So long story short, I’ve had So long story short, I’ve had my X5 for 4 years…Time for new tires, since the front are at the wear indicator…
Funny because I burned through a fresh set of 4 brand new Dunlop Dirrezza 2’s on my miata in less than 8 months, so 4 years on 1 set of tires is pretty good for me…
I remember going to the tire shops, tire rack, and costco and they mentioned on on a AWD/4WD car, you need to replace all 4 at a time…
However, today at the dealership, they mentioned replacing pairs is fine…
I always thought on an AWD/4WD you needed to change all 4…
But some seem to suggest if the tire depth difference is less than 6/32″, it doesn’t matter…
Fact or fiction?
(I’ll probably replace all 4 anyway, but I was just curious if this was another sell job)..
spdrun
April 8, 2014 @
8:11 PM
On a true 4wd like a On a true 4wd like a Wrangler, where you can turn off the front axle 100% and only engage it in slick conditions, no. On a vehicle with an open center differential, probably not. On a vehicle with a limited-slip center diff or clutches controlled by a computer, it will keep them just at the point of slipping and might wear them out more quickly.
I’d do all four, then sell the “good” pair on Craigslist. And rotate tires front-to-back every 5k miles in future to avoid the same predicament.
NotCranky
April 8, 2014 @
9:18 PM
What does the manual for your What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?
Coronita
April 8, 2014 @
9:52 PM
Blogstar wrote:What does the [quote=Blogstar]What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?[/quote]
Manual doesn’t say..
Whats’ weird is that on an SUV, BMW actually runs staggered in some wheel options, with the rear being slightly larger than the front… Not sure why such is necessary on an SUV… What’s also strange is though the vehicle is 60/40 rear biased, I wore out the front first… lol….
ucodegen
April 9, 2014 @
12:54 AM
flu wrote:Blogstar wrote:What [quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?[/quote]
Manual doesn’t say..
Whats’ weird is that on an SUV, BMW actually runs staggered in some wheel options, with the rear being slightly larger than the front… Not sure why such is necessary on an SUV… What’s also strange is though the vehicle is 60/40 rear biased, I wore out the front first… lol….[/quote]
I tend to agree with spdrun on this.. but..
Is the center diff limited slip or a ‘electronic locking’. The traction management might be set up to have a slight bias to the rear before single brakes are applied to force torque to wheel with more traction.
As for front tire wear, are you rounding the edges on the front tires, particularly the outer edges? Might be too much throwing the vehicle into corners.. its not the miata. Could try increasing the front air pressure a little. Could swap front to back and run a bit more. Shouldn’t have much more rain and I don’t think you will be going through snow. The front tires need more tread than the rears because they ‘clear the path’.
Coronita
April 9, 2014 @
6:59 AM
ucodegen wrote:flu [quote=ucodegen][quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?[/quote]
Manual doesn’t say..
Whats’ weird is that on an SUV, BMW actually runs staggered in some wheel options, with the rear being slightly larger than the front… Not sure why such is necessary on an SUV… What’s also strange is though the vehicle is 60/40 rear biased, I wore out the front first… lol….[/quote]
I tend to agree with spdrun on this.. but..
Is the center diff limited slip or a ‘electronic locking’. The traction management might be set up to have a slight bias to the rear before single brakes are applied to force torque to wheel with more traction.
As for front tire wear, are you rounding the edges on the front tires, particularly the outer edges? Might be too much throwing the vehicle into corners.. its not the miata. Could try increasing the front air pressure a little. Could swap front to back and run a bit more. Shouldn’t have much more rain and I don’t think you will be going through snow. The front tires need more tread than the rears because they ‘clear the path’.[/quote]
I believe for BMW, xDrive (AWD) cars are not center diff. They all use electronic locking, the clutch is partially locked most of the time, and most of the time, it’s 60/40 rear biased…
The tire wore evenly on the front… I don’t think I attempted to throw a 4500+ vehicle into a corner… Though maybe when it rains next time, I’ll bring it to the autocross with these old tires……
I only got about 25k on the tires.. I think people have complained the treadwear isn’t that good (Bridgestone Dueler h/l 400…)….
ucodegen
April 9, 2014 @
5:46 PM
flu wrote:The tire wore [quote=flu]The tire wore evenly on the front… I don’t think I attempted to throw a 4500+ vehicle into a corner… Though maybe when it rains next time, I’ll bring it to the autocross with these old tires……[/quote]I presume after the rain clears…. so you have a clean track. It could be part of the problem is that the vehicle is nose heavy. Something I am seeing on my K30 (which I like to throw into corners if the vehicle in front is a ricer with cut springs). I have to make sure I rotate tires.
I did check on the center diff for BMW. They used to use a real diff but changed to clutch based. Personally I prefer the real diff. Unfortunately a real diff costs more than a clutch pack. Some center diffs are made with limited slip or viscous centers for when slippage becomes a problem. I just see the center being clutch based as another point for wear. – clutches wear faster than true diffs.
spdrun
April 9, 2014 @
5:48 PM
I think BMW used to use an I think BMW used to use an open center diff with brake application for torque transfer, which is the worst of all worlds. A clutch to engage the front axle might be an improvement.
ucodegen
April 9, 2014 @
11:57 PM
spdrun wrote:I think BMW used [quote=spdrun]I think BMW used to use an open center diff with brake application for torque transfer, which is the worst of all worlds. A clutch to engage the front axle might be an improvement.[/quote] Actually the open center w/ brake application is better than a clutch system. Torque split ratios are designed in by relative sizes of the planetary gears. You don’t need to apply any ‘braking’ or ‘clutch’ activity until one of the wheels actually looses traction (therefore less wear on the system). The ratios will generally be designed such that wheels will only loose traction when you are at the limit of total applied torque on all wheels. On a clutch system, you are almost always slipping on the clutch surface. The original Audi Quattro was a differential system, but had limited slip on the center diff. Audi still uses a gear based center diff, though they have now incorporated clutches for locking.
Coronita
April 8, 2014 @
9:52 PM
. .
an
April 8, 2014 @
11:37 PM
I replaced 2 at a time on my I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.
Coronita
April 9, 2014 @
7:09 AM
AN wrote:I replaced 2 at a [quote=AN]I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.[/quote]
Your dealer might actually get their tires from tirerack. I know when I went to discount tires, I was originally going to order my tires from tirerack and have them just do the alignment. They ended up ordering from tirerack.. I haven’t really had problems with tirerack, and the firestone/bridgestone shops mount tires for like $13/tire (same as costco).
You’re lucky that Honda/Acura still count on spare tires, not run flats…
Anyway, I think Costco has them in stock, with a $70 rebate if I do all 4. Tire rack is about $20/cheaper a tire, no tax but $60 shipping, and no road hazard.. Mount/balance is a wash since it’s about the same price, and costco includes the road hazard…
I’ve been pretty happy with the X5.(Knock on wood) it’s been trouble free. Just oil every 6 months, and it’s pretty easy to get to the filter, since the stuck it on top… More reliable than the Audi or Mercedes is…
joec
April 9, 2014 @
8:38 AM
One thing to also consider is One thing to also consider is tires have a certain shelf life so after 5 years, older tires get harder/lose traction, etc and even with no usage, a tire should be replaced after a certain amount of time.
5 years is a pretty long time actually from what we are getting so I’d just get them all from Costco and move on.
If you sold it and the buyer had a problem, I could see a lawsuit waiting to happen.
spdrun
April 9, 2014 @
9:28 AM
If you sold it and the buyer
If you sold it and the buyer had a problem, I could see a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Aren’t used cars generally sold AS IS, subject to the inspection of the buyer (or their mechanic)? I’ve never heard of anyone being sued over a used car unless they went out of their way to conceal a defect.
an
April 9, 2014 @
9:21 AM
flu wrote:AN wrote:I replaced [quote=flu][quote=AN]I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.[/quote]
Your dealer might actually get their tires from tirerack. I know when I went to discount tires, I was originally going to order my tires from tirerack and have them just do the alignment. They ended up ordering from tirerack.. I haven’t really had problems with tirerack, and the firestone/bridgestone shops mount tires for like $13/tire (same as costco).
You’re lucky that Honda/Acura still count on spare tires, not run flats…
Anyway, I think Costco has them in stock, with a $70 rebate if I do all 4. Tire rack is about $20/cheaper a tire, no tax but $60 shipping, and no road hazard.. Mount/balance is a wash since it’s about the same price, and costco includes the road hazard…
I’ve been pretty happy with the X5.(Knock on wood) it’s been trouble free. Just oil every 6 months, and it’s pretty easy to get to the filter, since the stuck it on top… More reliable than the Audi or Mercedes is…[/quote]I didn’t mean to say I don’t trust discount tires/tirerack to do the tire change. I just mean that if your dealer say it’s OK to change just 2, I’d trust them over a discount tires sales rep. But, I would still go to discount tires, get them to price match tirerack and call it a day. I would never change tires with the dealer.
Coronita
April 9, 2014 @
10:02 AM
AN wrote:flu wrote:AN wrote:I [quote=AN][quote=flu][quote=AN]I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.[/quote]
Your dealer might actually get their tires from tirerack. I know when I went to discount tires, I was originally going to order my tires from tirerack and have them just do the alignment. They ended up ordering from tirerack.. I haven’t really had problems with tirerack, and the firestone/bridgestone shops mount tires for like $13/tire (same as costco).
You’re lucky that Honda/Acura still count on spare tires, not run flats…
Anyway, I think Costco has them in stock, with a $70 rebate if I do all 4. Tire rack is about $20/cheaper a tire, no tax but $60 shipping, and no road hazard.. Mount/balance is a wash since it’s about the same price, and costco includes the road hazard…
I’ve been pretty happy with the X5.(Knock on wood) it’s been trouble free. Just oil every 6 months, and it’s pretty easy to get to the filter, since the stuck it on top… More reliable than the Audi or Mercedes is…[/quote]I didn’t mean to say I don’t trust discount tires/tirerack to do the tire change. I just mean that if your dealer say it’s OK to change just 2, I’d trust them over a discount tires sales rep. But, I would still go to discount tires, get them to price match tirerack and call it a day. I would never change tires with the dealer.[/quote]
Gotcha.
Being the suspicious person I am, I was more thinking that the stealerships don’t mind telling me that “it’s fine to just change 2 tires”….because they won’t mind charging me later $4000 (err. sorry that for an MDX.. more like like $8000 because it’s a BMW) to fix a differential or something else….That’s i was wondering if there is was a third party that had any sort of definitive answer.
an
April 9, 2014 @
11:25 AM
flu wrote:
Gotcha.
Being the [quote=flu]
Gotcha.
Being the suspicious person I am, I was more thinking that the stealerships don’t mind telling me that “it’s fine to just change 2 tires”….because they won’t mind charging me later $4000 (err. sorry that for an MDX.. more like like $8000 because it’s a BMW) to fix a differential or something else….That’s i was wondering if there is was a third party that had any sort of definitive answer.[/quote]The way I see it, if it really hurt the diff due to front/back is more worn than the other pair, then your diff would hurt most of the time, since 4 tires never wear evenly. Not all cars can be rotated, so those diff would be broken quickly. This is why I don’t think it matters much. You will notice the diff working hard (seeing slippage on the older tires).
Coronita
April 9, 2014 @
7:25 PM
Suburu and audi use to have Suburu and audi use to have the edge, and the older Bimmers AWD weren’t really that good in the snow…
Reality is that while my Audi had seen plenty of snow/ice use…
My X5 has yet to venture out into the snow.
spdrun
April 9, 2014 @
7:31 PM
At least you can get a Subaru At least you can get a Subaru with three pedals as G-d intended. Unlike an X5.
Coronita
April 9, 2014 @
7:37 PM
spdrun wrote:At least you can [quote=spdrun]At least you can get a Subaru with three pedals as G-d intended. Unlike an X5.[/quote]
Three pedals is for the track… I like my commutes and grocery/kid runs to be uneventful… Not like I’m trying to maximize my speed in a truck…
Besides, how do you expect me to drive while I’m trying to shave, and talk on the cell phone and sip my latte on the way to work if I need to operate 3 pedals and use my right hand regularly at the same time????
spdrun
April 9, 2014 @
8:07 PM
The day I own a The day I own a (non-electric) car without a proper clutch will be the day after I have my left leg amputated due to some horrible accident.
I enjoy DRIVING, not operating a damn Nintendo on wheels. It’s not about speed, it’s about skill, and that’s fun in itself for me.
Coronita
April 9, 2014 @
8:37 PM
spdrun wrote:The day I own a [quote=spdrun]The day I own a (non-electric) car without a proper clutch will be the day after I have my left leg amputated due to some horrible accident.
I enjoy DRIVING, not operating a damn Nintendo on wheels. It’s not about speed, it’s about skill, and that’s fun in itself for me.[/quote]
You live in Jersey and NYC. What would you know about driving ? 🙂
ucodegen
April 9, 2014 @
11:59 PM
spdrun wrote:The day I own a [quote=spdrun]The day I own a (non-electric) car without a proper clutch will be the day after I have my left leg amputated due to some horrible accident.
I enjoy DRIVING, not operating a damn Nintendo on wheels. It’s not about speed, it’s about skill, and that’s fun in itself for me.[/quote]Why not both.. how about a Liberty 5 spd. After initial use of clutch when coming off the line, you don’t need to use a clutch going through gears 1-5 (ascending). It is also a manual.
April 8, 2014 @ 8:03 PM
So long story short, I’ve had
So long story short, I’ve had my X5 for 4 years…Time for new tires, since the front are at the wear indicator…
Funny because I burned through a fresh set of 4 brand new Dunlop Dirrezza 2’s on my miata in less than 8 months, so 4 years on 1 set of tires is pretty good for me…
I remember going to the tire shops, tire rack, and costco and they mentioned on on a AWD/4WD car, you need to replace all 4 at a time…
However, today at the dealership, they mentioned replacing pairs is fine…
I always thought on an AWD/4WD you needed to change all 4…
But some seem to suggest if the tire depth difference is less than 6/32″, it doesn’t matter…
Fact or fiction?
(I’ll probably replace all 4 anyway, but I was just curious if this was another sell job)..
April 8, 2014 @ 8:11 PM
On a true 4wd like a
On a true 4wd like a Wrangler, where you can turn off the front axle 100% and only engage it in slick conditions, no. On a vehicle with an open center differential, probably not. On a vehicle with a limited-slip center diff or clutches controlled by a computer, it will keep them just at the point of slipping and might wear them out more quickly.
I’d do all four, then sell the “good” pair on Craigslist. And rotate tires front-to-back every 5k miles in future to avoid the same predicament.
April 8, 2014 @ 9:18 PM
What does the manual for your
What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?
April 8, 2014 @ 9:52 PM
Blogstar wrote:What does the
[quote=Blogstar]What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?[/quote]
Manual doesn’t say..
Whats’ weird is that on an SUV, BMW actually runs staggered in some wheel options, with the rear being slightly larger than the front… Not sure why such is necessary on an SUV… What’s also strange is though the vehicle is 60/40 rear biased, I wore out the front first… lol….
April 9, 2014 @ 12:54 AM
flu wrote:Blogstar wrote:What
[quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?[/quote]
Manual doesn’t say..
Whats’ weird is that on an SUV, BMW actually runs staggered in some wheel options, with the rear being slightly larger than the front… Not sure why such is necessary on an SUV… What’s also strange is though the vehicle is 60/40 rear biased, I wore out the front first… lol….[/quote]
I tend to agree with spdrun on this.. but..
Is the center diff limited slip or a ‘electronic locking’. The traction management might be set up to have a slight bias to the rear before single brakes are applied to force torque to wheel with more traction.
As for front tire wear, are you rounding the edges on the front tires, particularly the outer edges? Might be too much throwing the vehicle into corners.. its not the miata. Could try increasing the front air pressure a little. Could swap front to back and run a bit more. Shouldn’t have much more rain and I don’t think you will be going through snow. The front tires need more tread than the rears because they ‘clear the path’.
April 9, 2014 @ 6:59 AM
ucodegen wrote:flu
[quote=ucodegen][quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]What does the manual for your car say? Is it the same thing the dealer says?[/quote]
Manual doesn’t say..
Whats’ weird is that on an SUV, BMW actually runs staggered in some wheel options, with the rear being slightly larger than the front… Not sure why such is necessary on an SUV… What’s also strange is though the vehicle is 60/40 rear biased, I wore out the front first… lol….[/quote]
I tend to agree with spdrun on this.. but..
Is the center diff limited slip or a ‘electronic locking’. The traction management might be set up to have a slight bias to the rear before single brakes are applied to force torque to wheel with more traction.
As for front tire wear, are you rounding the edges on the front tires, particularly the outer edges? Might be too much throwing the vehicle into corners.. its not the miata. Could try increasing the front air pressure a little. Could swap front to back and run a bit more. Shouldn’t have much more rain and I don’t think you will be going through snow. The front tires need more tread than the rears because they ‘clear the path’.[/quote]
I believe for BMW, xDrive (AWD) cars are not center diff. They all use electronic locking, the clutch is partially locked most of the time, and most of the time, it’s 60/40 rear biased…
The tire wore evenly on the front… I don’t think I attempted to throw a 4500+ vehicle into a corner… Though maybe when it rains next time, I’ll bring it to the autocross with these old tires……
I only got about 25k on the tires.. I think people have complained the treadwear isn’t that good (Bridgestone Dueler h/l 400…)….
April 9, 2014 @ 5:46 PM
flu wrote:The tire wore
[quote=flu]The tire wore evenly on the front… I don’t think I attempted to throw a 4500+ vehicle into a corner… Though maybe when it rains next time, I’ll bring it to the autocross with these old tires……[/quote]I presume after the rain clears…. so you have a clean track. It could be part of the problem is that the vehicle is nose heavy. Something I am seeing on my K30 (which I like to throw into corners if the vehicle in front is a ricer with cut springs). I have to make sure I rotate tires.
I did check on the center diff for BMW. They used to use a real diff but changed to clutch based. Personally I prefer the real diff. Unfortunately a real diff costs more than a clutch pack. Some center diffs are made with limited slip or viscous centers for when slippage becomes a problem. I just see the center being clutch based as another point for wear. – clutches wear faster than true diffs.
April 9, 2014 @ 5:48 PM
I think BMW used to use an
I think BMW used to use an open center diff with brake application for torque transfer, which is the worst of all worlds. A clutch to engage the front axle might be an improvement.
April 9, 2014 @ 11:57 PM
spdrun wrote:I think BMW used
[quote=spdrun]I think BMW used to use an open center diff with brake application for torque transfer, which is the worst of all worlds. A clutch to engage the front axle might be an improvement.[/quote] Actually the open center w/ brake application is better than a clutch system. Torque split ratios are designed in by relative sizes of the planetary gears. You don’t need to apply any ‘braking’ or ‘clutch’ activity until one of the wheels actually looses traction (therefore less wear on the system). The ratios will generally be designed such that wheels will only loose traction when you are at the limit of total applied torque on all wheels. On a clutch system, you are almost always slipping on the clutch surface. The original Audi Quattro was a differential system, but had limited slip on the center diff. Audi still uses a gear based center diff, though they have now incorporated clutches for locking.
April 8, 2014 @ 9:52 PM
.
.
April 8, 2014 @ 11:37 PM
I replaced 2 at a time on my
I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.
April 9, 2014 @ 7:09 AM
AN wrote:I replaced 2 at a
[quote=AN]I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.[/quote]
Your dealer might actually get their tires from tirerack. I know when I went to discount tires, I was originally going to order my tires from tirerack and have them just do the alignment. They ended up ordering from tirerack.. I haven’t really had problems with tirerack, and the firestone/bridgestone shops mount tires for like $13/tire (same as costco).
You’re lucky that Honda/Acura still count on spare tires, not run flats…
Anyway, I think Costco has them in stock, with a $70 rebate if I do all 4. Tire rack is about $20/cheaper a tire, no tax but $60 shipping, and no road hazard.. Mount/balance is a wash since it’s about the same price, and costco includes the road hazard…
I’ve been pretty happy with the X5.(Knock on wood) it’s been trouble free. Just oil every 6 months, and it’s pretty easy to get to the filter, since the stuck it on top… More reliable than the Audi or Mercedes is…
April 9, 2014 @ 8:38 AM
One thing to also consider is
One thing to also consider is tires have a certain shelf life so after 5 years, older tires get harder/lose traction, etc and even with no usage, a tire should be replaced after a certain amount of time.
5 years is a pretty long time actually from what we are getting so I’d just get them all from Costco and move on.
If you sold it and the buyer had a problem, I could see a lawsuit waiting to happen.
April 9, 2014 @ 9:28 AM
If you sold it and the buyer
Aren’t used cars generally sold AS IS, subject to the inspection of the buyer (or their mechanic)? I’ve never heard of anyone being sued over a used car unless they went out of their way to conceal a defect.
April 9, 2014 @ 9:21 AM
flu wrote:AN wrote:I replaced
[quote=flu][quote=AN]I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.[/quote]
Your dealer might actually get their tires from tirerack. I know when I went to discount tires, I was originally going to order my tires from tirerack and have them just do the alignment. They ended up ordering from tirerack.. I haven’t really had problems with tirerack, and the firestone/bridgestone shops mount tires for like $13/tire (same as costco).
You’re lucky that Honda/Acura still count on spare tires, not run flats…
Anyway, I think Costco has them in stock, with a $70 rebate if I do all 4. Tire rack is about $20/cheaper a tire, no tax but $60 shipping, and no road hazard.. Mount/balance is a wash since it’s about the same price, and costco includes the road hazard…
I’ve been pretty happy with the X5.(Knock on wood) it’s been trouble free. Just oil every 6 months, and it’s pretty easy to get to the filter, since the stuck it on top… More reliable than the Audi or Mercedes is…[/quote]I didn’t mean to say I don’t trust discount tires/tirerack to do the tire change. I just mean that if your dealer say it’s OK to change just 2, I’d trust them over a discount tires sales rep. But, I would still go to discount tires, get them to price match tirerack and call it a day. I would never change tires with the dealer.
April 9, 2014 @ 10:02 AM
AN wrote:flu wrote:AN wrote:I
[quote=AN][quote=flu][quote=AN]I replaced 2 at a time on my MDX and it’s working just fine. I’d trust dealer over discount tires or tirerack. They tend to know their car more in depth and know what’s good/acceptable for a particular car.
The only reason I can think of for wanting to change all 4 is if you’re driving very aggressively and pushing the tires to its limit. The older ones will reach its limit faster, which would change the car’s dynamic.[/quote]
Your dealer might actually get their tires from tirerack. I know when I went to discount tires, I was originally going to order my tires from tirerack and have them just do the alignment. They ended up ordering from tirerack.. I haven’t really had problems with tirerack, and the firestone/bridgestone shops mount tires for like $13/tire (same as costco).
You’re lucky that Honda/Acura still count on spare tires, not run flats…
Anyway, I think Costco has them in stock, with a $70 rebate if I do all 4. Tire rack is about $20/cheaper a tire, no tax but $60 shipping, and no road hazard.. Mount/balance is a wash since it’s about the same price, and costco includes the road hazard…
I’ve been pretty happy with the X5.(Knock on wood) it’s been trouble free. Just oil every 6 months, and it’s pretty easy to get to the filter, since the stuck it on top… More reliable than the Audi or Mercedes is…[/quote]I didn’t mean to say I don’t trust discount tires/tirerack to do the tire change. I just mean that if your dealer say it’s OK to change just 2, I’d trust them over a discount tires sales rep. But, I would still go to discount tires, get them to price match tirerack and call it a day. I would never change tires with the dealer.[/quote]
Gotcha.
Being the suspicious person I am, I was more thinking that the stealerships don’t mind telling me that “it’s fine to just change 2 tires”….because they won’t mind charging me later $4000 (err. sorry that for an MDX.. more like like $8000 because it’s a BMW) to fix a differential or something else….That’s i was wondering if there is was a third party that had any sort of definitive answer.
April 9, 2014 @ 11:25 AM
flu wrote:
Gotcha.
Being the
[quote=flu]
Gotcha.
Being the suspicious person I am, I was more thinking that the stealerships don’t mind telling me that “it’s fine to just change 2 tires”….because they won’t mind charging me later $4000 (err. sorry that for an MDX.. more like like $8000 because it’s a BMW) to fix a differential or something else….That’s i was wondering if there is was a third party that had any sort of definitive answer.[/quote]The way I see it, if it really hurt the diff due to front/back is more worn than the other pair, then your diff would hurt most of the time, since 4 tires never wear evenly. Not all cars can be rotated, so those diff would be broken quickly. This is why I don’t think it matters much. You will notice the diff working hard (seeing slippage on the older tires).
April 9, 2014 @ 7:25 PM
Suburu and audi use to have
Suburu and audi use to have the edge, and the older Bimmers AWD weren’t really that good in the snow…
But things have changed….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxskZqnMBMQ
Reality is that while my Audi had seen plenty of snow/ice use…
My X5 has yet to venture out into the snow.
April 9, 2014 @ 7:31 PM
At least you can get a Subaru
At least you can get a Subaru with three pedals as G-d intended. Unlike an X5.
April 9, 2014 @ 7:37 PM
spdrun wrote:At least you can
[quote=spdrun]At least you can get a Subaru with three pedals as G-d intended. Unlike an X5.[/quote]
Three pedals is for the track… I like my commutes and grocery/kid runs to be uneventful… Not like I’m trying to maximize my speed in a truck…
Besides, how do you expect me to drive while I’m trying to shave, and talk on the cell phone and sip my latte on the way to work if I need to operate 3 pedals and use my right hand regularly at the same time????
April 9, 2014 @ 8:07 PM
The day I own a
The day I own a (non-electric) car without a proper clutch will be the day after I have my left leg amputated due to some horrible accident.
I enjoy DRIVING, not operating a damn Nintendo on wheels. It’s not about speed, it’s about skill, and that’s fun in itself for me.
April 9, 2014 @ 8:37 PM
spdrun wrote:The day I own a
[quote=spdrun]The day I own a (non-electric) car without a proper clutch will be the day after I have my left leg amputated due to some horrible accident.
I enjoy DRIVING, not operating a damn Nintendo on wheels. It’s not about speed, it’s about skill, and that’s fun in itself for me.[/quote]
You live in Jersey and NYC. What would you know about driving ? 🙂
April 9, 2014 @ 11:59 PM
spdrun wrote:The day I own a
[quote=spdrun]The day I own a (non-electric) car without a proper clutch will be the day after I have my left leg amputated due to some horrible accident.
I enjoy DRIVING, not operating a damn Nintendo on wheels. It’s not about speed, it’s about skill, and that’s fun in itself for me.[/quote]Why not both.. how about a Liberty 5 spd. After initial use of clutch when coming off the line, you don’t need to use a clutch going through gears 1-5 (ascending). It is also a manual.