What is the best indication for replacing tires? Should I have it realigned also? The tires I have appear to be O.K. but I want to maximize my driving experience. Presently they are handling fine. I drive the 2008 convertible occasionally but not every day or even every week. Therefore, the tires will last a long time.....

 

The tires have a wear indicator bar in the thread channel, but in regards summer performance tires lasting a long time, not the case.

As the tires age, the rubber becomes harder, and they have less summer performance grip to them instead (major change in even a few years).

So a good summer performance tire is the Super Sports in a ZP, but you are running against the clock with them. Hence the warranty on them in only 15K rear, 30K front (since they can not be rotated on the vet), but after a few years the rubber will be comes hard and they will loose the grip they once hand, also the warranty is only good for 6 years. Hence in 6 years, the tires tend to be come out of round on there own, and need to be replaced anyways.

So the way to look at it with these tires, you will need to drive the car hard enough to justify the cost of them up front. Hence your going to wear out the full set in about 20K in at least 3 years, will need to pay for new rear tires, and at the 30K mark and before the 6 year mark, you into the tires for around $2k instead to get you to the 30K mark.


Short of this, then you will be changing any summer performance tire out every few years as they become hard, and need to favor a tire price over it warranty value instead.

Here, then something like a Kumbo ECSTA XS is a great summer performance sticky tire, and a set will only run you around a grand to buy every three years (note, they are soft rubber, so you will wear them out on the faster side). The downside, they do not come in run flats, and when it gets wet out, they hydroplane just like super cups (plan on sitting on the side of the highway until it dries back up isntead).

 

I also have a 2008. When it came time I went with Michelin run flats. Much better ride and less noise than OEM Good Years.

 

I was thinking of either the Michelin or Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval run flats....

 

I had Firestone Firehawks on the 2007 C6 I just sold and I was completely satisfied with them.

 

One often overlooked factor besides tread wear, is tire age. see http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/how-...our-tires.html

Old tires are particularly prevalent on "hobby" cars that don't get driven much. You can end up with a tire with almost no noticeable wear, but which would be dangerous to drive on.

 

As said above, age of tires is an issue. Also, there's nothing wrong with the Firestones, Bridgestones or Michelins. Goodyear, I'm just not sure they're keeping up with technology for whatever reason. An alignment is a good idea but get it done at a shop that will bring it to a specification, not "within the range specified by GM." The "range" is much too wide. So, you want to ask for a street performance alignment, not a racing performance one. Also, it's best to understand that many don't need a frequent alignment, but this is not a once-every-time-you-buy-tires type of service. It can go out on you in a day, week, or year. Then, you're just wearing your tires out prematurely.

 

I've got 13k on my GY tires and they still looks good. But when I need to replace it, I too will go with the Michelin run flats.