Has anyone come across Michelin Hydroedge tyres? I believe they're supposed to last for 90k miles/6 years, and have good grip in wet and dry conditions, but I can only find reference to them on US sites. Might they be marketed under a different name in Europe?

There's Michelin Energy in the UK which sounds like what you describe.

Heard something about 4 years being the life of a tyre though due to perishing or somethng?:wonder:

There's Michelin Energy in the UK which sounds like what you describe.

Heard something about 4 years being the life of a tyre though due to perishing or somethng?:wonder:

I've had Michelin energy before, but they last nowhere near 90k miles. I do about 30k miles/year, so the tyres don't get the chance to perish.

I think that US spec tyres are probably a different compound to ours in Europe which is why they might last for 90k miles.

I saw Michelin Primacy on a Passat my wife's aunt used to run. Over 4 years and 60,000 miles they went from 8.5mm tread to 5mm of tread on the fronts and 7mm of tread on the back. I will accept that she drove the car extremely gently but I reckon they would have done 90,000 miles, possibly even more.

My original Bridgestone Potenzas from my Fabia vRS still had 3mm of tread on the back at 60,000 miles and I replaced those because they went out of round (it seems to be a problem with me abd Fabia vRS tyres on the back as the old Continentals did the same and had to be replaced with plenty of tread on them) .

I saw Michelin Primacy on a Passat my wife's aunt used to run. Over 4 years and 60,000 miles they went from 8.5mm tread to 5mm of tread on the fronts and 7mm of tread on the back. I will accept that she drove the car extremely gently but I reckon they would have done 90,000 miles, possibly even more.

My original Bridgestone Potenzas from my Fabia vRS still had 3mm of tread on the back at 60,000 miles and I replaced those because they went out of round (it seems to be a problem with me abd Fabia vRS tyres on the back as the old Continentals did the same and had to be replaced with plenty of tread on them) .

From what I can find the Primacy have a treadwear rating of 620 with a 60k mile warranty, whereas it's 800 with a 90k mile warranty for the hydroedge, so I guess they must be a different product.

I think that US spec tyres are probably a different compound to ours in Europe which is why they might last for 90k miles.

Is it a case of US consumers expecting, and getting, a more comprehensive product range?

My original Bridgestone Potenzas from my Fabia vRS still had 3mm of tread on the back at 60,000 miles and I replaced those because they went out of round (it seems to be a problem with me abd Fabia vRS tyres on the back as the old Continentals did the same and had to be replaced with plenty of tread on them) .

Using that handbrake much?

Everytime the back wheels slide, they will slide on the same point (after that flatspot has been created) creating exactly what you describe - or there's something horribly wrong with the car to create two sets of flatspot tyres :no:

You cant have long lasting, mixed with good grip in the dry.

America has very straight roads and a lower speed limit, so they can have a very hard long lasting tread compound. With our roads I suspect that the hard compound will lead to lots of understeer even in the dry.

I dont think its a case of them having a better product range, more a fact that a very hard tyre is not suitable for use in the UK.

As this thread is not Fabia specific I have moved it to general motoring.

I got 55k from Michelin Energy tires on the rear of my old Clio dCi 100hp. they weren't all motorway miles either. Fronts lasted for 40k, 10k longer than the front disks.

I guess those American Michelin tyres are probably very hard and for use on the large interstate roads. They probably wouldn't handle UK roads very well. Yank tanks are hardly built for handling.

Im sure changing your drivng style will have far more effect on tyre wear, than purchasing special tyres.

My dad can get silly figures out of tyres, by driving like a pensioner.

I think that US spec tyres are probably a different compound to ours in Europe which is why they might last for 90k miles.

that or its due to US roads being mainly straight.....