front tyres wear: driving style or another issue

[wickedstef]

Guys,

I need your opinion on this. I saw some odd wear on both front tyres: it looks like the side see too much tarmac. I checked the pressure regularly and I never got them outside of the 39.5-41 range, more like 40-41 (I adjust the pressure otherwise).

Could someone tell me:

- is this expected?
- can this be due to aggressive turn ins
- is it a bad alignment (nothing done since factory)
- something else (I'm no expert thats why I need you)

Pictures attached

Cheers

 

[45bvtc]

Hi Wickedstef,

1) What's the mileage?

2) Please put the steering on full lock and take a photo across the full-width of the tread.

3) Doesn't look so bad for 6000-miles, say (and I know you're enjoying the car as you've said so elsewhere!).

Note: if it's excessive wear on the left-hand side then that's definitely you! You'll need to move the steering wheel over to the proper side...

45bvtc

 

[45bvtc]

Here you go Wickedstef, my fronts (now on the back - see elsewhere) @ 4500_miles:

 

[MBK]

From my experience with the Conti 5Ps this is unfortunately normal once you press on. I think most of the damage is caused by initial turn in to corners too fast, the tyre shoulders are soft and they take all the wear. The RS3 will let you get away with diving in to corners quickly and the electronics will just iron out any problems for you, however the Contis pay the price. If you want to get more life from the Contis it's a case of slower in and fast out. They are a good tyre for road conditions, especially the wet, but they just amplify the RS3's tendency to understeer. The more confident you get with the RS3, the quicker you go and the more wear you will see, which I'm guessing is how this happened, with you out having fun!

I've seen a few video tests where Chris Harris and others have have shown the tyre corners on the Conti's wearing down to the canvass in just a few laps - it's a road tyre so wasn't built for the track but all the same you'd expect them to be better than this.

I don't think it's an alignment issue - although it's probably a good idea to apply full lock and check wear on the inside of the tyre too just in case.

When the tyres need changing I suggest either the Michelin Pilot Super Sports - 5000 miles, a couple of hundred of those on track / driving events and the shoulders look as new, front and rear (current tread 4mm front / 7mm rear) or the Goodyear Eagle F1s which also get good reviews but one of the others will have to tell you more about the durability.

 

[wickedstef]

Thank you guys!

Mileage: 4496View attachment 16097

More pictures attached. Looking at John's tyres, I'm jealous, the sides are neat. The side on the left front looks burnt... Mark I think you're right about the driving

 

[MBK]

Looks like even wear across the middle, so yes I'd say you gave been enjoying the full performance of the RS3 to the full! Which is of course what it's all about. That burnt look is because the shoulder is taking all the contact on turn in.

It doesn't look so good but it's nothing to worry about, there is plenty of life left in them, just upgrade when the time comes. As the Contis get more worn you'll probably start to see a similar pattern on the central tyre blocks too.

 

[wickedstef]

Thank you for the confirmation Mark. I'll go for the Michelin Pilot Super Sports but I must say that if I had to choose between comfort and performance I might choose comfort and as such end up with a shorter life for the tyres (because of my turn ins style ).

When I first got the car and drove it back from Dover, the first thing that I noticed and confirmed with more driving, is how noisy the Contis are over a certain speed (for me this is a comfort item). So my questions to you:

- are the Michelin Pilot Super Sports noisier?
- do you feel a harsher ride (we say tape cul in French, translate it ) as if you had changed the springs too?
- are they generally that less comfortable? I had a Megane RS on PZero Rosso and I do the same journey to work. I don't know if it's the suspension system, but the RS3 cushions the road's asperities better, as if they were lesser. But at the same time, speed bumps are a pain.

 

[45bvtc]

I tend to 'drive' the corners as I would a front wheel drive car - which of course the RS3 is.

I don't get under-steer at all as I've generally shed the speed before the corner and then drive thro' it...

I'm with MBK, slower in and faster out!

Bluey likes it this way too...




PS: I should say that some of those 4500-miles were on winter tyres, so lets call it 4000-miles and not 4500!

 

[MBK]

- are the Michelin Pilot Super Sports noisier?
- do you feel a harsher ride (we say tape cul in French, translate it ) as if you had changed the springs too?
- are they generally that less comfortable? I had a Megane RS on PZero Rosso and I do the same journey to work. I don't know if it's the suspension system, but the RS3 cushions the road's asperities better, as if they were lesser. But at the same time, speed bumps are a pain.

Happy to help Stephane,

- no they are no noisier - but I'd also suggest you ask people with the Goodyear Eagle F1s because they may be better for all round comfort. Also the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 is a good tyre and more road biased.

- The ride is harsher than than the Contis yes. There is a lot more transfer of feedback to the steering wheel and also through your seat. It's not as hard as changing the springs but there is more vibration and road surface feedback for sure.

- They are a bit less comfortable than the Contis yes but the RS3 is still more comfortable than a Megane Cup. The speed bumps issue is probably because the RS3 seems to run out of suspension travel quite quickly.

So as you're probably not heading out on track I'd suggest having a look at the Goodyear Eagle F1s and Michelin Pilot Sport 3 as alternatives, both have great reviews.

 

[wickedstef]

Thank you guys, I'll try to slow down in and accelerate out. I will also look into the other tyres options.

 

[CarrG]

I agree with MBK and 45bvtc!

Having gone through Conti's then tried F1 Ass2 on the RS3 I think I'd go Michys next.

Not bad for 4k mls! At least they dont look like these at 4k.....

 

[wickedstef]

CarrG, looking at your tyre, I wonder why I'm complaining!!!! What are you driving on, burning tarmac?

 

[45bvtc]

[I]I must say that I wouldn't worry too much about your tyre wear; I think it your driving style (maybe) rather than anything else.

For me, I don't have an issue with the Continentals, which is why I've kept them.

Neither do I have a problem with Goodyear's, Michelin's, and/or Yokohama's.

However, I'd much rather have 4-tyres of the same construction/manufacturer on each corner of my car than say 2x somebody's on the front and 2x Continental's on the rear.

So my recommendation for you are simple:

1) Change your style of driving to slow-in and fast-out

2) Fit a new pair of Continental's on the front, or

3) Fit a new set of Goodyear's all round and sell ALL four used Continental's on eBay, and then

4) Carefully monitor the wear pattern of your new tyres over the first 250-miles while you can watch the moulding fraises and evaluate steering alignment and/or wear characteristics.[/I]