Michelin Pilot Sports tire problems.

cary · 10-23-01, 02:38

hey guys, i have a bit of a problem that has me quite perturbed. i know a few of you have m3's and m5's on here, so this is a perfect place to ask, since pilot sports were developed for bmw m cars. they also come on alot of s4's too. anyway, i have a 2001 jetta glx that is just over one year old (bought 9.28.00) and they have factory 17s with the pilot sports. i just had my inspection done with my 20k service, and the tires barely passed, with a tread rating of just 2/32nds. i have had the tires rotated every 5000 miles. this seems a bit unusual to me. is there any chance of me receiving any sort of compensation for this? if so, who do i talk to, and what can i do? i hate the thought of shelling out a grand every 20,000 miles for tires.

thanks for your help

cary

DETAILKING · 10-23-01, 02:48

If you drive hard they only last 20-25K miles.......as most BMW owners will tell you.

I wouldn't get them again, they are very expensive and you can get comparable tires that will last longer for less money. Check out TIRE RACK for prices and reviews on comparable tires......

BradE · 10-23-01, 03:06

I know people who have similar problems with the tires that come on new vettes. One guy I know has 23,000 miles on his 98 vette and he is already on his second set of tires.

There is not much you can do, you will just have to get new tires. But, like DK said, try a different on this time.

Huy · 10-23-01, 03:23

The estimates given by manufacturers and dealers on the life-time of a tire is under optimal conditions. Take into consideration how you accelerate, how fast you take your corners, and how you stop. Driving habits will affect these estimates.

Don't be surprised that your tires lasted only 10-15 000 miles. That is quite long in terms of hi-performance tires. 20K is really long. Hi performance tires have a softer compound, and so it wears more quickly than say, all seasons. If you find that your driving habits don't merit this kind of wear, look into less expensive tires which will suit your driving habits. I mean, there's no need to buy a $180 tire if you never test its limits...look for something less expensive. Also, other things to consider: alignment and tire pressure. These are things that a lot of people neglect to maintain...

Huy

99ESMAX · 10-23-01, 03:35

Best bang for the buck has to be the Kumho Ecsta 712's. Love that tread pattern.

Definitely, check out Tire Rack for research purposes.

Yell00ITR · 10-23-01, 03:48

Yeah, that is actually quite good for those tires! The tires on my Integra only last 8k miles or so! Imagine if the car actually had some power! LOL.

Lowejackson · 10-26-01, 08:55

Try having a look at http://www.tyres-online.co.uk/tyretest/tests.asp it is a UK site but has collected magazine reviews across europe. I am sure many of these tyres are also in the USA.

Steven
Alfa 164

v85097 · 10-27-01, 10:09

I have to agree with 99ESMAX, the Kumho 712s are a great tire for the price. I had them on my car for one season and eventually gave them to my son when I put my winter wheels on. I then went with Yokohama Paradas for this season and for a z rated 17" tire They have been great for handling and ride. They were $15.00 more per tire but also have a higher tread wear than the Kumhos. I'm not seeing any unusual wear with 8K miles on them, very happy so far.

James A · 11-04-01, 12:50

From what I have seen on M cars, 20,000 miles is pretty good. Most very high performance tires are quite soft and are not going to give you great milage. The posts above have really good advace in terms of better bang for the buck!