Hootsama

... a wee bit late (8200)... Everything was fine, but the service guy called me out to the shop while they were re-oiling her and pointed out how my "rear tires are just about shot." Since the car was slightly lifted, we got a good look at the tread, and I gotta say, looks like plenty of tread to me. He pointed out the wear bars between the treads, but they are no where near flush with the road.

Told me that the rainy season was coming and these cars "tend to get a little squirrelly in the rain".... Thanks, pal.. I hadn't figured that out yet Also said he could get me the stock S02's for $236 a piece... Uuuumm. Sure. That sounds good. Charge me 47 bucks more than tire rack for tires that I don't even need yet.... Leave it to the dealers to try to profit in any conceivable way.

OK, I'm done.

cdelena

The S02

Hootsama

So is there a consensus on the recommended remaining tread depth at time of recommended removal? In other words, I will happily buy new tires long before I'm running on slicks... and I am very much aware of wet road dangers due to lack of tread, but I have this philosophical aversion to changing a perfectly good tire out when they feel (to me) like they have some hearty life left in them. Now the rain is a different story, but since I have a few months before FL gets really wet, why bother?

So I guess I should order a new set and then go to a nice big parking lot somewhere and do doughnuts until I am satisfied that I got my money's worth out of the stock set..?

Colin

Consider this: If you were in for service and they DID NOT tell you about the wear indicators and 500 miles later you spun out, would you be in here complaining that you were just "in for service and they should check such things?" I'll guarantee there is a comment in the service history that they told you about worn tires and you declined to change them. IMO this is a bit of "cover your ass" and thinking of the customers' best interests. At least he got you thinking about it

Bridgstone makes the tires, selles them to Tire Rack who sells them to you. OR Bridgestone makes the tires, sells them to American Honda in Torrance, who sells them to the local dealers' parts department, who sells them to you. Do you see where the extra money went? Everyone who touches it wants to make some money, it's not necessarily the dealer.

I'm curious, how much dd the service cost? At our Acura store, the 7500 service is around $110.

[Edited by Colin on 02-13-2001 at 10:56 AM]

Hootsama

Your point is well taken, Colin. I agree that IF my tires were shot and they did NOT tell me, and then I had an incident, I would, indeed, be pissed.

My rant is only because I feel that the tires are perfectly safe and the dealer was simply trying to sell me something. I just thought it was odd because my tires perform very well, even in wet (at least when I'm not cut off by other drivers...)

I should have been less critical of the dealer, because I do genuinely appreciate the fact that they even took the time to show me.

The service cost me $86 out the door.

yu888

At 13k miles, my rears LOOK pretty good, but I can tell you that they are no where near what they were when they were new. I agree with Cdelena that it feels like the rubber compound is different because the handling characteristics even on the street are quite different. I don't have nearly the confidence I did when the tires had only 5k miles or so. (probably makes me a safer driver, but its not quite as fun) Add this all to the rain and I am driving around like a grandma...ok, not quite but you get the picture.
If its starting to feel different, AND you drive hard, I'd consider ordering a new set (mine are in my garage, ready to go)
just my 2c.

Colin

Chris is correct about the tires being harder at the center, though I believe this is due to the number of "heat cycles" the tire goes through. (we had to discussion in the racing forum on heat cycling) To combat this "problem" BS came up with the Pole Position which ships from the factory with a softer tread closer to the wear indicators. This is supposed to maintain more consistant handling as the tire ages. Our OE tires do not have this feature.

Hoot, yes the service adviser was trying to sell you something, how do you think he gets paid ???

SFDukie

Guys, I don't have my manual with me. But if you check, I think all that it calls for at 7500mi is an oil change. Hootsama you may have gotten charged the "standard" service rate, even though the dealer couldn't do things that are normally "standard" (ie rotate the tires). You might check to see what they actually did at that price.
Here's the link to a past discussion on the matter:
http://honda-acura.net/forum/Forum21/HTML/004250.html
if you get new tires, will you let us know if you find a handling improvement?
Don

deadpedal

I'm getting up there (4785mi) and before I HAVE to decide, I was wondering if any one recommend changing the differential fluid at my 7500. I read previously that the few that have had it changed were very glad since the stuff in there apparently turned to sludge. Or am I being over protective of my baby, should I wait for 10K like the other guys?

Utah S2K

Tire pyrometry is a very complex science as is seen by all the various tires manufacturers take to race events. Soft compound tires tend to shed oils to the edges...this is readily seen on sportbike tires (even street models). As the oils diminish the tires get harder. This is what occurs during "heat cycling". The choice to change is yours.....but remember there are but four small patches of rubber between you and god on a fast day. As for the rear dif. change.....you can never change oil too much unless it's break in oil. Remember oil equates to the blood of the vehicle.

P.S. I thought all year was the "rainy season" in Florida?