Change tyres before or after?

[A.J.]

I always change tyres at about 3m anyway, so would definitely change them, no question

 

[Mic]

Tyre performance in the wet degrades rapidly with reduced tread depth. You're heading to Europe doing higher speeds than the UK and in weather turning wetter (mid summer tread depth wouldn't matter so much).
Those factors alone would convince me to change them.

What you say is true but but even a low legal tyre life of 16000 miles gives 2500 miles/0.5mm of tread depth so the OP would not be getting below 3.0mm tread depth; which is the depth most commonly advised for a change of tyres by many of the motoring organisations, tyre manufacturers and indeed MB.
In that respect we all draw our own line in the sand........mine is nearer to 1.6mm than 3.0mm.
It should be a very rare occasion that requires any of us to come to a halt in the shortest possible stopping distance .......emergency stop. On my driving test over 51 years ago may have been the only time I have ever had to do that from a speed of above circa 15 mph.

I still think the referred to cracking is where the focus of attention should lie.

Mic

 

[LostKiwi]

What you say is true but but even a low legal tyre life of 16000 miles gives 2500 miles/0.5mm of tread depth so the OP would not be getting below 3.0mm tread depth; which is the depth most commonly advised for a change of tyres by many of the motoring organisations, tyre manufacturers and indeed MB.
In that respect we all draw our own line in the sand........mine is nearer to 1.6mm than 3.0mm.
It should be a very rare occasion that requires any of us to come to a halt in the shortest possible stopping distance .......emergency stop. On my driving test over 51 years ago may have been the only time I have ever had to do that from a speed of above circa 15 mph.

I still think the referred to cracking is where the focus of attention should lie.

Mic

Even at 4mm stopping distances are increased compared to new.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...DBFgQFggdMAA&usg=AOvVaw2UeFG3508kVkAmTjx0rYQI

There is also the matter of resistance to aquaplaning. Less tread means aquaplaning sets in earlier and given speeds on the continent tend to be higher it makes sense to change them ealier especially as the weather is turning wetter.
I've just come back from 500 miles down to near Bordeaux and there were very heavy rainstorms coming across that were leaving standing water on the carriageway.

 

[BClassChris]

I would imagine that your carrying more weight in the car with clothing and other supplies etc on your road trip so the forces acting on the tyre will be greater than normal subjecting them to quicker wear. I would get them changed if you have the money to do so. If not then keep them in and get them changed if you need to while your away I can’t imagine them being that difficult to get hold of in Europe unless your going to a real far away backwater where they still use donkey as Transport


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Hope you have a great day

 

[Mic]

Even at 4mm stopping distances are increased compared to new.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...DBFgQFggdMAA&usg=AOvVaw2UeFG3508kVkAmTjx0rYQI

There is also the matter of resistance to aquaplaning. Less tread means aquaplaning sets in earlier and given speeds on the continent tend to be higher it makes sense to change them ealier especially as the weather is turning wetter.
I've just come back from 500 miles down to near Bordeaux and there were very heavy rainstorms coming across that were leaving standing water on the carriageway.

I accept all of that but ultimately we all have to decide where our own comfort zone is with the the ever diminishing stopping distances in the wet against cost......6.7mm, 4.1mm, 2.6mm,.......
We are guided by the legal limit, advice of various organisations and the graph shown.
It is much the same with speed limits.......why, 20 and not less, why 30 and not less........we are all at liberty to drive below the speed limits to suit our own comfort zone and/or the prevailing conditions but for the most part we don't because they are largely set to accommodate the lowest common denominator.

Life is full of compromises based on informed analysis and statistics.

Notwithstanding all the above we all should be driving to the conditions whatever they may be and one would expect that driving in the wet will dictate a different awareness of mechanical grip including stopping distances and as always a preparedness to expect the unexpected from our fellow road users.

Mic

 

[51315]

Thanks again to everyone for such sound considerations.
New rear tyres to match front should arrive tomorrow.

 

[ernieh]

Thanks again to everyone for such sound considerations.
New rear tyres to match front should arrive tomorrow.

Sounds like a sensible decision! A friend of ours went on a family holiday to the Continent a few years ago with what looked like adequate tread depth on his tyres. Unfortunately, after a few mountain passes, he found his tyres were on the limit and had to change 4 at an 'over the proverbial barrel' cost. And while they were there, the front pads were also close to the wear limit and had to be changed. All this was in spite of having the car serviced before going.

Clearly what needs to be done depends on what type of driving you will be doing on the Continent.

When we planned our first Continental trip in 1996, we had our then car, a 2l Passat Saloon, serviced at the main dealership. They advised that the rear exhaust section was on it's way out and should be changed as we were going to Switzerland, so I agreed. Midway through our holiday, it fell off on our way back to Geneva from Chamonix. We got it sorted at a little local VW garage for 25Sf. Needless to say, I was well compensated for the trouble on my return as they replaced my rear calipers for free!

Ernie

 

[A.J.]

Sounds like a sensible decision! A friend of ours went on a family holiday to the Continent a few years ago with what looked like adequate tread depth on his tyres. Unfortunately, after a few mountain passes, he found his tyres were on the limit and had to change 4 at an 'over the proverbial barrel' cost. And while they were there, the front pads were also close to the wear limit and had to be changed. All this was in spite of having the car serviced before going.

Clearly what needs to be done depends on what type of driving you will be doing on the Continent.

When we planned our first Continental trip in 1996, we had our then car, a 2l Passat Saloon, serviced at the main dealership. They advised that the rear exhaust section was on it's way out and should be changed as we were going to Switzerland, so I agreed. Midway through our holiday, it fell off on our way back to Geneva from Chamonix. We got it sorted at a little local VW garage for 25Sf. Needless to say, I was well compensated for the trouble on my return as they replaced my rear calipers for free!

Ernie

I did that a few years ago in Guernsey, thought I could get away with it on the BMW 520 that I had at the time. Had the fronts changed out there and bingo ! no VAT !!

 

[KeithJG]

Also when down to those wear limits it is much more easier to pick up a puncture!

Ok around town and short trips but on holiday abroad i would change them.

I have Goodyear F1`s all round and the rears have worn in the centre even on the recommended pressure.

At home i run on 30psi instead of 33...but increased back up when i went to the French Pyrenees.

The higher speed syndrome i find is a myth abroad unless in certain parts of Germany....all of France and Spain the limits are very similar to the UK but they drive to them on cruise control and will not budge off it making driving dangerous.

I drive faster at home than abroad.

 

[LostKiwi]

The higher speed syndrome i find is a myth abroad unless in certain parts of Germany

I find in France you will sit at 80mph for anything up to three hours at a time. You can't do that in the UK.
In the UK you're lucky to manage 10 minutes without having to brake.

 

[KeithJG]

I find in France you will sit at 80mph for anything up to three hours at a time. You can't do that in the UK.
In the UK you're lucky to manage 10 minutes without having to brake.

Don`t forget the Tolls in France where you have to stop to collect a ticket or pay. Some are even just 10 minutes of driving.

Parking up with toilets approx every 15 miles can be used.

 

[LostKiwi]

Don`t forget the Tolls in France where you have to stop to collect a ticket or pay. Some are even just 10 minutes of driving.

Parking up with toilets approx every 15 miles can be used.

If you drive Cherbourg to Bordeaux you will go through one set of tolls. You may need to slow to 50 for interchanges but aside from tolet and fuel breaks its a long high speed run of around 7 hours with only Rennes and Nantes providing minor pinch points for congestion. Once past Nantes you have a long unbroken stretch of over 3 hours to Bordeaux. Even with the tolls (which there is one at each end of that stretch) we only need slow to 30kmh for the gates to open.

 

[51315]

If you drive Cherbourg to Bordeaux you will go through one set of tolls. You may need to slow to 50 for interchanges but aside from tolet and fuel breaks its a long high speed run of around 7 hours with only Rennes and Nantes providing minor pinch points for congestion. Once past Nantes you have a long unbroken stretch of over 3 hours to Bordeaux. Even with the tolls (which there is one at each end of that stretch) we only need slow to 30kmh for the gates to open.

Do you take sandwiches?

 

[LostKiwi]

Do you take sandwiches?

Nope.... off the ferry at Cherbourg, drive till we get to our house (near Bordeaux). The only thing we stop for is fuel or toilet (at which time we may buy a snack to eat on the run). Done that run 5 times this year (so far). Also done a St Malo -> Bordeaux run as well.

 

[Larkone]

It should be a very rare occasion that requires any of us to come to a halt in the shortest possible stopping distance .......emergency stop. On my driving test over 51 years ago may have been the only time I have ever had to do that from a speed of above circa 15 mph.


Mic

Based on your excellent advice I think I will stop wearing seat belts as I have never had an accident in 45 years driving - makes complete sense - DOH