Where do you fit new tyres???

[R32UK]

Option 1.As recomended by my garage.

Thank you.... A professional opinion 

Dammit!

The cynic in me says they will see quicker repeat business this way

Not really.... the rate of wear will still be exactly the same. 

How come? Only other powerful front wheel drive car I had was a Mondeo ST24, and I used to chew through the fronts twice as quick as the rears.

Acceleration (and deceleration) is what runs tread down, and its particularly fast on front wheel drive cars. I was much more frugal with my tyres in my Z3 even though I got the back end out frequently - just because I didnt actually accelerate and decelerate as hard.

Probably comparing apples with oranges, but I do drive nearly 20k miles a year so I know what works for me

Think you have misunderstood me slightly there. I was refering to your post about tyre fitters seeing an increase in business if your changing your rears rather than the fronts. The rate of wear across the four tyres will always be the same..... so they will not see any more or less business

[smartypants]

Think you have misunderstood me slightly there. I was refering to your post about tyre fitters seeing an increase in business if your changing your rears rather than the fronts. The rate of wear across the four tyres will always be the same..... so they will not see any more or less business

Oh I seee - yes you're right over the course of ownership the business will be the same

Stupid me

[bobotheclown]

I always thought that they put the new rubber on the back was to minimise the chance of having a blow out or something? Have a blow out on the front tyre is more preferable to having one on the rear.

[neo66]

Last time (last month) I went to the garage, there was loads of posters and flyers saying the new tyres to be fitted to the rears!(and loads of rant justifying it).To which I agree!
I was in a horrible crash years ago when my rear steped out big time in the wet and my best tyres were on the front!, so from experience thats where the best ones are going from now on!

[smartypants]

At my garage there are naked ladies on the walls

I think that had more to do with you going too fast for the conditions and heavy braking causing the rear to go light and overtake your front. Nothing to do with 2mm less rubber.

[ub7rm]

A few months ago I replaced my front tyres and the difference was astonishing.  More confident acceleration, steering much sharper in the wet and dry, braking distance much reduced.

Last week I changed my back tyres.  Certainly a little sharper in turning but not the same leap in driveability as I got when I changed the fronts.

If you want to mitigate against disasters you should line your houses with lead, fill an underground store with canned goods and put your freshest tyres on the back.  Alternativly you will see the best real life return for your investment by putting the new tyres on the front and not letting the back go bald.

When my front tyres are down to 2mm I replace them.  When the back goes down to 2mm I replace them.  No faffing about.  Simples 

so at some point you will have brand new tyres on the front and possibly only 3mm on the rears..... 

Yes... like last month.

And do you know what, despite this and the rain and everything I never once even felt the slightest twitch from the back or that the car was anything other than planted.  No ESP activating or anything.  I wasn't driving like Colin McRae (god rest his soul) but then I wasn't driving like a pensioner either.   

[ifti]

TBH, I'd probably do exactly what ub7rm does - well it was what I always did with my previous car, and I never had any issues whatsoever.

[R32UK]

My point is its not going to cost you any more or any less by putting the new tryes to the rear... yet its what is suggested by both the fitters and manufacturers.

I think I know who i would trust..... as is the usual case, when you need the grip the most it wont be there

[matthewsimone]

but what if you put 4 new tyres on at the same time then you have same grip all round so rear is just as likely to go as the front is lol  its a gamble either way id say go on a few track days and get some practice incase the unfortunate does happen 

[RedRobin]

....

I'm advised by Goodyear Technical, VWRacing, and my VW dealer, to put the best tyres on the rear on the Mk5 GTI.

When the fronts wear down to 2mm, I move the rears to the front axle and new treads on the rear. I buy one pair of tyres at a time.

Although I've never got new treads on the front, my Quaife diff coupled with my style of driving don't result in understeer or much wheelspin.