Just wondering...on a 2009 S40, if most of the driving is highway commutes with some stop and go, how many miles should I expect to get out of the OEM tires? Also, which brakes tend to wear out first, the fronts or the rears?

 

Front brakes wear out first, the weight of the vehicle is transfered to the front during braking and so the front wears out fastest.

From what I understand about OEM tires, they wear faster than any other tire. Why? they expect every under educated(tire wise that is) to go to the tire store and purchase the same great tire. and this is where they start to make their money. When you have a car manufacturer that has huge volume you have to give them the very best price to keep the factory running. This doesn't mean you have to give them the longest lasting tire. Who knows???

 

Actually on these cars the rear brakes go first. The braking system is biased to the rear. You can expect about 30 - 40K miles out of the rear pads and the rotors are usually ready to be replaced at the 2nd pad change on the rears.

Depending on how much camber you have on the rear wheels, you can expect about 30K out of the original tires. There are better tires out there even from the same tire company.
Stan

 

ditto


bobec, you must be on those p2 cars...

 

I was wondering about that...I see more brake dust on the rear wheels than the front. Will be interesting to see what the wear is at the next service visit. Most of my driving is highway commuting in the Boston area...get my share of high speed stops because of the way people drive around here.

Hoping to get quieter tires the next time around...the OEM tires are also not the greatest in the snow.

 

For all season tires I am very pleased with the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S. The seem to do everything fairly well. To do better I think you would have to go with a set of summer and a set of winter tires.

 

My OEM Michelins (17") lasted just a little more than 2 years. Not great in terms of life expectancy, but it's not because Michelins suck or because Volvo tried to outfit my vehicle with subpar tires. It's because these Michelins were awesome.

Usually the better the tire (better grip, better handling, less noise), the shorter their lifespan. Tires that last longer tend to be harder, stiffer, and noisier.

I ended up replacing the Michelins with a set of Yokohamas, which are cheaper and don't offer the same ride quality (both in terms of speed and comfortability) but are so far good and will hopefully last a year or so longer. They were an "all-around middle ground" selection that I've been pleased with so far.

 

2006 S40 T5 AWD, original Michelins 52,000 miles. Rear brakes dealer said will need replacing at 60,000 service. Fronts still looked good. Replaced tires with Michelin Hydro Edge Green X. Love them! Awesome handling in rain, and dry roads. Tom