New car, Tire rotation, Who do you use.

[Mr._Graybeard]

I'm no longer a believer in Michelin despite having had many sets of Michelin tires in years past.

When our 2016 Subaru Outback's OEM tires wore out I bought a set of Michelin Premier LTX tires from Costco that had a 60k warranty. I rotate them with every oil change.. so roughtly every 6k miles. By the time I got to 22k miles on that new set they were almost worn out. I then made a warranty claim and Costco sold me another set for 22/60 (37%) of the cost of a new set.

Based on the current wear after 17k miles I doubt that I'll get 25k miles out of this replacement set.

Costco would have allowed me to go with a different brand when I replaced the Michelins and I questioned getting the same tire given my previous experience, but the service manager talked me into replacing them with Michelins.

My last set of Michelins (Primacy MXM) developed wide cracks along the point where the tread met the sidewall. It almost looked like the tread was separating from the carcass. Plus, I didn't think they had very good wet grip. I switched to mostly Continentals and Generals.

 

[pb4uski]

^^^ That's what I'll do once this current set wears out.

 

[Telly]

I'm no longer a believer in Michelin despite having had many sets of Michelin tires in years past.
When our 2016 Subaru Outback's OEM tires wore out I bought a set of Michelin Premier LTX tires from Costco that had a 60k warranty. I rotate them with every oil change.. so roughtly every 6k miles. By the time I got to 22k miles on that new set they were almost worn out. I then made a warranty claim and Costco sold me another set for 22/60 (37%) of the cost of a new set.
Based on the current wear after 17k miles I doubt that I'll get 25k miles out of this replacement set.

Costco would have allowed me to go with a different brand when I replaced the Michelins and I questioned getting the same tire given my previous experience, but the service manager talked me into replacing them with Michelins.

DW's compact SUV came with Michelin Latitudes on it. When they wore down, I replaced them with the same via Discount Tire. The car had a narrow-width 50 MPH max tire (!) on a special narrow and bigger in diameter steel wheel as the slung underneath spare. A Fleet Order of the vehicle could be equipped with a full-size spare underneath. When rotating tires, I put a road wheel up there to see if it would fit, yeah it fit fine. Figured someday I would buy a wheel same as the road wheels, matching tire, and TPMS sensor. After about 8 years, the Kumho "spare tire", never used, exploded. Exploded while it was fastened underneath. Don't know when it blew. Only figured it out when we heard a shifting thud from rear when turning while going up/down at low speed.

So it was time to implement the full-sized spare setup. Ordered matching aluminum wheel and TPMS sensor from Rockauto, called Discount Tire on getting another matching Michelin Latitude, found out they were discontinued. I selected a Michelin Premier for the spare. Since creating the full-size spare, I needed to use the spare, and left it on for a while, wearing FAST! Also, the Premier starts life with only 9/32" of tread depth, where most other tires start with 11/32" of tread depth.

Was talking to a Discount Tire person lately, he said that they are warrantying Premiers left and right for premature tread wear-out, said he would not recommend them, to use the Michelin Defender LTX instead, he said they have been out for a while now, and have done well. When the Latitudes wear a bit more, that's what I will do.

 

[pb4uski]

...Was talking to a Discount Tire person lately, he said that they are warrantying Premiers left and right for premature tread wear-out, said he would not recommend them, to use the Michelin Defender LTX instead, he said they have been out for a while now, and have done well. When the Latitudes wear a bit more, that's what I will do.

Great info Telly... I wish that I had known this when I had the Premiers swapped out under warranty.

I've never heard of a undermounted spare blowing up... I assume that it is unusual.

 

[ERD50]

Thanks for all of the valuable information.

I think there is confusion, AWD, (all wheel drive). Subaru, and other's have this.
Do not confuse with, on demand four wheel drive.

Example: 25,000 miles on tires. Get a nail in sidewall. Need a new tire,

Options: (A.) Buy 4 new tires. (B.) Have new tire "shaved" down to match the other 3.

Reason: Wear and tear on drive train. New tire is larger in diameter.

I think I will take the advice, of a couple of previous posters, and just rotate myself. Until, I buy new tires at Costco...Ha...When they have their Michelin sale....

Just an update and "Thanks" - I think it was this thread that reminded me of the option to shave a tire.

I just managed to get some sidewall damage to one tire, and was wondering about having to buy 2 or 4 tires (AWD). I didn't see any direct reference to it on tirerack.com, but I searched and found that they offer the service, My tires were running about 6~7/32, so I had them shave to 8/32 to allow for a little error and still with the 2~3/32 match generally recommnded (my owner's manual gave no specific number, just that they should be "even").

Shaving cost $25 from Tirerack, and an extra few days shipping, since it had to come out of their Nevada warehouse (they don't do shaving at the Indiana warehouse). A lot cheaper than even one extra new tire & mounting.

-ERD50

 

[Montecfo]

I usually take to the place where I bought the tires to rotate them. They do it for free. But I seldom do this to be honest.

I do try to keep them inflated etc.

 

[Montecfo]

Who knows, the savings from not paying to rotate tires may offset the cost increase of more frequent replacement.

I think it does if you have to pay. Same for alignment given how expensive that is.

 

[m3bs]

My first project after retirement In 2009 was to build a proper garage with a 2-post lift. I do all non-warranty work (and some of that..) myself. Some of these wheels and tires these days are getting awfully heavy. Looking into a solution for that.

 

[rk911]

Simple question. When ever I buy tires,, free tire rotations are included.
Purchased, new, Subaru, AWD. Where, do you folks go, to have your tires rotated on a new car?

my local garage. i don't go back to the dealer for anything except warranty work.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Simple question. When ever I buy tires,, free tire rotations are included.
Purchased, new, Subaru, AWD. Where, do you folks go, to have your tires rotated on a new car?

Thedealer where I purchased my new Subaru does it with the included oil change

 

[davebarnes]

I don't rotate our car's tires.
With the road hazards in our fair city, I just buy new tires about every 6K miles.

 

[grasshopper]

My first project after retirement In 2009 was to build a proper garage with a 2-post lift. I do all non-warranty work (and some of that..) myself. Some of these wheels and tires these days are getting awfully heavy. Looking into a solution for that.

I use 10 ply on my GMC PU, I had to pick up a tire from customer pickup. Well I was struggling to get a darn tire in a shopping cart, when this 5'5' young woman threw it in the cart for me.