164 tire mileage

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

I am on my fifth set of tires in 140,000 km ( 87,000 miles) That's two sets 
of summers and three of winters. The summers are 3/4 worn and the current 
winters (Pirelli 210A) are brand new. So that's 3 and 3/4 sets of tires 
over 85,000 miles or 23,000 miles per set.

However, the first set of summers were the factory Goodyear Eagle NCT which 
wore like iron and rode and handled much the same. The Pirelli P6000 that 
replaced them are wearing at approximately twice the rate, and are much 
more than twice as good.

For a sticky tire I estimate 15,000 miles is about all a 164 will let you 
have unless you drive as to church on Sunday with grandmama on board.

Contrast that to the virtually identical 86 SAAB 9000 (weight, performance 
etc) which is on its fifth set of tires at 240,000 km (150,000 miles) with 
a currently new set of P7000 Pirelli (fantastic tires BTW) and a half worn 
set of Michelin Alpin Winters for a total consumption of 3 and 1/2 sets of 
tires or 43,000 miles per set. All the tires on the SAAB were relatively 
sticky for a touring car (Pirelli P6, Michelin MXV4 all seasons, Gislaved 
Nordfrost)  Stay away from the Michelin MXV4 it is an awful tire made in 
the USA for freeway driving. Soft and grippy for the first half of the 
tread life, I threw them away at year four (tires are on for 6 months per 
year for each set of winter or summer) before they were worn out as they 
became hard as iron etc etc as for the Goodyear NCT on the 164.

Cheers

Michael
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner

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