Boomer

For a tire with a wear rating of 140 UTOG, I do. I have been surprised to see some go past 20,000 miles. Others may see it differently, but 15,000 miles on the OE tires is a lot.

Rod-Z-Guam

Thanks, now I don't feel like such a complete idiot I have the "feathering" problem on both my front tires also. My dealer suggested I consider switching to Michelins also. The owner of the dealership said his son has a 350Z and he recently changed his tires to Michelins. No word on how well they're holding up.

I see that some of posts here indicate that adjusting the alignment may not be the cure. I'm having my alignment checked and corrected (if there's a problem) regardless. I'm at 15,000 miles already and plan to upgrade to 18" rims and tires. Hopefully Nissan will figure out what's truly causing this problem and rectify it before it has a major negative impact on sales. I've wanted a Z for a long time and when the price came down for the new 350's I saw an opportunity to score my dream car. I don't typically race my car as that's not the reason I bought it. I'm more into style and appearance. I've had my Z since Sept 02 and still enjoy watching the facial expression, and finger pointing when I go cruisin on Friday nights. A little off topic, sorry. What's the old saying ". . .the fleas come with the dog"

Rod-Z-Guam

lew f

03 Z:
I have had plenty of autos and tires wear out without cupping and feathering. There is a problem here and I don't believe it is the tires.

lew f

Rod Z:
My concern is not about effecting sales, it is more about effecting trade in or resale value. If Nissan doesn't find a fix in a short time frame and the trades start "ripping" the car, we are all in trouble. I too do not race the car, but even my dealership is raising their hands in total frustration. They want to satisfy their customers and at this point replacing tires is just buying Nissan time!!
I have the 18" tires and they are no better. it took 9400 miles before the insides started to cup and about 5000 beofre they started to get noisy.

03 Z for ME

I TOTALLY agree that there is a problem. My main question though is.. How long do most people expect a 140 tread wear Ultra High Performance OEM tire to last?"

I KNOW there is a problem, I had it! I, however think this 50+ page thread MAY have started a placebo effect. I mean, come on, if I notice a "feathering or cupping issue" at say 18000 miles, should I REALLY be disappointed and point a finger? At that many miles I should have been thinking about new tires at least 3000 miles ago.

I'm NOT trying to start ANY flame war here, but I wonder just how far Nissan is going to take this and how many miles they are going to let you have before they say, enough is enough, it's the tires are worn, but some new ones. Heck, at this point, I knid of hope my fetahering returns every 15,000 miles. I'll NEVER have to buy new front tires!

Pit Bull

Your right. I will take a new set of tires at 9000 miles and then some alignment to prevent further problems, if that is possible.

ChinaClipper

iTrader: (2)

OUCH! That was a low blow to everyone else here reading this .... not everyone was as lucky as you to get replacement Pole Position S03s. If you had gotten RE040 replacements, you would not be so boastful of "NEVER having to buy new front tires!" These tires are unsuitable for the 350Z, but everyone must drive on them. Although perhaps unintentional (there was no smilie or other icon to indicate sarcasm in your message), your comment came off as being really cocky!

WashUJon

My tires started feathering at 5000 miles. I consider that unreasonable.

kawataworks

I think many people are getting off the issue of our complaint. It is not so much about the number of miles you get out of the tire as it is about the way the tires are wearing out.

15k - 20k is very low and there are many performance tires out there that will only give you that. However, it is about the "un-even wear" that many Z owners are experiencing.

The cause of this is a design flaw! The front tires should not wear in a heal-toe pattern on the shoulder of the tires (inside or outside). The suspension for a NON-RACE car should allow for the tires to ride evenly across the ground. The wear should be even across the whole tread patch.

If it is un-even, as it is on our cars, then there is a problem. Cupping is NOT acceptable!

03 Z for ME

China, I NEVER meant to be Cocky. I admitted in my posts that YES, there is a problem, and YES ot should be fixed by Nissan ASAP. Maybe I am a little concerned about the length of this thread and the poor name and recognition my Z (and yours) will be getting by the "noise" created over this topic. What I am simply stating is that in MY opinion, I've NEVER had an Ultra High Performance tire last over 12,000. IF certain individuals are just starting to see the problem at 12K, then in almost every other case, they would be shopping for new tires. However, it seems now that they simply go to the dealer and get replacements.

As for my comment about getting free tires, if my Cupping returns on my S03's at 15,000 miles, I'll have a difficult decision to make. Do I go buy new tires, or take it back to the dealer for another set of free ones? (I can see this happeneing EVERY 15,000 miles)

I NEVER meant to be cocky or come off as arogant. Sorry if I did!

cal_z

iTrader: (1)

YOU will not recieve a second set of tires after 12500mls. The warranty is for that many miles and any after that you are on your own. That is why I say you all are going to have to accept this or take it to a different level. (sell, trade, lemon law) whatever! Now I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone has had two sets! I could be wrong.

calvin

Boomer

Unfortunately, you are wrong. Some have had the 040s, front, replaced and other types of tires tried a second time,with mixed results. The second set is OK for some, others say it is not and the cupping is returning. No fix from Nissan in sight.

Pit Bull

The Acura NSX is set up so the tires "scrub" and wearout in 10K - 15K miles. The alignment can be changed and you will get 5K - 10K additional miles from the tires but the handling changes for the worse. Has anyone noticed a change in handling after their Z was realigned? Are the tires wearing better/longer after the alignment change? Are the lucky owners that had Michelins installed as replacements noticing better wear and mileage after the new tires and realignment? Also what is this "design flaw" you are talking about? Has this been Identified by Nissan? Is this the alignment problem? Will it not hold the alignment? Please explain??? Also I agree that cupping is not acceptable, but is it just the car or is it the OEM tires and the car? Does a different set of tires and an alignment fix the problem? Have a lot of members getting alignments and new tires but no one seems to know what the problem is, other than I want it to stop and I want a new car and blah blah blah. Sorry someone either needs to lead, follow or get out of the way. I guess I don't understand what you guys talk to Nissan or the dealer about when your car has this problem and they realign it and give you new tires??? Example questions might be - What caused this to happen? What was done to make sure it never happens again? Now I will play dealer - we realigned it and now the tires will wear OK. Problem comes back and now I am at the dealer and they check the alignment and it is OK but the tires are cupping and they want to replace them. Question, why is it cupping if the alignment is OK? Ok you get my drift. Anyone have the answers??? Not trying to be a smart *** just want to find out whats up before I have the problem and have a leg up on the dealer and Nissan.

mrice

I was told by the service mgr that of caster, camber, and toe adjustment, only 1 of the 3 is adjustable (I forgot which), and he said they (Nissan I assume) didnt want to get into heating and bending the steel which would be required to correct since 2 of the 3 are not adjustable. I AM NOT a mechanic but that is how I understood it.

cal_z

iTrader: (1)

I like the idea that I am wrong, but the cupping is back on mine and their excuse is that warranty work on tires end when the vehicle reaches 12500 and over! I need a set now before the noise gets worse, and I need an alignment with the new set which i didn't get with the second set. I don't think I'll be getting a third set of tires. When does it end?

calvin

Boomer

No body knows when it ends for some. If you and some others wish to, do a search on my situation on this thread. I hated the 040s and put on some Michelin A/Ss at my own expense, found the beginnings of cupping on the front outsides and now have 6000 cup-free miles on the A/Ss. The kicker to my story is I only have 7500 miles total on my car, I have no data on the problem outside that experience. If my new tires continue to wear like they appear to be, I won't have a problem if I get 25-30,000 miles on the fronts and somewhat fewer on my rears, you don't expect to get 50,000 miles on a sports car's tires because the alignment is designed to optimize handling, not wear.

However, no performance tire used as a daily driver and not tracked, road course or strip, should cup at 5000 miles. The OE tires are crap, IMO, but you should get 12-15,000 miles on them BEFORE they begin to cup! Personally, the OE tires have the worst ride characteristics I have EVER experienced, but if they start cupping on a daily driver at 5000 miles, there is a problem with the suspension. My cupping, discovered at 1600 miles, sent me to my dealer the next day for an alignment. The front total toe was -22!!!! and the rear was almost as bad. It was no wonder the tire wear was beginning at 1600 miles, they would have been ruined by 3000 miles! If you want more, do a search, I'm tired of repeating myself and so are the people who've read it before. Good luck.

lew f

Folks;
We need not argue with each other, we need to face the fact that Nissan has a problem; therefore we have a problem. There is something causing cupping, feathering call it what you will. It is either the tires or the alignment. Those of us that have had tires replaced, have the same problem return over time.
When I called my claim into Nissan last friday, the rep said "we think we have an alignment problem". The operative word is we think.
When, not if, the trade mags make this issue "known", the value of the new "Z" will plummet until and if NNA finds a fix. I for one will probably file for lemon Law to protect myself. I would love an '04, but the '04's seem to have the same problem.
I wish there was a way for all of us to put pressure on Nissan to develop a fix.
Replacing tires buys Nissan time and makes "Z" owners temporarally feel as if something is being done. I don't know if Nissan will replace tires after 12K. At a minimum, all who have the problem should file a claim with NHSTB and NNA as someone on this thread recommended.
Remember, NNA will protect themselves not us....Also, keep in mind that there are other Z owners that have not yet discovered this web page, they have a problem and don't even know it!!
Lew

lew f

By the way, I also feel Boomer is right... he spent big bucks on a new set of Michelins. If at the end of the day tires were the probelm, NNA owes him!!

BlueDragonZ

iTrader: (11)

Ok, I've been following this thread and a few others regarding this. My car will probably roll over to 6,000 miles this week. I've been monitoring all four tires and I don't believe that I have this problem (knock on wood). I'm going to Goodyear tomorrow and have their tech look at my tires to verify this notion. Looking at my tires, I don't really have any sign of wear on the inside or outside. I've looked at the photos that have been posted and my tires doesn't match them. Am I looking at them wrong?

Boomer

Nice thought, but never happen, lew. If Nissan were smart, they would recall all 2003 AND 2004s, change tires and suspension bits on a case by case basis. I don't think there is ONE fix. Forget about making the profit they were supposed to make and avoid the devaluation of our cars.

If they don't, they are running the risk of ALL of their moneymakers, Altima, Murano, Maxima, G35, FX45 and FX35 etc. being tarred with the same brush. Not making any money on 35-40,000 350Zs doesn't compare with not making money on 4-500,000 or more new vehicles added to their bottom line.

Remember platform-sharing? How many other vehicles share the Z's platform that could be damaged by the Z's "flaw", true or not? It could go from smart business to junk business in a moment from the car buying public's perception. What a mess, revive an icon to drive your new model line and fall down on the Customer Service end.

Boomer--alignment? We don't need no stinkin' alignment!