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deerleg said:
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Gil_Hughes said:
After 52,000 miles, the Michelin tires that came on my '02 Jetta TDI still look like new. I have maintained the correct tire pressure summer and winter and rotated every 10,000 miles. How much mileage can I expect? Does anyone have a guess?
'02 Jetta TDI white, black leather, 5-spd, lux.
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Welcome Gil,
You can do a projection based on the following:
Example:
Must know the OE tread depth. 11/32nds (I’m not sure on the Mich)
Measure your current tread depth. 6/32nds
Subtract current tread depth from OE tread depth: 11/32-6/32=5/32nds.
Divide the used 32nds by the miles on the tire. 52000/5=10400 miles per 32nd.
Your miles per 32nd in the above example is 10,400.
Tires are worn out at 2/32nds so that gives you 9 “usable” 32nds.
Your max mileage would be 9x10400=93600.
I pull mine at 4/32nds and in reality most people do for a number of reasons (hydroplaning, shoulder wear, uneven wear etc.)
Practically speaking in the above example I would multiply 10400x7/32nd to get a more realistic removal mileage number. 72,800 miles.
If you don’t have one you can buy a tread depth gauge at most auto parts stores.
Good Luck! /images/graemlins/wink.gif
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Deerleg has got the drill down. All you really need is to measure the remaining tread with a caliper or tire tread measuring tool. I have also heard and confirmed by a few sources that the UTOG rating is usually ONLY consistent in an OEM LINE and not across lines. Hence a Michelin 400 utog rating may or may not be comparible to say a Bridgestone 400 utog rating.
So on my stock Goodyear LS's, 10k tire rotation intervals and Criss cross 5 tire method with between 35-38 psi front and 33-35 psi rear; I am wearing slightly less than 1/32 each 10.3k miles. So given 11/32 start and 2/32 legally bald, I have 9/32 remaining . This converts to 10.3k x 9/32= 92.7k for a 400 utog. BUT, I have a 360 UTOG so 10% x 92.7k=83.4k projected.