What's the tyre life on a California

[DavidofHook]

New at the back has been consumer advise for a few years now as tests have shown that less serious accidents occur from understeer accidents than oversteer ones

New at the back is news to me Loz and Welshgas but I can see the point. However, as my Bridgestones were not good at the front and as I drive more like a seventy old than a racing driver I think that I will keep my Michelins at the front. However, I will keep my eye on them.
More to the point, my tyres are sitting in the sun here in France, and I do know that they recommend caravan tyres should be changed every 4 years because of solar attack. Any comments guys?

 

[WelshGas]

New at the back is news to me Loz and Welshgas but I can see the point. However, as my Bridgestones were not good at the front and as I drive more like a seventy old than a racing driver I think that I will keep my Michelins at the front. However, I will keep my eye on them.
More to the point, my tyres are sitting in the sun here in France, and I do know that they recommend caravan tyres should be changed every 4 years because of solar attack. Any comments guys?

Putting the new tyres on the back is the advice of the Tyre Manufacturers, AA and RAC, not me. Although that is what I do.

Caravan tyres should be changed every 4?5 years as they spend a lot of time stationary and this can damage the sidewall as well as general degradation due to UV.
If your vehicle spends a lot of time immobile then I would be checking front & rear sidewall frequently from year 4.
Here is Michelins view:
http://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/learn-share/buying-guide/when-should-i-change-my-tyres

 

[DavidofHook]

Putting the new tyres on the back is the advice of the Tyre Manufacturers, AA and RAC, not me. Although that is what I do.

Caravan tyres should be changed every 4?5 years as they spend a lot of time stationary and this can damage the sidewall as well as general degradation due to UV.
If your vehicle spends a lot of time immobile then I would be checking front & rear sidewall frequently from year 4.
Here is Michelins view:
http://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/learn-share/buying-guide/when-should-i-change-my-tyres

I had looked at the Manufacturers device Welshgas. Interestingly, as far as I could see, the Mixhelin guide didn't refer to putting new tyres at the back. Perhaps they were hoping that you would be buying 4 at once!
We use our van as a car so the tyres are rarely stationary for long, although, here we have not moved for 2 weeks and we are in A high UV area. I do have pair of specially made tyre covers for this situation but, Sod's law, they are at home.

 

[WelshGas]

Good review here about where to fit best tyres.

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-article/better-tyres-in-the-front-or-rear-test-results

 

[Kiwikamper]

My new 4Motion Ocean has factory supplied Hankook Ventus Prime 255/45 R18 and I am curious to see how long they will last with careful driving and rotation every 12,000 km.
My Golf estate has now done over 86,000 km on its original tyres.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Looks like I'll need a new set of front tyres at 25,000 miles. Mine's a 2017 T6, 150PS 6-Speed Manual Beach.... With 235/55r17 Dunlops, from the factory.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I must admit that I got bored by page 3 of this thread as it strayed so far from the original question so I stopped reading but back on topic.
Being somewhat of a tightwad as far as tyres are concerned....
I am disappointed in the life of Bridgestone Turanza ER300's fitted to my MY18, 2WD, Ocean 150 DSG from new.
I'm just under 14000mls and the fronts will be lucky to see another 1000. The wear pattern is reasonably even but I have kept the pressures in the ball park and at this wear rate I hate to think about how quickly an incorrectly inflated tyre would have worn in a small area (most likely the outside edges) to become illegal whilst still having other good areas. I'd guess with out paying attention that would have been at 8000ish miles.
Apart from an Audi A4 Avant I once owned I'm used to getting in excess of 25,000 miles before starting to wonder how many miles before the wear bar limit is reached. The Audi which also got around 15000 on the frot was also my last 2WD diesel vehicle. I don't know if that is simply coincidence or a manufacturers trait?

Any recommendations for more cost effective tyres?
Michelin Cross Climate look a good bet.
The Turanza ER300's (for VW) are not hard to beat for the price at
B for fuel economy
C For wet traction
72 decibel rating

 

[Volkywagen]

18k in and still 50% left on mine. 150 2wd

 

[Ocean Spirit]

18k in and still 50% left on mine. 150 2wd

Same tyres?

A bit more research though

Tyre Wear?

I have a Gen 6 Caravelle which I use as my daily car so does around 100 miles a day to work and back. it runs on OE 18's and empty about 99% of the time with the odd heavy load in it, I drive it like a normal car and it regularly sits at 70 mph ;) where allowed or usually within the speed...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Volkywagen]

Same tyres?

A bit more research though

Tyre Wear?

I have a Gen 6 Caravelle which I use as my daily car so does around 100 miles a day to work and back. it runs on OE 18's and empty about 99% of the time with the odd heavy load in it, I drive it like a normal car and it regularly sits at 70 mph ;) where allowed or usually within the speed...

www.t6forum.com

Hankooks are on it. Factory fitment. Unsure of the spec on them though.

 

[Chris Greaves]

4 New ones at 25,000 miles on the original Continental Contivan connects. Could have got a few more miles but road noise got worse after 24,000. Wear was pretty even front to back, the worst wear slightly was the rear near-side, under their fridge and wardrobe. Replaced with the same, all good again now.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Interesting......
Beginning to think the Turanza ER300's are a big part of the equation.

 

[TripleBee]

To reply to the original answer. I am on my 3rd set of front tyres, and 2nd set of rear tyres.
First tyres I changed on the front was around 45 000 - 50 000 km (30 000 mi?). First rear tyres together with the 2nd set of front tyres around 90 000 km (60 000 mi?).

But the best part. I recently have to replace the rear brake pads, because they were worn at the inside. The outside pads were little over half way down. I then had 128 000 km. The front brake pads are about half way down.
And don't worry, If I need to stop that California, there is 2600 kg pushing, so yes, I DO brake, from time to time.

 

[TripleBee]

Of course I meant "to reply to the original question..."

 

[californiakid]

Got 39000 on Goodyear Marathons but swapping fronts to rears is a must.

 

[WelshGas]

Got 39000 on Goodyear Marathons but swapping fronts to rears is a must.

Not necessarily on a 4Motion.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

My Bridgestones on the front haven't got a great deal left in them just turned 14000 miles.

 

[californiakid]

Not necessarily on a 4Motion.

Well for me its the best way to get maximum life from a set of tyres plus you know whether the wheels will come off easily when needed . Plus 4motion or not to me it's a must. You only have drive to one wheel at a time.

 

[WelshGas]

Well for me its the best way to get maximum life from a set of tyres plus you know whether the wheels will come off easily when needed . Plus 4motion or not to me it's a must. You only have drive to one wheel at a time.

With equal wear front to rear and left to right I see no reason and my tyre man agrees. FWD probably required.

 

[gvick]

Would be interested to hear if fitting cross climate or all weather tyres increases the road noise inside the cab?
When I enquired at time of ordering my dealer said all season tyres ade for a very noisy Cali - thoughts?

 

[WelshGas]

Would be interested to hear if fitting cross climate or all weather tyres increases the road noise inside the cab?
When I enquired at time of ordering my dealer said all season tyres ade for a very noisy Cali - thoughts?

The Cross climate are quieter than the Goodyear and I've gained about 1.5 mpg .

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Would be interested to hear if fitting cross climate or all weather tyres increases the road noise inside the cab?
When I enquired at time of ordering my dealer said all season tyres ade for a very noisy Cali - thoughts?

Of course theory and reality aren’t always in sync for what ever reason but......
I don’t find my Cali too noisy on the ER300’s and the cross climates have a better DB rating than they do as well as better set grip and fuel economy.
I’ll be trying them out.

 

[MattBW]

My Goodyear’s 37k so far on the back, changedthe front about 26k I think.

 

[sensisuperstar]

Interesting to read about owner experience of tyre wear. Personally I am not at all happy with my front tyre wear, just about 10k out of a set of Bridgestone Turanza ER300’s...and I drive slower than Miss Daisy’s chauffeur!

This is the second set of Bridgestone’s, so this time I think I’m going to put a set of Michelin Cross Climate + tyres to hopefully get better wear / life cycle cost.

Interestingly, the rear drivers side is a Dunlop Sport MAXX which has hardly worn in 14k miles. The Bridgestone on the passenger side rear is just over 3mm, so it seems in my case the tyre is not up to the job. Unfortunately the Dunlop has some cracking, so all 4 corners will have to be changed leaving a £500 hole in my pocket

 

[Stoneybroke]

I went for all weather Tyres from new. VW fitted Continental Vanco All Season 2 on the beach's standard 16" wheels.
Fronts moved to the back at 28,000, then replaced at 33,500 but still above legal limit.
The rear tyres moved to front at 28,000. Still going strong with an even 5mm tread and nearly 40k of use.
Excellent tyres.