New tire bliss and whatever happened to 90k tires?

"Shamoononon drives like a farmer" (shamoononon)
12/07/2019 at 01:54 • Filed to: tireopnik

So I have a Ford Escape. It’s a good all around decent car for a commuter with a large dog and teenager - It’s big enough for our crap, it’s almost rugged enough for my driving, the gas is ‘ok’ and I didn’t spend 60k on it. I live in Southern California and there is hardly ever any weather. I was told last year my tires are toast but I kept procrastinating. I had a nail in my tire about 6 months ago and had to replace two of them (because they bald and can’t be fixed ).

Well it’s December and we’re finally experiencing some weather. It rained a lot and I was having trouble on the freeway and going up backroad winding hills. So I finally broke down and paid 500$ to replace the two other bald tires that were sitting on the front. I got a congratulations on my thriftiness for using tires to their full life lifetime.

Now, after a full two weeks of driving in the rain with bald front tires - I feel like I’m INVINCIBLE!! Yes, I can actually turn without feeling like I need to come to a complete stop and I ain’t afraid of that puddle no more. It’s a liberating experience.

But while we’re on the subject, didn’t tires use to last like 90k miles? How come my tires only went to 50k? I feel like tires have become more expensive and shittier. Is 900 dollars about right for the replacement of four tires on an escape?

DISCUSSION (24)

Goggles Pizzano > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 02:12

Wait, why aren’t you working, and eating?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 02:25

I noticed the same thing. The hankooks I bought for my pickup in my 20s are 80k, but we just replaced my wife's tires and they were all good for only 50k.

bob and john > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 02:48

honestly, 90K on a tire sounds like that is going to be a total pipe of junk from start to finish .

NKato > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 02:51

Newer vehicle safety standards as well as significant performance increases in the average car has necessitated major changes in what kind of tires are appropriate.

The basics go like this: the shorter the wear period, the softer the tire compound. Softer compounds grip better, but wear faster.

A 90k tire would be insanely tough rubber. That translates to terrible handling in the wet, period. I used to ride on Firehawk GT Pursuit tires, which were fairly worn. Likely the car's second set in its entire life, and had two punctures repaired. Nuts.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Goggles Pizzano
12/07/2019 at 03:18

I’m not sure what you mean.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > bob and john
12/07/2019 at 03:20

Yeah, I’m in my forties , somebody else mentioned the low tire life is an upgrade due to the type of rubber now being used. I did not know.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 03:21

Even 50k has me rolling around on the floor laughing haha. I’m lucky if I ever get like more than 10-20 k out of most tires. But hence is life with performance based tires. And people doing what you did are the reason why every freeway grinds to a halt when it rains here lol. Why wait until the tires are that bald? Sure it doesn't rain for 8 months but that just sounds scary.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > NKato
12/07/2019 at 03:23

Ok, thanks. I did not know. It took be about 2 years to put 50k miles on my car so I was a little taken back by the price and lifetime of tires . Good to know.

bob and john > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 03:26

OH, and as a point:

Our mercedes GLK needed winter rubber. So i bought new winter wheels and winter tires. I went one size down in diameter, one size down in width, and 2 sizes up in side well.

a set of 4 was still $1000. If I wanted to get in the OEM size, it would have been like $1400 for the full set.

for my bikes....if I get 9 K km out of a rear on my daytona, i’m ecstatic . Some high performance ducatis are meant to get like...2000km out of a rear. then a new one.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/07/2019 at 03:41

My tires don’t have much tread but they’re not all metal porkies sticking out. In sunny weather I could probably put another year on them - but unfortunately it started raining and I noticed the handling and replaced them. Hey, look, I’ve never been in an accident in my life and I drive like 60 miles a day so I’m not the archnemesis.

I didn’t replace them because my mortgage is 3k a month and I wanted to buy more gummy bears and brownies instead and I’m a relatively happier person because of that.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 04:59

i wish my tyres would last 50k miles.

never heard of tyres lasting 90k miles unless they’re on a big long-haul truck

Stef Schrader > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 05:49

90K on one set of tires seems rather unwise? Heck, you’re probably pushing it to get to 50K. I’m one of those 30somethings who didn’t have to think about this stuff until my 20somethings, though, so maybe it’s an older thing they can’t do anymore.

Either way, I’m also on new tires after a few months of relative baldness and I AM A DRIVING GODDESS. (Just kidding, but I can corner again, and that ultimately reminds me that there is some joy on this garbage earth.)

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 08:01

The stock Bridgestones on my Mazda5 only lasted about 45K, and that was mostly freeway driving. I did have some used tires for a year, Firestones I think, but that was false economy because one started to disintegrate after less than 10K miles. I bought a set of Michelins at Costco last year that have an 80K warranty and they’ve been great so far, even through winter (something I never had to consider when I lived in SoCal...)

I can’t speak for the Escape, but these tires only set me back around $525 for a set of four. Part of the reason that they were so affordable was because the model I purchased doesn’t have ultra low-profile tires like most cars these days. The main reason I chose the model I did was to get the 6MT, but as a side benefit I also got more comfortable 55-series tires on 16” wheels instead of 40-series on 17s. Yeah, I like the look of the lower profile stuff, but everyday my back and wallet thank me for sticking with the taller sidewalls.

jimz > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 08:07

I mean, tires last a lot longer than they did in the bias ply days, but when the heck did anyone get the expectation they should last 90,000 miles?

Grindintosecond > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 08:09

My Volvo 242 in college weighed 2900 pounds. Today, that’s considered very light, as a new mini convertible is near 4,000. Gotta soften up the tires cause crossovers, suv, anything is a fat bloated vehicle now and needs grip. Our rav4 only saw 30k per set. Conditions also drastically affect life. Live in the mountains? Lots of country roads to work? You'll see 60k if all you do is lots of interstate.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > NKato
12/07/2019 at 08:40

This. Cars are both much heavier and more powerful. Those traits are both not great for tread life.

Goggles Pizzano > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 09:07

Just a bad joke about how this seems an out of the ordinary Shamoononon post is all.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Stef Schrader
12/07/2019 at 09:45

Depends on the tire and vehicle. Our Goodyears on our 2018 Ram 1500 have 73k miles on them, and they aren’t that close to the wear bars yet.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 10:36

Don’t drive on bald tires! I don’t care what you say about why and I don’t care if I come across as a dick. Performance is greatly reduced when tread is gone. 2-3/32" should be as low as you ever go. Bald tires could double your stopping distance in a panic stop situation. Or cause you to wreck in evasive maneuvers. I know they're expensive, but wrecks and lives are more expensive.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
12/07/2019 at 10:39

Real sidewalls are the best!!!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 10:53

Pick two: performance, price, tread life.

But if you pick price and tread life, they’re going to be largely dependent on size and intended usage. Meaning the tire manufacturer knows what that size tire is going on, a 4000+lb crossover. Vehicle weight reduces tread life. A heavy vehicle needs better performing tires in order to be safe, so they build that in and it reduces tread life. Tires for 90's Corollas and metros are super cheap because those cars are slow and lightweight with tiny tires.

40-50k miles is very normal for expected tread life. Tires that promise more tend to be garbage that I wouldn’t suggest running (rule of thumb, not “law”). When you get into high performance tires, light truck tires, or commercial tires, then things change drastically.

Another thing, tires really shouldn't be used longer than 6-7 years. Different manufacturers have different guidelines on this and it's greatly affected by climate. Hot and dry climate reduces life expectancy. The rubber "dries out" and starts cracking. A few smallish cracks between tread blocks is generally fine, but cracks on the sidewall are not. Considering the average driver's mileage per year, a 90k mile tire would be well into the danger zone of age. Why is that a danger zone? Because those cracks indicate a tire that is dry-rotting and is therefore highly susceptible to random blowouts. Which would be real fun at 80mph on a CA freeway.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 11:00

Michelin Defenders get about as close as you can get. The problem is that tires are probably more likely to rot before the mileage warranty, which is why they’re warrantied for age/mileage

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Goggles Pizzano
12/07/2019 at 13:24

Ha ha, sorry.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
12/07/2019 at 21:45

“ didn’t tires use to last like 90k miles?”

if not run bald, no they shouldn’t.

The most ever with safe treadlife was a bit over 70k, but I was also doing 80miles of highway a day.