I just returned from getting my 2003 Touring Z inspected. Bought it in Dec 2002, have 16,500 miles on it. Guy at the inspection station says my back tires are bald and 'cupped' (?) and the front tires aren't any better. I said "Puh-leeze, I don't drive like that!"

He said "give me $800" for new tires.

Is this the feathering problem???? Should I contact my dealer?
BTW, I am in PA.

 

look at your tires and see for yourself.

i am guessing that all your tires are worn down w/ fronts feathering.

i didnt know rears had probs with uneven wears... unless you have some custom alignment done by a curb or two.

 

where did you go for inspection? i am in philadelphia also.

 

A local shop near Chadd's Ford. I think the guy is right about my tires being bald. I have an appt with the Nissan dealer tomorrow...we'll see what happens. This "best buy for the money" sports car doesn't look like such a good deal anymore.

 

my stock tires were bald at 18k miles, i paid to have the rears replaced and nissan took care of the fronts since they were so noisy

 

That's what Nissan is saying: excessive noise on the front...but all 4 tires are bad...as it sounds like yours were. Why did you have to pay for the rear ones? I looked at mine, and they are OK on the outside and inside, but the middle is total slick...at 16,500 miles???!!! I know PA roads are bad, but otherwise, I am a very reasonable driver. I think I will get the tires and trade this puppy in!

 

Your fault. That is caused by improper alignment. The Nissan 350Z comes from the factory with negative camber in the front and the rear. This will ALWAYS cause the insides to wear out quicker. It is also more apparante because you can't cross rotate the tires to make them wear more evenly. If your rear tires are worn there is nothing Nissan is going to do. "Tire Feathering" ON THE FRONT, is another issue I won't even go into.

 

Thanks King T....OK so what you are saying is this: the car comes improperly aligned from the factory and I should know that and have it fixed? Am I comprehending that correctly? Hmmm, doesn't sound acceptable to Joe Consumer here.

 

It comes properly aligned from the factory. It comes with negative camber in the front and the rear. That is the proper alignment just like most sports cars. I will tell you the same thing I told a guy yesterday, if you don't like it, then you can try and set it back to 0 camber and lose your handling performance, you can keep it the way it is and enjoy the car, or you can sell the car.

 

LOL! OK, got it! I think I will sell it...while I can say that every single minute I drove it was pure, 100% ecstacy.

BTW, King T...do you want to buy my car? It is beautiful and red and stored in the garage and driven only by a little old lady from Philly!

 

Nope I got my own, and I also love driving it. I have a set of OEM 17" tires with less than 5,000 miles on them if you change your mind and decide to keep the car.

 

i was looking at my tires today and they say they are 140 tread. I don't know anything about tires but that seems pretty low. I wouldn't expect that to last to 20k miles.

 

well my car actuelly had the same problem on the back, and it supposed to be an over inflation problem... Anyways try doing a serch this has been discussed, i ve also read from other users to get used to changing tires around that 18k miles.

 

Yeah more wear in the center than the outsides can be caused by overinflation of the tires.

 

What psi should we be filling up the tires to? Also, to assist the little old lady from philly... Nissan has a tsb on this for excessive wear and they will get you new tires. I didn't know this at the time my tires were bald to the chords so I payed to get new tires then got a letter in the mail asking about if I had problems with the tires and I responded. About a month later I got a check for like 75% of the cost of the tires and install. If you want more life out of your tires get the car professionally aligned by a reputable shop (ask vette or porsche drivers who they use) and get a tire with a high treadwear rating. Also, I would seriously consider getting a set of aftermarket wheels that are all the same size from and back so you can rotate the tires and prolong tire life. You should also be washing your tires regularly and inspecting them for rocks or other debris that can get stuck in the tread and rip up the tire.

As for my tire experience with the Z. I got about 15k out of the first set due to bad alignment. These were the Bridgeston Potenza RE040, they suck. To replace them I got some Falken Azenis which have horrible treadwear, they need replacing on the rears and its been about 12k miles. Unfortunately, I haveta ride on em till february since I am broke. Then again these are high performace tires.... Anyways, I am planning on getting a set of Kumho Supra 712s. They are cheap, and supposedly last long.

 

The factory recommended tire psi is 35 cold which means you set the tire psi to 35 when the tires are cold and haven't been driven on in a couple hours. As the tires warm up the pressure rises. This is what makes going to a gas station difficult to use to properly set your tire pressure.