miles did you have on your OE tires before you replaced them Turbonut?

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

You don't need new tires before the alignment as the alignment equipment clamps to the wheels and the tires have nothing to do with the settings.

Most shops will want the new tires installed because if the alignment is way out of spec and then set properly, the old worn tires won't track correctly as the new settings will cause the old tire to have a completely new footprint, so handling could be a concern in inclement weather.

Get the alignment set to specs and then get 4 new tires. That tire that is worn on the outside will cause a problem when the settings are corrected, and its not worth the trouble waiting for 1-2,000 miles.

I purchased the TL used, replaced the OE tires with Yokohama S.4 245/45-17, and they now have 24,000 miles. Must say they are as new.

lumyeinjun

iTrader: (1)

Wow thanks for the great info! You seem very knowledgeable about alignment and tires, are you specialized in this field? I live in southern california where it rains less than 30 days a year, so i'm planning to go with Yokohama S Drives. Is this a good choice? Thanks for the advice!

Also, I wanted to see how many miles everyone else is getting off their Bridgestone Potenza RE030s to see how much I should cry over the miles I lost due to the bad tire. Anybody is welcome to give me their mileage numbers!

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Been around cars my entire life, so some knowledge has been absorbed. The S drive is a decent summer tire for the price, and although not as sticky as the other Yoko's it will at least give decent wear with the 300 rating. Get 245/45-17 as replacement, trust me.

If you're not an aggressive driver, just keep in mind that the summer tires will wear much quicker than an all season design, so before you make the purchase, take a look at the Yokohama W4s in 245/45-17 which is in the same price range. They are being phased out, but the tread width is almost 1/2" wider than the S Drive, and a rating of 400. In Yokohama I really like the S4 in the warm climates, naturally in 245/45-17, fantastic all around tire, but the price is around $165 each. When I purchased mine they were $185 a couple of years ago. If you can, take a look before you make a decision.
Good luck

phred

I think nowadays for a tire with any kind of performance cred, 25K is a lot of miles. Do some research at T Rack and D Tire, etc. you'll find lots of peeps with lots of info.