when to replace tires? last set harmony put on at...

[rhauptschein]

When should I replace my current Michelin Harmony tires?
I put them on in year 2009 at about 80,000 miles, and
now, ~7 years later, they are at 123,000 miles (so ~40,000 miles on them) with ~30% tread left.

Also any suggestions for all weather tire manufacturers and model to eventually purchase (and any to avoid)?
Any any suggested tire store chain (and any to avoid)?

Thanks in advance.

[Pennhaven]

I've read anywhere from five to ten years, assuming there is still usable tread. But as this article points out, it can vary depending on the tread compound, heat exposure, and other environmental factors. Personally I always feel safer with new tires, considering how critical they are to braking and cornering, and replace at five to six years, even if the tread is still good. And "good" tread depth depends on the operating conditions, in wet and especially snow 30% is less likely to be adequate.

[aerobaticsfan]

Sounds like you got your moneys worth out of them to this point. Avoid "Made in China" no exceptions. Korea,Thailand, are good & or ISO 9000 + certified manufactures. I did get Aurora H107 made by Hankook also Ohtsu (faulken) FP6000 A/S Have been exceptional value & performance. Look up on-line & some shops price match. Mine were $320 shipped.

[billr99]

Avoid "Made in China" no exceptions.

If this bothers you that much, you need to check the codes on the tires themselves. Just because the tire is made by what folks think is an American or Euro company doesn't mean much anymore. I bought some Uniroyal tires a few years ago where the dealer went on and on about "not made in China", and after checking the codes, yep, made in China. Keep in mind as well that most of the newest tire factories with the newest moulds and manufacturing equipment are in China, not the US, Canada or in the EU. And many of those factories are owned by companies like Michelin, Continental, Goodyear, etc. Its the globalization that everyone likes that has driven cost and thus prices down (or at least that's what they claim).

Cheers,

Bill

[JRL]

and LOOK at the tires. If they're not dry rotted they're probably fine (if the tread is as you say).

Now a good reason to get new tires is THAT tire itself.
Michelin Harmony is an awful tire for anything other than: high (wear) mileage, quiet riding and going straight on a smooth, (summer) road!

[rhauptschein]

and LOOK at the tires. If they're not dry rotted they're probably fine (if the tread is as you say).

Now a good reason to get new tires is THAT tire itself.
Michelin Harmony is an awful tire for anything other than: high (wear) mileage, quiet riding and going straight on a smooth, (summer) road!

Also any positive suggestions for all weather/season tire manufacturers and model to eventually purchase ?

[Astro14]

I've tried Michelin, Yokohama, Nokian, and General tires on this car,

It eats up tires quickly, and you're lucky to get 35,000 out of a set...no idea why, just seems to wear them out almost twice as fast as my FWD wagon...so, I reckon it's because the car is AWD, but it doesn't make sense to me.

The Nokian WR-G3 are pricey, but have outstanding snow and ice traction. At half the price, the General RT-43 have been great: good grip in all conditions, quiet, and seem to be wearing as well as anything that's been on it.

If you're not driving in snow: General RT-43

If you are: Nokian WR-G3.

[budrichard]

+1 on the Nokian WR-G3 SUV, the SUV model has a higher load rating.
Just put another set on my 2003 XC70, we just got a 10" dump and the roads vary from snow/ice covered to wet/dry.
Great braking, traction and handling.
But as Posted, this XC70 2nd gen wears the rears really fast.-Richard

[billr99]

I agree with Astro on this but with different makes of tires. What I have found, and its due to the weight I routinely carry in the XC, is that with 2-300 pounds in the back, the rears wear quicker than the fronts. Presumably some of this is due to the camber and toe changes that the rear suspension produces when its weighted or lowered but some of it is driving style too. It just so happens that when I am carrying weight I'm on some fairly "curvy" (not quite "twisty" unfortunately) roads that allow a decent speed. At those speeds I can tell that the weight shift to the back has produced at least a more neutral feel, if not a wee bit toward oversteer if I hit some of the corners particularly hard. Anyway, having had a number of other AWD vehicles (Audis and Land Rovers not that the latter is very comparative), the P2 chassis does seem more sensitive to proper alignment if, and this if may be specific to how I use the car, you run near 0 toe front and back and run at speed with weight in the back. Interestingly though, both the rear toe and camber changes when weighted should have a tendency to wear the inner edge but on both my XCs the rear wear was nice and even across the thread. Just a bit too much too soon.

Now with all this said, I do have to say that over the many cars that I have had and the many sets of tires I've had on them, running the range from cheap to fairly expensive, I'm always getting in the range of 35-40K miles. I've had a couple that got way less (like Yokos A008s on a lowered VW Golf that got 12K) and some a bit more (like GTRadial Maxtours on my '02 XC that went 50K). I'm waiting to see how the fairly new set of Pilot Sport AS3s that came on my R will wear especially now that I have the alignment set to what I like on this chassis. Previous owner had the previous set of AS3s replaced under warranty after about 30K and he's in his late 70s and not too much a hot rod. If that is any indications I'll be lucky to get 25K on a tire warrantied for twice that.

Cheers,

Bill

[JRL]

If you're running 16s and the stock size, you can't beat the price on the General Rt43s
Not a bad tire at all, a good riding mid to higher performance all season and they will give you a serviceable 35K miles for around 80 bucks a tire!