How long should tyres last?

Buying new tyres for your car is often a begrudging purchase, made to keep your vehicle road-legal or to fix tyre damage caused by punctures or curb damage.

We all want our tyres to last as long as possible, and perform as well as possible, but what should our expectations be when it comes to tyre lifespan and durability?

The answer is, -of course- that it depends. Tyre manufacturers are reluctant to give final figures because there are so many variables that can affect tyre longevity that it’s impossible to predict lifespan. Enthusiastic driving, tyre inflation, vehicle maintenance and road conditions all play significant parts in how long your tyres will last.

Most tyres are designed to last for at least 40,000kms of ‘average use’, with some high-performance tyres having shorter lifespans thanks to softer rubber compounds, while some all terrains and mud terrains having longer life spans due to their deeper tread patterns and tougher rubber, designed for off-road use.

Realistically, when it comes to tyre life expectations, we’ve seen aggressive drivers blow through a set of tyres in 20,000kms and come back with a smile on their faces asking for another set, while we’ve seen drivers unhappy they’ve gotten only that far?

Generally, a rough guide for what to expect when it comes to new tyres with real-world use would be something like this:

• Ultra High-Performance Street Tyres: 20,000-55,000km
• Touring/Commuting Tyres: 40,000-60,000km
• Highway/Commercial Tyres: 45,000-70,000km
• All Terrain and Mud Terrain Tyres: 60,000 - 90,000km

But this can’t be used as a measurement, as even tyres in the same price bracket and product category can have wildly different lifespans, even when fitted to the same vehicle.

Tips to Get the Most from Your Tyres

As we explained, tyres wearing out through normal wear and tear is just a fact of vehicle ownership. That being said, there are some things you can do to ensure your tyres last as long as possible.

Tyre Rotations

Your tyres rotate every time you drive, right? All jokes aside, a tyre rotation is where the tyres on your vehicle are taken off and re-installed on another corner of the vehicle.

This helps spread out any tyre wear evenly amongst your full set of tyres.

Wheel Alignment

A wheel alignment is a process of adjusting your vehicle suspension to ensure that your tyres are adjusted to within factory specifications.

During a wheel alignment, your camber, toe, castor and other important measurements will be taken and referenced against the recommended factory settings.

Vehicle Maintenance

There are noticeable differences to tyre lifespan on vehicles that are well looked after. Worn-out suspension bushings, shock absorbers, sagging springs, dragging brakes and more can all contribute to uneven or premature tyre wear.

When is a tyre ‘used’?

Tyres are typically considered ‘used up’ when they’re no longer legal or safe to use. This can be caused by a few reasons, the most common of which are:

Tread Wear:

As tyres are used normally, the surface of the tread will slowly wear away. The tread depth on your tyres is essential for maintaining traction in wet and slippery conditions.

Once a tread depth reaches around 3mm deep, its ability to move water out of the way starts to become affected by the lack of cross-sectional area available to shift water out of the tyres’ path. This is going to result in aquaplaning and reduced performance in the wet.

It’s worth noting that even fully slick race tyres have a ‘depth’ by which point the tyre is considered ‘used’. Even though they never started out with any tread, they’ll get harder and provide less grip as they wear.

While wet weather performance and stability start to trail off at tread depths of 3mm or less, the legal minimum is 1.5mm Australia-wide.

Tyre Damage:

Aside from wearing out, the most common reason for tyres to be replaced is due to damage. Tyres can be damaged in various ways such as punctures, cuts, sidewall scrapes, bulges and more.

Tyres with well-worn-out treads are more susceptible to being damaged, due to the rubber being thinner than on a new tyre.

Some punctures can be repaired, allowing you to continue using your tyres, though damage to the sidewalls and the shoulders of the tread should be inspected by a professional, as repairs to these parts of the tyre can potentially fail prematurely.

Age:

The complex materials and compounds used to manufacture tyres have a finite lifespan, and even if your tyres don’t have physical damage and don’t have too much tread wear, they’ll need to be replaced at some point thanks to general deterioration.

Oxygen, UV light, ozone from electrical devices, temperature cycles and more slowly cause damage to tyres over a long period of time, eventually resulting in dried out, cracked, and hardened tyres.

Once tyres get to 5 years of age, it’s worth inspecting them for signs of aging, or having a professional store take a look at them

On the side of your tyres will be a 4 digit code with a small pill-shaped outline around them. This is the manufacturing date for the tyres. The first 2 numbers being for the week, while the second pair of digits being for the year. A tyre displaying 4822 was made in the 48th week of 2022.

Other Reasons to Change Tyres

Aside from damage, age or old worn out tyres, you might replace your tyres with a model more suitable for your vehicle or driving preferences.Tyres heavily influence how your vehicle drives and depending on your vehicle, any modifications you’ve performed or a change in driving habits might necessitate a fresh set of rubber.

Sydney’s Premier Pirelli Dealer

Periodically inspecting your tyres for damage, as well as routine wheel alignments and balancing will ensure you get the most from your tyres.

A wheel alignment and tyre rotation service, performed by the team at Kogarah Tyrepower can act as an early warning sign for suspension issues, as well as distribute uneven tyre wear across your whole set of tyres. This is particularly crucial on modern AWD vehicles.

Book your vehicle in to see the team today by calling (02) 9587 3366 or by visiting our workshop, located at 7 Lindsay Street, Rockdale.