Why Are My New Car Tyres Wearing Out So Fast?

There is no fixed number, because it depends on the car, the tyre and how and where it is driven. A light car on gentle local miles can go a long way. A heavy electric car or a powerful car driven hard can need tyres much sooner. Judge the tyre by its tread, not by the mileage.

The law says 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tread, all the way round. That is the line, not the target. Below that, the tyre is illegal, and it can mean up to £2,500 and 3 points per tyre. The wear bars in the grooves sit at 1.6mm, so they are an easy guide. Tyre wear indicators shows where to find them.

Grip in the wet drops as the tread gets low, well before the legal line. So if your tyres are getting close, do not wait for the MOT to tell you. Changing a little early costs nothing extra in the long run, because you were going to buy the tyres anyway. Send a photo of the tread, or call 0300 124 6981. See when to replace tyres for the signs.

Normal wear usually is not, because tyres are treated as parts that wear out with use. But if the wear is uneven, for example on one edge only, there may be a cause worth raising, like the tracking. If the car is still under its warranty, it is worth asking the dealer to check it.

Take photos of the tyres before anything is changed, with the date and the mileage noted. Keep the old tyres until you have an answer if you can. Photos of one edge worn down while the rest of the tread is fine make the point clearly. Then ask the dealer to check the alignment. Wheel alignment explains what that involves.

Bear in mind that a pothole or a kerb can knock tracking out on any car, so the dealer may say it is road damage. Either way, get the tracking right before the new tyres go on. Otherwise the new set wears the same edge and you are back here in a few months. Then we can fit the new set at your home or work. Call 0300 124 6981 or see uneven tyre wear to read your pattern.

Not always. Price does not tell you tread life. Some cheaper tyres are made with harder rubber and last well. Some factory tyres are soft on purpose and wear fast. The only fair answer is that it depends on the tyre, so ask about life when you choose, not just price.

The tyre label grades wet grip, fuel use and noise, but it does not grade how long a tyre lasts. That is why we would rather talk about your miles and your car than just send the cheapest price. A tyre that suits your driving is the real saving. The best budget tyre brands covers the value end, including who makes what.

If you drive a lot, a mid range or premium tyre built for long life can cost less per mile, even though it costs more up front. If you drive a little, a good budget tyre may be all you need. A tyre that ages out before it wears out is money wasted, so be honest about your miles. Budget vs premium tyres lays out the trade off, or call 0300 124 6981 and ask.

You can, but you do not have to. The rules are the size, the load index and the speed rating, which must match or beat what the car needs. Inside those rules you can choose a tyre with longer life, a quieter ride or better wet grip, depending on what matters most to you.

Some drivers like to stay with the factory tyre because the car was set up on it, and that is fine. Others were unhappy with how fast it wore and want something tougher. Both are sensible choices. We will quote both if you ask, so you can compare the fitted price side by side. Speed and load ratings explains the numbers you must match.

Two exceptions. If the car came on run flat tyres, think before switching, because it changes how you handle a puncture. And some cars have different sizes front and rear, which rules out swapping them round. We check all of this from the registration, so nothing is left to guesswork. Send the registration and we will show you what fits. Call 0300 124 6981 or see tyre sizes.

Running in means taking it easy for the first hundred miles or so on new tyres. The surface can be a little slippery from the mould at first, and the tyre needs time to settle. Brake early, corner gently and leave extra room in the wet until the tyres have scuffed in.

You do not need to drive slowly or avoid motorways. Just avoid hard braking and fast corners while the tyres bed in. After that, they grip as they should. It is the same for budget, mid range and premium tyres. Keep the pressures right from day one, because a new tyre run low wears just as fast as an old one. How to check your tyres is worth a read while they are new.

Keep an eye out during those first miles. A shake through the wheel at speed, a pull to one side or a tyre that looks low all need a look. Most of the time it is a quick balance or a pressure top up. It is rarely the tyre itself, and it is always worth checking rather than living with it. Call 0300 124 6981 and we will check it. Wheel balancing explains the shake.

On most cars the front tyres do the most work. They steer the car, and on a front wheel drive car they also pull it along and do most of the braking. So it is normal for the fronts to wear out well before the rears. On rear wheel drive cars, the rears often go first instead.

What matters is whether the wear is even. Fronts worn flat across the tread is normal. Fronts worn on the outer edge can mean fast cornering or low pressure. Fronts worn on the inner edge often mean tracking. Worn in patches all round can point to balance or suspension. Tracking explained covers what toe and camber do to a tyre.

If the fronts are low and the rears are fine, you may only need two tyres. Some cars can also have the tyres swapped front to rear part way through to even out the wear. If you only replace two, the fitter will check the tread on the other pair and tell you how long they have left. Replace two tyres or four helps you decide, or call 0300 124 6981 for a fitted price on a pair.

Electric cars are heavy because of the battery, and they deliver full pulling power the moment you press the pedal. Weight presses the tyre harder into the road on every corner, and instant pull scrubs rubber from a standstill. Both wear tread faster than on a lighter petrol car.

The fix is partly the tyre and partly the driving. Pick a tyre with the right load rating, often marked XL, and one known for lasting well. Then use the pedal gently from lights and junctions. The car is quick anyway. Many electric cars also have a softer drive mode that helps. EV tyres explained covers what makes an electric car tyre different.

Electric cars are also quiet, so tyre noise stands out more. The label shows a noise figure, which is worth comparing. We fit electric car tyres at home and at work just like any other car. The fitter checks the load rating on the new tyre against the car before anything goes on. Send the registration or call 0300 124 6981. See Tesla tyres if you drive one.

Usually, yes. Wear on just the inside or just the outside edge most often means the tracking is out. It can come from hitting a pothole or kerb, or from worn suspension parts. It is worth fixing before new tyres go on, or the new set will wear the same way.

Inside edge wear is easy to miss, because you cannot see it from the kerb. Turn the steering to full lock and look at the front tyres from the front of the car, or run your hand across the tread. Be careful, because worn edges can hide sharp wires if the tyre is very low. Uneven tyre wear has a picture guide to each pattern.

Both edges worn with the middle fine is different. That usually means the tyre has been run low on air. The middle worn down with good edges usually means too much air. Each pattern has a different fix, and none of them is expensive next to a new set of tyres. Send us a photo and we will tell you which it looks like. Call 0300 124 6981 or see wheel alignment.

On some cars, yes. Swapping front and rear tyres part way through their life can even out the wear, so all four last a similar time. It only works where the car has the same size front and rear, and it depends on the tyre. Some drivers prefer to replace in pairs as they wear instead.

On a front wheel drive car, the fronts wear faster, so moving them to the back and the rears to the front can spread the wear. Directional tyres can only swap front to rear on the same side. Cars with wider tyres at the back cannot swap at all. Is tyre rotation worth it explains the pros and cons in more detail.

If you do not rotate, that is fine too. Many drivers never do, and simply watch the tread. When the fronts reach the wear bars, replace them as a pair and keep going. Just replace the worn pair when it is due and keep the best tyres where the car needs them. Directional vs asymmetric tyres explains which way round your tyres can go. Or call 0300 124 6981 and ask.

They show the tyre was made to a car maker's brief for that model. A star means BMW, MO means Mercedes, AO means Audi, VOL means Volvo and N0 means Porsche. The mark sits on the sidewall near the size. It tells you the tyre was tuned for your car at the factory.

You do not have to fit a marked tyre when you replace. A good tyre in the right size, with the right load and speed ratings, is legal and safe. Some drivers of those cars like to keep the marked tyre because the car was set up on it. Others go for a different tyre and are happy with it. Reading your tyre size explains the rest of the sidewall.

If you want the same marked tyre again, tell us when you send the registration and we will quote it where it is available. Not every size has a marked version in stock at any given time. If you would rather have something that lasts longer, we will quote that too, side by side. See BMW tyres or Mercedes tyres, or call 0300 124 6981.

Yes. We fit replacement tyres at your home, your work or the roadside across the North West and North Wales, 24 hours a day. There is no call out charge, because fitting is priced into the tyre. Send the registration and we reply with options that suit your car and your miles.

Each tyre takes about 20 to 40 minutes. The wheel is balanced on the van, the pressures are set and the nuts are torqued before we go. The fitter also looks at how the old tyres wore and tells you if tracking or pressure played a part. That way the new set has the best chance of lasting, and you know what to watch for next time. Can tyres be fitted at home covers what we need on the drive.

On two or more tyres you can pay monthly at 0%, subject to status. NHS staff and key workers can ask about up to 30% off. Call 0300 124 6981 or WhatsApp 07943 185471 with the registration to get a fitted price. We reply with a time too, day or night.