Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 21:35:48 GMT From: "Al" <alistairdorenospamo.com> Subject: Re: New tyres fitted to rear?
"th" <someguynospamwhere.se> wrote in message news:Dugxf.42389$d5.198740nospamb.telia.net... > Al wrote: >> Just had two new tyres fitted to my 1987 900 Aero. >> >> Costco insisted that the new tyres were fitted to the rear not the front, >> apparently they have been told by Michelin not to carry out customers >> wishes and fit newer tyres to the front. They were playing a "police" >> video which demonstrated the "problem" i.e. more grip on the new front >> tyres leads to the car oversteer and skidding/spinning. >> >> Personally I think this is rot. Yes if your rear tyres were shot to bits >> or only just legal I suppose in the wrong circumstances its a possible >> scenario, but with 4mm tread on my older tyres I just can't see the rear >> end of my car breaking away before the front. Certainly under normal >> aggressive driving scenarios I have experienced understeer, but not >> oversteer in any front wheel drive car.... >> >> I think this is a subtle ruse by the tyre industry to make us change all >> our tyres at once , just like the codswallop they spew about tyres with >> less than 3mm tread being ineffective in the wet...if that's so they're >> not building their tyres right, but this is Michelin were talking about >> (Indy F1 2005....) > > No it is not something imposed by the tire industry. Actually with front > wheel drive cars the recommendation leads to only changing two tires at a > time as the front tires wear out far quickest. I have been driving Saab > for more than 25 years and never bought more than two tires at the same > event. The recommendation of putting the best tires at the rear you can > find in auto magazines, insurance company recommendations, research > reports etc and not only in the tire manufacturer documentation. > > -- > th Yeah, lots of people telling me I should have insisted, customer comes first and all that. I DID, and was told to buy my tyres elsewhere, since I was making a £30 saving by buying at Costco I swallowed my pride and let them get on with it. I still think it's nonsense, I have driven front wheel drive cars since 1990, and I have never, I repeat never, lost the rear end under any conditions..... Al
