How bad do you let your tires get?

[dwasifar]

I replace when they get to 5/32". If they're close to that and winter is coming, I'll replace them before the snow comes.

My Crosstrek doesn't get driven a lot of miles; it's 3.5 years old right now with 28k miles on the clock, and it's possible its tires may age out before they wear out.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Whoosies. If it rolls it's got good tread.

 

[tyman]

Down to the wear bars or where they're starting to dry rot.

Yup....wear bars are absolute max wear down.

 

[wpod]

I keep tires and brakes as the # 1 safety item.

 

[Delta]

At the first sign of decreased traction. My Tacoma has 20K on it and I noticed the past couple thousand miles wet traction was suffering. Yup, time for new tires. $800 later and I'm ready for another approx 20-25K miles. My commute to work is almost all back roads and can be spotty as far as getting treated or plowed in the winter. 4WD just helps you go, not stop, so I want the best traction I can in adverse conditions. $800-$1000 every couple years is a lot cheaper than replacing a totaled truck...

 

[CKN]

Yep

I'm waiting for someone like you to run in to me in the winter time with nearly bald tires so I can get a New King Ranch Truck,.......

 

[Luftmasse]

I start planning on new tires when it reaches 4/32nds.

 

[javacontour]

How bad do you let your tires get before you replace them?
Performance drop?
hydroplane issues?
Down to wear bars?
Cords showing or almost bald?

I usually let them get pretty bad like to the wear bars or beyond.

Depends on the season.
Summer, I may run them to wear bars, or at least I'm more willing to get closer.
Fall, Winter or Spring, I'm less willing to go to the wear bars. Rain and snow doesn't go well with shallow tread depth.

 

[John105]

I bought a used Lexus in 2016 and I was disappointed that they put $85 tires on it when they conditioned it for resale. I told my wife I think I'm gonna just get new tires. She said why, isn't that wasteful? So I kept them, I do run snows in the winter, and finally this year, I replaced them. Probably had 3/32 still, but some almost showed the wear indicator flush, and all 4 leaked. People on the Lexus forum had comments like, "I wouldn't risk my family's life like you do." Weird, they apparently have access to my wallet!

But the car now has proper Pilot Sport AS4's like it deserves.

The problem now? New tires start at 8.5-10/32. They used to be 11 at least. So to throw them away early is really getting ripped off.

I call it the 52 oz orange juice conundrum. Used to be OJ came in a half gallon container. Last I checked, that's 64 oz. Where's the other 12? an 18 3/4% skim.

 

[John105]

Batteries and tires I replace early. 5 years for either really. About 40k miles with my normal driving. I don't find value in getting every dollar out of some things. Nothing wrong with it, just not my bag.

Batteries can be load tested. My OE BMW battery is 11 years old, would you be on your 2nd replacement by now? That's needless waste....the first time I did what you said, replaced at 5 years at the dealer. They actually said why do you want to replace it, it's fine? The old battery is in the basement (16 years old), I use it with an inverter if the power goes out to have a light and charge phones etc. On my other car I have a Costco 24F--load tested it at 6 and it failed, so I did replace it and not wait. In other time is not the determinant rather what the battery was subjected to imho

 

[SeaJay]

When I lived up north, cars needed to pass an annual safety inspection, wouldn't pass without a certain tread depth as specified by state regs. That is when they got changed for me.

 

[AZjeff]

In Arizona my tires age out. I replaced 7 year old tires with over 1/2 tread and under 30k on the xterra. Gave them to a guy running 13 year old tires on the wear bars.

 

[John105]

When I lived up north, cars needed to pass an annual safety inspection, wouldn't pass without a certain tread depth as specified by state regs. That is when they got changed for me.

It is surprising what 2/32" really looks like. That's the end of being legal. It looks like bars across the tread face, almost. In other words take a tire to a shop that looks dangerous (or measure it oneself). It is surprising to be told oh that's 4/32" it's not worn out yet to warrant a warranty replacement. And < 2/32" is a fail of the safety inspection....my original tires on the 1998 Nissan went 89k, and I did push to almost no tread. Boy it's fun being young, broke, and carefree!

 

[Jetronic]

almost bald. But I usually have spares to go on in case the weather turns nasty.

I simply enjoy the tyres best when they are getting near the wear bars. don't do much highway driving so speeds are typically low when it's pouring down and aquaplaning isn't an issue. Wouldn't even be with proper slicks.

 

[PontiacHO]

I try to get down to 4/32 but don’t really like driving at highway speeds when raining even at that. My wife’s and kids’ vehicles are/were much earlier that that. They won’t adjust their speed accordingly. “Need tires, why”?….they ask.

 

[Rand]

I call it the 52 oz orange juice conundrum. Used to be OJ came in a half gallon container. Last I checked, that's 64 oz. Where's the other 12? an 18 3/4% skim.

The word you are looking for is Shrinkflation.

 

[Passport1]

I find hydroplaning as exciting as my first attempt at waterskiing.

 

[Astro14]

I value my life a bit more I guess and try to avoid needless risk whenever necessary. As a result I do not wait until the wear bars nor "Beyond". Especially with winter tires which get dramatically worse as they wear.

Amen.

At 4/32 they’re gone. Just replaced a set of six year old Michelins on the S600 that had more than 4/32” because of age.

I’ve taken plenty of risks in my life. This is an area where I prefer to avoid risk.

 

[Hermann]

Usually start looking when I get to 4-5/32 nds. When I find what I want their gone.

 

[Bud]

When I see I am getting close to the wear bars I head over to Discount Tires for a new set.