How long should a set of tyres last and what effects the life span of a tyre?

Many factors will either prolong the life of your tyre or reduce it. However, according to the AA the average life span of a tyre is approximately 20,000 miles for front tyres and sometimes as such is double for rear tyres.

Tyres are made specifically for different road and driving conditions and this involves using different rubber compounds. As a rough rule of thumb the harder the rubber the longer the life span. But please remember that harder tyres will mean a noisier and less forgiving drive.

Conversely softer rubber used in the manufacture of your tyre will mean a more comfortable and quieter driver but they will wear out a lot quicker.

What can we do to make our tyres last longer?
 

Did you know that the way you drive can effect how long your years last. Harsh breaking and corning can in fact mean that your tyres will wear out quicker. 

How your tyres are fitted will mean that your front tyres will wear out quicker and in most cases (excluding rear wheel drive) it is your front tyres that take the force of steering and pulling the vehicle forward.

Both the speed at which you travel and how heavy the items that you carry in your vehicle is also effects the wear of your tyre.

Possibly the most important aspect is having the correct tyre pressure, please also remember that your tyre insurance policy will not be able to cover the cost of repair or replacement tyres if your vehicle is under or over inflated. This is because softer tyres will enable parts of the tyre which are not designed to be in contact with the road to be load bearing and vice versa over inflation will mean that only a proportion of the tyres is taking the strain.

In summary if you want to prolong the life of your tyres, please do not drive aggressively, do not over weigh your vehicle, swap your tyres around from time to time and check and re-check your tyre pressure and wheel alignment.