Hi. Our Mazda 2 is only 2 1/2 years old and has 14 000 km on the clock yet the stock tires need replacing. Piss poor really. Has anyone else had the same experience? Any recommendations for a good replacement brand?

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14000!!! Show pixs of each one so we can diagnose the problem.

My wife has a Mazda 3 and we didn't replace the tires until 75,000 km with Michelin tires. I believe we had Dunlap tires as the original tires.

Yup, I think all the Mazda 2, had Dunlop as stock, but it is a Thai Dunlop. Is there a stamp on the tyre that tells you where it is made ?

Yup, I think all the Mazda 2, had Dunlop as stock, but it is a Thai Dunlop. Is there a stamp on the tyre that tells you where it is made ?

Those tires are long gone. No I could not tell you where they were made.

There is a review of the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on a Mazda.

Seems they are very good. It's on a Thai based English motoring forum...

Won't post it as I'm sure it's against forum rules, is it?

Why do they need replacing? Is it due to wear or sidewall cracks?

Who drives... or should I say drifts the car.

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They have cracks in so its not wear. I will post a picture later. Mazda said they need replacing when it was serviced several weeks ago. It's mainly my wife driving so its treated well.

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They have cracks in so its not wear. I will post a picture later. Mazda said they need replacing when it was serviced several weeks ago. It's mainly my wife driving so its treated well.

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Cracks are age / heat related. Check the build date on the tyres.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11

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If the car is out in the sun often enough ozone cracks can appear in the sidewall.....much what casula biker said.

The Sunlight / Heat knackers the Rubber just standing still, seems all the Makes here in the Car Wash say Made In Thailand.

Just checked my Fiesta, very similar age and mileage, not driven hard. It's fitted with Continental ContiPremium Contact 2 tyres. Checked and rotated a couple of weeks ago, plenty of tread, no cracks. It's parked under cover so not in direct sunlight much.

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 is a name I have seen before as a suggested replacement. Made in Thailand. Maybe more suited to the local climate than an imported European tyre?

Wife likes Mag Wheels so stuck some on the Mazda 2 when it's tyres hit the 50K mark,

Your battery still going? I find Thai new cars have crap batteries that don't seem to last past a year,

Mind you, we do 50K minimum a year in the cars (each)

Word of advise. If you put that silicon enhanced "<deleted>" tyre shine on then expect degradation of tyre walls. Why people do this is I guess they think tyres should look black and shiny but give no thought to longevity or perhaps just not aware of it. In many countries also 3 mm is minimum tread depth although 5 mm is reccommended so I seriously doubt any tyre with more than 50,000 km on it or/and more than 4 years old is in a safe condition for normal road use either through tread wear or degradation of the rubber, coupled with possible fatigue within the steel brading.

Not of course anybody worries about safety in Thailand.

Pray tell why Silicone degrades Rubber. Or do You find it too expensive. .The real stuff is i must admit. . ,in-general i find Thais have good tires,compared to working class Brits /EU Folk.

Pray tell why Silicone degrades Rubber. Or do You find it too expensive. .The real stuff is i must admit. . ,in-general i find Thais have good tires,compared to working class Brits /EU Folk.

I use that spray foamy stuff I get in Tops. Tires still look new after 40K - pity they are hard now and noisy as hell lol

Ace of Pop

Just to elaborate further, below is the technical explanation for you from my associate at a well known tyre manufacturer here in Thailand ( Note the correct spelling of Tyres unlike the semi-illiterate US version ). Also if you could read what I said I stated "silicone enhanced". Silicone is a polymer that sometimes contains ethol, methyl etc which is known to degrade rubber over time and more so given the long exposure to high ambient temperatures such as here in the tropics. Also I guess from your reply you like the superficial shiny look and are also blind to consider that Thais generally have good tyres. In fact most Thais run with over inflated tyres thus not allowing the tyres to work properly and hence erring to the unsafe category especially during periods of rain. Many commercial vehicles commonly have tyres that are devoid of any tread so I have to ask what back-wood you come from to consider that Thai tyres are generally good ?

I digress and to elaborate on the "silicone enhanced "<deleted>" tyre dressing I discussed earlier then please be mindful of the below. I assumed, wrongly perhaps in your case, that most informed car owners were aware of the dangers of using a solvent (petroleum ) based silicone enhanced dressing, to which I refered to as "<deleted>", but please be mindful of the below in future and ensure you use only type a) in order to not degrade your tyres. As for cost that you seem to have a "hang-up" about, then what price safety ? Better to change tyres that are below their optimal tread depth, over age and/or degraded then keep your head stuck in the sand isn't it ?

a) Water - based silicone dressings, usually a milky-white liquid, (Polydimethylsiloxane (PDS)that doesn’t contain petroleum distillate; silicone oils, waxes, or solvents that can harm rubber and/or vinyl over time. Water-based dressings use a combination of natural oils and polymers to offer a non-greasy, satin finish. Some of these products also contain ultra violet radiation (UVR) blocking agents to help keep tires from cracking, fading and hardening. Most, if not all water-based dressings are environmentally friendly / biodegradable, whereas solvent-based silicone is not.

Solvent-based silicone dressings, usually a clear greasy liquid, (Dimethal (DMS) that contain petroleum solvents as a cleaning agent, they remove the elasticity from vinyl, rubber and paint; causing them to evaporate out of the substrate, leaving behind a dry inflexible surface. Most high gloss products are based upon DMS silicone oil, the difference between water and solvent based is in the carrier system used. Solvent based products use a hydrocarbon silicone to suspend the product. When you apply it, the solvent evaporates leaving the dressing's active ingredients (Silicone oil) behind; solvent-based silicone is not biodegradable.

ps In case the above is over your head then in it is "they remove the elasticity from vinyl, rubber" the substantive part of the description that will cause degradation

Now have a nice day

What a nice reply, should impress the Semi Literate Yanks. . None the less like the thousands of Non Teachers and ignorant peasants i will refrain from knocking over the nice Ladies at the Car Wash when they attempt to ruin my rubbers. Mine get changed at 40K max or 18 months regardless.

Pray tell why Silicone degrades Rubber. Or do You find it too expensive. .The real stuff is i must admit. . ,in-general i find Thais have good tires,compared to working class Brits /EU Folk.

I use that spray foamy stuff I get in Tops. Tires still look new after 40K - pity they are hard now and noisy as hell lol

Thats Gillette Foamy Shaving stuff...

Ace of Pop

Excellent to avoid the ladies. Wish there was a topless car wash here, I mean the ladies not convertibles, then you would being paying less attention to what they were doing, rather how they were doing it !!!

,in-general i find Thais have good tires,compared to working class Brits /EU Folk.

NONSENSE, you need to wise up, "Mr. I would love to be a thai"

Pray tell why Silicone degrades Rubber. Or do You find it too expensive. .The real stuff is i must admit. . ,in-general i find Thais have good tires,compared to working class Brits /EU Folk.

I use that spray foamy stuff I get in Tops. Tires still look new after 40K - pity they are hard now and noisy as hell lol

Thats Gillette Foamy Shaving stuff...

That would explain the major rash I get after every shave

I drove down, and back, to Pooket a few weeks back. What I noticed is my tyres would squeal a lot more than they do in Pattaya. This is doing 'U' turns or in tight corners....even when I down shift from 5 to 3 gear same as I do in Pattaya. Are the roads smoother down Pooket way?