I am approaching needing the 60,000 km service - now 56,000, so had a look at the summer tyres to see of they are due now as well. They have been switched front to back once, and now have the following groove depth - there are four grooves across, so five thread blocks. The outside groove is mentioned first in all cases, depth of groove in mm:

Left front: 5,4,4,5

Right ront: 5,4,4,5

Left rear: 5,5,5,6

Right rear: 5,5,5,6.

Tyres are generally run with 1-2 psig above recommendation, so around 2.3 bar or 34 psig.

Fronts clearly wear most in the middle and rears the least on the inside. The rear wear makes some sense, but I had expected the fronts to wear most on the outside. Current mileage on these tyres is 31,000 km or about 20,000 miles.

They will get switched front to back next week and I guess they will be good till it is time to go back to winters again in late November. I will reduce the pressure to 32 psig and see if that changes the pattern. They will get replaced as any measurement reaches 3 mm.

I just had my car car serviced at the weekend and was amazed by the tyre wear on my Yeti. After 19,300 miles I still have 4mm on my back tyres and 5mm on my fronts. I rotated my tyres after 12,000 miles which is why they seem to have worn the wrong way round. The wear spread was also pretty even, I have not got the sheet in front of me now but I do remember looking and noticing it was very good.

I think that is hugely impressive as I had images of the 4wd Yeti eating tyres. I was happy to get to 18,000 miles on the same set but it looks as though I can go for quite a few more miles, maybe 4-5,000, before I reach the 3mm mark which everyone seems to recommend changing at.

Are the Dunlop tyres very hard wearing or is the Yeti fairly light on tyres? I don't drive like a boy racer but equally I don't drive like a nun. How have others found their Yeti's for tyre wear?

Variable service will be done tomorrow - She is asking for it at 58,500 km. That is 28,500 since the last service and not surprising, as it has been a mix of high speed long distance and very short trips.

Tyres will be replaced at the same time - they could have gone a bit more, but the saving is marginal, considering a round trip and more waiting at the dealer. There are now 33,500 km on the original summer tyres, 21,000 miles. They would probably have gone 2000 miles more. Wear pattern is now more or less uniform at 4 mm thread depth left.

The replacements will be Michelin Primacy HP 215/60 - 16, H- Rating 99XL if I remember correctly. They were selected as close to best in class on wet handling in the size required. They do not appear to hev been tested since 2009 and are not in the most recent ADAC ratings, which have very different sizes tested. They are also rated at long life and low noise. We will see.

The pattern is not much different than the Conti's (or any others in the same category) but have a few more cross sipes than the Conti's. These should do me for at leat two more summers - or more.

Edited 22 August, 201114 yr by Agerbundsen

They will get replaced as any measurement reaches 3 mm.

Is that law in Denmark or for your peace of mind?

Is that law in Denmark or for your peace of mind?

The law in DK matches the EU regulation, which calls for 1.6 mm minimum. Various clever agencies, like the motor clubs etc. recommend 3 mm as the cut-off point for change on summer tyres and 4 mm for winter.

I am more concerned with performance than the minimal impact on my wallet.

Edited 22 August, 201114 yr by Agerbundsen

When I took my car in for its service I expected them to try it on regarding the tyres, "you'll need 4 new tyres sir" and so I checked on the internet for advice. The universal response was 3mm is the time to look to change, 2.5mm at the worst.

I have no previous opinion on this but it seemed to be the agreed logic out there.

I am approaching needing the 60,000 km service - now 56,000, so had a look at the summer tyres to see of they are due now as well. They have been switched front to back once, and now have the following groove depth - there are four grooves across, so five thread blocks. The outside groove is mentioned first in all cases, depth of groove in mm:

Left front: 5,4,4,5

Right ront: 5,4,4,5

Left rear: 5,5,5,6

Right rear: 5,5,5,6.

Tyres are generally run with 1-2 psig above recommendation, so around 2.3 bar or 34 psig.

Fronts clearly wear most in the middle and rears the least on the inside. The rear wear makes some sense, but I had expected the fronts to wear most on the outside. Current mileage on these tyres is 31,000 km or about 20,000 miles.

They will get switched front to back next week and I guess they will be good till it is time to go back to winters again in late November. I will reduce the pressure to 32 psig and see if that changes the pattern. They will get replaced as any measurement reaches 3 mm.

I'd say your fronts are slightly, maybe 1 or 2 PSI, over-inflated, and the rears about right.

On the "when to change" question, I change the Octy's 205s at 3mm, because much less and it starts spinning the fronts up on standing water. I've taken narrower-tyred cars down to 2mm no problems though. Also, it's not widely advertised, but Continentals turn from rubber to concrete at 3mm (which IIRC is the German min depth).

I'd say your fronts are slightly, maybe 1 or 2 PSI, over-inflated, and the rears about right.

On the "when to change" question, I change the Octy's 205s at 3mm, because much less and it starts spinning the fronts up on standing water. I've taken narrower-tyred cars down to 2mm no problems though. Also, it's not widely advertised, but Continentals turn from rubber to concrete at 3mm (which IIRC is the German min depth).

You are probably right about the front pressures. The rears too.

Summer Conti's now changed as shown below in signature. No comments so far other than they are as quiet as the Conti's and that the Conti's would have made fine slicks as they were.

I've been a bit disappointed with tyre wear.

First set looked about all in at about 15000miles, though I strung it out to 18k.

Now, having covered 13000 on the second set, I find that the wear is noticeable and a bit worryingly uneven. There is a touch of wheel wobble (VERY slight) and an imperceptible pull left. I do recall asking for balance and geometry to be checked first time around.... ..... .......

It could be that the imminent service, the impending tyre change and so on precipitates the order for the replacement Yeti (Elegance 170 again, with one or two life-enhancing extras, just for fun!!)

Well, George,

The tyre wear may be one or more of several things. The 17" wide tyres will tend to be more sensitive to correct pressures than the (slightly) narrower 16 inchers. Since I assume you are travelling on "well cambered" roads localy, the pull to the left is maybe not surprizing. Incorrect geometry of the suspension can naturally be the cause as well.

I am firmly convinced that the 16" wheels are the better choice - so if you are looking to replace the car, maybe Tim will let you know what trick there is to getting those on an Elegance model.

Edited 23 August, 201114 yr by Agerbundsen

I think my Octavia Scout (PD) runs the same OEM tyres as some Yeti's? Dunlop Sport SP 01's - 225/50 R17.

I got even wear all round and squeezed 25,000 miles out of them.

Took them right down to the wear bars though.

I wonder if my Scout is lighter or heavier than the equivelent CR 140bhp TDi 4x4 Yeti?

Good performance in the winter and summer so replaced like-for-like for a sniff over £500.

First impression of the new summer wellies:

The pattern is a little different from the Conti's. The samae basic five rows circumferential blocks with sipes on the inside blocks. The inner and two central grooves on the Michelins are a little wider than the Conti's and the outside groove on the Michelins is not straight, but a wavy pattern. The Micheling´s have sipes on all four inner rows of blocks, but none ou the outside row. The block size on the outside row changes quite a bit in size - presumably to eliminate resonance type noise, and the shape is more interlocking than the square blocks on the Conti's.

They seem a little quieter and a bit more direct in steering than the Conti's - which would be logical from the difference in block design. I have not found any bad habits on dry road, and it has not rained yet, so no input on wet handling.

All in all, I expect a slight improvement over the Conti's and they are reputed to have a long service life. However, when you do the reserch and select the bes available in the necessary size, you have a tendedcy to belive in what you bought, so in abscence of any hard test date, take it for wheát it is - my personal impression and nothing else.

Edited 24 August, 201114 yr by Agerbundsen

I've been a bit disappointed with tyre wear.

First set looked about all in at about 15000miles, though I strung it out to 18k.

Now, having covered 13000 on the second set, I find that the wear is noticeable and a bit worryingly uneven. There is a touch of wheel wobble (VERY slight) and an imperceptible pull left. I do recall asking for balance and geometry to be checked first time around.... ..... .......

It could be that the imminent service, the impending tyre change and so on precipitates the order for the replacement Yeti (Elegance 170 again, with one or two life-enhancing extras, just for fun!!)

That's interesting. The wife's 170 Yeti has just been in for its 20K service and the report came back with 4mm front and 5mm rear tread (even across the tread on all tyres). They've not been changed front to back, so I reckon that's pretty impressive and certainly better than I was expecting.