Given
64%
while driving a
Toyota Landcruiser
(265/65 R17 S) on
a combination of roads
for 34,000
average miles
I don't have much to compare this to, other than 2x previous Jeep Grand Cherokee's and a Discovery + Pajero (15 years ago).
These tyres are OK - The front's are down to 4mm and the rears 5mm. However, I am very disappointed to be feeling nervous about the front tyres, despite them still being fully legal. They are bald on the shoulders - and they LOOK bald to passers-by. I am waiting for a do-gooder to report me. Some might say that after 34,000 miles this is acceptable. I don't feel this way - maybe I was spoilt by the Goodyear Wrangler SP's on my JGC's which did 50,000 miles without complaint, despite the fact that I gave them a beating. The Landcruiser doesn't lend itself to aggressive, wild cornering (strangely the JGC seemed to be 'gasping for it'). So I feel strangely let down by these tyres.
Also, they are now 5 years old and during the last visit to the tyre garage (wheel alignment) they were all tutting and grimacing over the cracks appearing in the sidewalls. Mind you, this car did spend the first 2 years of it's life being cooked in Spain.
It all adds up to a feeling of disappointment.
Although I will probably buy again, it is only because of inertia and fear of insurance companies terrible behavior in trying anything on to wriggle out of paying-up in a nasty situation.
By the way, these AT20's were OEM and supplied with the car.
I would love some proper winter tyres on this car, but I cannot justify it when I am already leaving everything behind in snow (4WD + proper diff. lock + grunt + OK all-weather M+S (no mountain/snowflake)) and have got to an age where I now drive sedately.
I have been skiing many times in the Landcruiser on the AT20's and in the JGC'c on the Goodyear Wrangler SP's - I cannot remember ever having a problem with either of them. I haven't/didn't have chains for either. Although I do remember driving a Mercedes 300D up from Zurich through the Fluela Pass, past Klosters and Davos on our way to the Engadin Valley and N Italy - all I had on were summer tyres and chains on the rear. I honestly thought I was going to die of fear - what a bf I was. I had the Swiss and Germans buzzing by me without a care, on their winter tyres and I was drenched in sweat from fear as the car slid everywhere but where I wanted it to go.
That's all.