Recent posts ask about tire wear and life. There are many variable affecting tire life, but driving style is often the main factor.

Here is an example demonstrating the relationship between driving style and tire wear. I swap winter tires (studless snow tires) and summer performance tires annually (I have dedicated wheel/tire setups). I’m on the 4th season with my studless snow tires, and they have very little wear. That isn’t the case with my summer performance tires which need replacement almost every two seasons.

The reason that my winter tires last forever and my summer tires need frequent replacement is driving style:

- In the winter I drive like a grandma (reduced speed, no fast stops or starts, slow in the corners, VDC always on, etc.).

- In the summer I push things occasionally, and I lose a little rubber.

Tire life is very dependent upon driving style. Two drivers with the same tire can have very different outcomes when comparing tire wear.

Of course, your comments and additions here are very welcome.

--Spike

 

Yeah I got about 200 miles out of my last set of tires on the Z.

 

Since I live in socal, my summer tires are my winter tires. It only snows about two days out of the year, and I usually don't drive my Z on those days. With that being said, I commute and put a lot of miles on my Z. About 140 a day just to work/back. Total, including my adventurous trips to LA, I drive about 40k miles a year. I picked up a s14 since I don't want to continue the constant maintenance on my Z. I Originally got my Z with hankook v12's in the front and maxxis ma-z1's in the rear. Sizes are f:235/40/18 on 18x9.5 R:255/35/18 on 18x10.5, and my car is very low. The v12's lasted about 12k miles before I got to the very last layer of tire, and by last I mean under the second layer of wire and thread. I could poke the inside of the tire with my nail and see it almost come out on the outside. The maxxis are running strong for about 25k miles and I am just starting to think about replacing them. Might use Toyo R1R's next, or Nitto NT05's. I replaced the v12's with Nitto Neo-Gens, they have about 13k miles now and are not really showing any bad signs of wear, they still look newish.

Specs on my Z. My front camber is at about -3, rear looks to be about -4. My rear toe isn't set to zero, might be 1/16. I am not sure how much it is dropped since it was slammed when I bought it, but I can't fit my toes under my front bumper.

I drive slow, accelerate slow, brake early and cruise around. I almost never pass 3k rpm's, shift from 2.5 to 2.7k rpm most of the time. Always go into neutral when going downhill, and this is the only time I really go over the speed limit. I have never owned a car with traction control or abs before so I see no reason to use it on my Z, and disabled all assists. Another plus to my driving habits are I average about 24 city/34mpg highway , mixed is about 27 . Since the car is low I don't really push it hard or drive trough the canyons.

 

Live in ATX, Austin TX, and get snow every couple of years but do get several days a year in the teens (temp wise) so I go for all season tires on my 2003 350Z. Yes, still have the initial tire feathering issue on front right. Need to rotate left 2 right. Looking at replacing my last set of tires, Goodyear Eagle GT - f 245/40/18 r 245/45/18. Wish I could get another set of these but Goodyear stopped making them. Got them in Nov of 2010 and have over 40k. Driving is mix city and highway of 20/80.Few runs down quarter but no driving events. Highway speed is over 70 and keeping up with traffice requires over 2.6 rpms on sixth. These babies work great dry/wet and have handled the tire feathering well - minor wear on inside first tread tires. MPG 'bout 23 combined.

Wish I could locate another set but front are not available on 245/40/18 - thinking of using OEM 225/45/18 Eagle GT or going to Goodyear Eagle F1, Conti ExtremeContact DWS or Yokos YK580. Looking for asymmetric non-directionals to compensate for feathering issue by rotating l2r.

Wild-hare thinking of mounting tire inside-out to put stronger tread on inside - vs. manufacture putting stronger tread on outside 4 feathering issue??