Tread wear on the S Plus Tires..

[DAVID williamson]

Hello!! I an interested in this 2015 s plus premium that is for sale several hours from where I live... it has 31k miles and the guy was honest with me during our conversation and told me that it was very close to needing new tires. He sent me a pic of them at my request and I was wondering is this normal tread wear for the 17 inch wheels/tires? I am curious if this car has been driven hard??? Driven easy, what kind of mileage can be expected for a new set of tires for that car? Thanks... I’m posting a pic of the tires on the car I’m talking about...

 

[two-if-by-sea]

It all depends on what brand tires that the car came with. My two previous Corolla's (2005, 2010) came with Continental. Neither car made it to 40K miles before needing replacement tires. My current 2016 Corolla came with Michelin. They lasted 70K miles. I don't see any red flags from looking at the picture you provided. There is no uneven wear, and the edges are not chewed up (like someone has been using the car for autocross). I would not be concerned.

 

[JohnnieXSE]

Manufacturers usually install the cheapest stock tires, so replacing at 30-40k is normal.

 

[Rock'n Roller]

The type of tire, alignment, air pressure, environment, driving style, and suspension are all variations on how a tire wears. Softer compounds marketed as "performance" tires will wear quicker. "All season" and "touring" tires have a harder compound to minimize wear. I currently have factory installed Continental True Contacts. They are getting very close to the wear bar indicators at 50K miles. I just ordered replacements (a different brand). I have no need to spend big money on tires because it's a crap shoot on whether or not they last beyond 30K miles. I have 40 years of real life experience to back that claim up. Every manufactured lot is different. Tire warranties that advertise 75K miles for example, doesn't guarantee you will achieve that. Maybe in an ideal world, but it's not reality. A lot of people assume that though. Because tires are a wear & tear commodity, I personally won't spend more than $80 per tire. I'm satisfied with 40-50K miles out of a set. That's about 5 years for me.

 

[ToyBoy]

Rock`n Roller , I have to agree with you 100% percent.

 

[80yrsboop]

The type of tire, alignment, air pressure, environment, driving style, and suspension are all variations on how a tire wears. Softer compounds marketed as "performance" tires will wear quicker. "All season" and "touring" tires have a harder compound to minimize wear. I currently have factory installed Continental True Contacts. They are getting very close to the wear bar indicators at 50K miles. I just ordered replacements (a different brand). I have no need to spend big money on tires because it's a crap shoot on whether or not they last beyond 30K miles. I have 40 years of real life experience to back that claim up. Every manufactured lot is different. Tire warranties that advertise 75K miles for example, doesn't guarantee you will achieve that. Maybe in an ideal world, but it's not reality. A lot of people assume that though. Because tires are a wear & tear commodity, I personally won't spend more than $80 per tire. I'm satisfied with 40-50K miles out of a set. That's about 5 years for me.

I would be interested in what ride quality you have with the cheaper tires. I am a retired Michelin employee. I prefer a smooth ride. I may be wrong but if tires shake, vibrate, etc. It causes premature wear on all suspension components.
Paying for new bushings, ball joints and shocks is a major cost to me. I go for the tire that gives best ride quality and reasonable wear out. Of course I keep my vehicles a long time.
All the best!

 

[Rock'n Roller]

I would be interested in what ride quality you have with the cheaper tires. I am a retired Michelin employee. I prefer a smooth ride. I may be wrong but if tires shake, vibrate, etc. It causes premature wear on all suspension components.
Paying for new bushings, ball joints and shocks is a major cost to me. I go for the tire that gives best ride quality and reasonable wear out. Of course I keep my vehicles a long time.
All the best!

I never expected to have a Lexus type ride with an economy car. The suspension on these cars is already very stiff , but it's a proven robust design. I don't mind it. I just had my new tires installed two weeks ago at a little over 50K miles. Unexpectedly, the alignment was still in spec. I can absolutely tell you, there is no ride difference between the $130 ea. OEM Continental's vs. my $73 ea. replacements. I learned my lesson when I was younger. A tire salesman talked me into a $600 set of Bridgestone's. At 30K miles those tires were toast. Replaced those with a set of Riken tires for $280 set. Those lasted 46K miles. Lesson learned. That is why I will never purchase a single tire over $80. That strategy has worked for me for over 30+ years. Like everything presented to consumers these days, the hype is in the marketing, social media B.S., and bad advice from others (reviews). The most important piece is the reliability data that backs up the manufacturers claims. Consumers don't have the privilege of viewing those reports. To me, tires and motor oil belong in the same category. They are always a hot topic in every motorized vehicle forum and they always will be.