Really sick of tire wear on 18” tires

My C30 had 215/45R18 tires stock. I’ve been through 3 sets of 18” tires in 70k miles, but you need to factor in I have 16” winter tires on for 4 months a year. That means I’m lasting 14-16k miles per set of 18’s and I’m really sick to death of the road noise as well as the wear with 18” low profile tires. Right now I’m planning on forgoing performance for longevity, comfort, quiet and a rest on the wallet. Not sure what this post is really about, part venting, part thinking.

Trying to decide between 16 and 17” right now for summer use. I could cheap out and put all season on my winter wheels (still plan on snow tires for winter) or get a set of 17” for summer with all-season tires on. Thinking about Sumitomo or similar. Not overpriced Euro stuff or bottom feeder Bakelite E36 M3, just a good all round, all weather tire.

Thoughts?

Additionally being a T5 V2.0 the car came stock slightly lower, I’m actually thinking longer term of trying to find some V1.0 springs or something else to raise it. Then fantasies of Rally Armor and a light bar for the mock rally look but that’s a pointless money wasting exercise.

What tires are you running?

It's a choice of evils. In your average street car, you wont notice the difference between 200 treadwear and 400 treadwear tires except for the tire wear.

Bobzilla wrote: What tires are you running?

Currently Sumitomo HTsomething something something Prior to that Khumo, prior to that OE Pirelli's (worst of the lot)

whenry wrote: It's a choice of evils. In your average street car, you wont notice the difference between 200 treadwear and 400 treadwear tires except for the tire wear.

Agreed, the car hasn't seen the track in the last 5 years and hasn't been autocrossed in 2-3. When I get my act together and finish the SAAB I will have a track toy. Longevity and comfort are prime here.

DWS or some nice Michelin A/S's with a 540+ treadwear is where I'd go with the stock size. You'll get an easy 40k miles out of them and won't have to buy wheels. I've been running the Kumho Platinum LX's in 16 and 17" sizes (600TW) for years and love them.

What tires have you run for the last 3 sets? What is the stock tire size?

I highly doubt the rim diameter is the problem here..

Im going to second the Michelins for long tread life.

How in the world are you getting less than 20K street-only miles out of tires? Are you running R-comps on the street or something? Maybe negative nine degrees of camber?

Vigo wrote: What tires have you run for the last 3 sets? What is the stock tire size? I highly doubt the rim diameter is the problem here.. Im going to second the Michelins for long tread life.

From his previous choices on tires this is clearly a "all tires are the same, I'm going to get the cheap ones" case where you got what you paid for.

Sky_Render wrote: How in the *world* are you getting less than 20K street-only miles out of tires? Are you running R-comps on the street or something? Maybe negative nine degrees of camber?

I wish. I'm running a stock C30 with stock alignment. While I'm a 'spirited' driver (according to SWMBO I'm either a maniac or a pensioner in my driving style)

I've never had a vehicle that eats tires like this.

That's insane. I put that much on a single set of snows I drove year round before. I, too, doubt wheel diameter as your cause - have you had an alignment done? Have you stopped mounting cheese graters to your mudflaps?

E36 M3ty tires or agressive alignment......take your pick.

Geeez, "worst" set of tires I had was a set of 10k mile 275/50 BFG Drag Radials......

Bobzilla wrote: From his previous choices on tires this is clearly a "all tires are the same, I'm going to get the cheap ones" case where you got what you paid for.

Not sure what you mean by this. The OE tires were the worst. The second set were Khumo ST type tires, last set Sumitomo high performance tires. None of these are "all tires are the same" mentality. I don't cheap out on tires, but I want something that's going to last better, plus an improvement in ride and noise would be appreciated now I don't count this as my 'performance' car.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

He is in the roundabout way of saying, "Yes, you bought "better" tires from the cheapest makers of tires."

Have you had the alignment checked in those 70k miles?

To the OP. I have dedicated my entire adult life to suspensions, alignments and race tire data analysis. Rim size does not effect wear a measurable amount. Camber does not effect tire wear like everyone thinks it does. Toe front and rear, tire pressures, driving style, tread compound and carcass quality are the only significant concerns when talking about large percentages of wear. (10% differences or more)

Firmer bushings, better tires, at least 33psi at 70deg ambient and a good quality alignment (and subsequent realignments every 6mo-year, will greatly increase your tire wear.

I have personally tried and watch customers try all sorts of different combinations.

Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear. These brands consistently beat out the competition in your criteria. On my E36 M3 I achieved 26000m on RE01Rs with multiple track days and autocrosses and consistent hooning. Find a good performance or road race shop to check your car out for ANY soft bushings or play. Remedy and align with conservative toe numbers. .15 total toe up front and .20 total toe rear.

Adrian, I'm currently running the Continental Extreme DWS on my MINI. I got rid of some Kumho ASXs that were getting very noisy as they wore. I'm happy with the handling of the Continentals as a DD tire, no autocrosses, just the occasional on-ramp.

OK guys, I've put it down to the low profile tires, but your all rapidly convincing me that it's not. Doing so digging online I see a number of complaints about S40's and C30's for rear tire wear. It seems like many cars had over -2.5 deg on the rear and there was a quite warranty action for a different rear upper control arm to reduce camber. Although I rotate my tires at least twice a year I have had noticeable inside wear on the rear whenever I rotate, but as that isn't adjustable I couldn’t do much about it other than put them on the front where for some reason (driver ) I do get more wear on the outside, but not to a noticeable degree. I think my inside tire wear is a bigger issue than I've credited it in the past.

I'm really kicking myself as cleaning the car out before our recent vacation I threw out the last alignment details from March 2012. I just called Belle tire who did it and they don't keep actual records in their system or have got rid of them so I don't know what they are. I'll bet that with the V2.0 suspension I'm over the magic -2.5 # though. Pity I'm out of warranty. So now I guess I'll investigate parts for the rear as well as 16 or 17" wheels (I still want the ride/nvh improvement from more side wall)

DeadSkunk wrote: Adrian, I'm currently running the Continental Extreme DWS on my MINI. I got rid of some Kumho ASXs that were getting very noisy as they wore. I'm happy with the handling of the Continentals as a DD tire, no autocrosses, just the occasional on-ramp.

Thx, that's the feedback I'm looking for, I'm definitly in the on ramp warrior sphere these days not an autocrosser.

Re. alignment:

Please describe the tire wear, and what are the alignment numbers?

Toe consumes tire much more aggressively than camber, BTW.

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

DeadSkunk wrote: Adrian, I'm currently running the Continental Extreme DWS on my MINI. I got rid of some Kumho ASXs that were getting very noisy as they wore. I'm happy with the handling of the Continentals as a DD tire, no autocrosses, just the occasional on-ramp.

Thx, that's the feedback I'm looking for, I'm definitly in the on ramp warrior sphere these days not an autocrosser.

I had a set of those on my 9-5 and was very impressed. They were quiet, lasted like 45K and were entertaining. Mine were 17's though.

Check out the Kumho 4X. They are the company's latest sporty all season. I'm running them on the Mini and am liking them.

-2.5* rear camber is too much for most street cars. More than what is needed anyway.

peej410 wrote: On my E36 M3 I achieved 26000m on RE01Rs with multiple track days and autocrosses and consistent hooning.

I had similar results with Dunlop star specs on my '05 IRL......thus far having promising similar showings of my star specs on the '91 sho.

I don't have the alignment #'s right now, as I said I stupidly threw them out less than a month ago when cleaning the car out pre trip Wear looks like this:

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

Bobzilla wrote: From his previous choices on tires this is clearly a "all tires are the same, I'm going to get the cheap ones" case where you got what you paid for.

Not sure what you mean by this. The OE tires were the worst. The second set were Khumo ST type tires, last set Sumitomo high performance tires. None of these are "all tires are the same" mentality. I don't cheap out on tires, but I want something that's going to last better, plus an improvement in ride and noise would be appreciated now I don't count this as my 'performance' car.

Sumitomo's are NOT a good tire. It's a CHEAP tire. Hence the fast wear. Buy GOOD tires with a high tread wear, and get the alignment checked. If you're experiencing fast wear on the rears, bump up the rotations to every oil change.

The old Grand Vitara's were notorious for fast tire wear. Stock tires lasted 22k. Most replacement tires lasted 30k miles at best. We changed to rotating every oil change (~4k miles back then) and the next set of Kumho 716's lasted 45k miles before a nail in the sidewall. There was still 4-5/32 on all of them but since we were going on vacation, I just put news ones on.