Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

[EllisonCal]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

Oh yeah, and keeping the tires inflated to 50psi probably helps a lot too. You need to write Michelin and let them know. I used to drive a Taxi Cab in the Chicago area while going to college at the U.of Ill. The Cab company put rock hard no-grip tires on their Plymouths and never got anywhere near 131,000 miles. That has got to be a World Record!
Cal

[Daktari]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

Hi Daniel,

81 miles on I-24 then onto I-75 from Manchester TN. Does that mean she works somewhere round Dalton or is she heading north on I-75 towards Cleveland?

Either way, it sounds pretty amazing to me. 131,000 miles from one set of tyres.

If we all did that I'm thinking Michelin and all the other tyre companys would be out of business by now.

Wait a second, - this could be a trick here.

131,000 miles divided by four = 32,750.

That's it! The car has only done 32,750 miles which means each tyre has also done 32,750 miles.

So, when the total miles of the set of tyres is added together-- Hey Presto -- 131,000.

That's how it's done.

Gordon.

[Gregg]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

.

[GWL]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

I have another possible explanation. The car is from Canada or Ford put in a metric odometer by mistake. If it was 131000 Km that would equal 81875 milles, which sounds more reasonable. What do you think?
Geoff

[Leroy]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

I'll buy that!
Leroy

[redbirdsal]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

I have another possible explanation. The car is from Canada or Ford put in a metric odometer by mistake. If it was 131000 Km that would equal 81875 milles, which sounds more reasonable. What do you think? Geoff

That is the most plausible explanation to me...kilometers

[00mustng]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

.....well....I got 88000km. from my first set.....had a slow leak in rear drivers side tire....turns out a nail had worked it's way into the tire and was punching little holes from the inside...so I bought the second set and didn't realize how thin the originals had become!....can't complain....I rotate my tires regularly...do you? ...an age old subject to discuss..Yes? Cheers

[Leroy]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

Wow! If thats the case, I wonder if his warranty stopped at 36,000 Km. instead of Miles? Dan, I if I were you I'ld check it out by traveling along side another car that has a MPH odometer.
Leroy

[Ray]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

There's only one valid explanation. ZZ kept the tires inflated with nitrogen. There's no way he got that incredible mileage using plain ole air.

[luvbirdz]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

Had Michelins on my 87 Olds, at about 120,000 KM there was still good tread left. On a highway run heard a 'thunk' from one wheel well, thought I hit something, checked later and there was a 6" strip of tread missing! Oh well, guess I got my money's worth, the car & tires were almost 14 years old.

Ready for another story about Quality Service Desk Staff!!

My 82 LeBaron got new tires in 1989. In 2001 I went for a warranty replacement because of a tread separation,( 15,000 miles on the tires)
Clerk (jerk) looked at the date of the receipt and asked:
ARE THEY STILL ON THE CAR?

That is why we have stiff necks from shaking our heads whenever we go in for service.

Martin

[Leroy]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

WOW! I'm Surprised the warranty was still valid after 12 years. You must not have driven that car too much. Do you still have the car?
Leroy

[luvbirdz]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

Yes Leroy , I still have the car, it still looks like new (check my gallery) It was my Dad's last Convertible, (wish I still had some of the others he traded in) I got it in 87 & have always winter stored it, just a summer toy that gets 1,000 miles a year. I plan on doing the same thing with the T-Bird although it will get a few more miles a year.

And no, They said the warranty was only good for 5 years, but when I bought the 2 new ones they offered a lifetime warranty for a few bucks more, so I took it, little do they know how long I plan on having the car!!

Martin

[Gobird]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

I still have the originals on my 02 with a little over 57,000 miles on them. The tread still looks good but the side walls are starting to get hair line cracks/dry rot in them. I think I just made my last long road trip to Savannah until I get them replaced.

[zz_barracuda]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

Daniel,
Amazing tire mileage. Since you have an 05 bird with 131,000 miles, please share your ownership experience - problems, gas mileage, maintenance done or not done such as tire rotation/balancing, oil useage and change intervals, COPs problems if any, transmission servicing. etc.

Thanks

Well I certainly understand why you are all in such disbelief about 131,000 miles (not km) on a set of tires. I am also. But, it is what it is, believe it or don't. Just don't make fun of me or question my credibility, cause that would tend to tick me off. I have not done that to anyone here and I expect the same.
Now, as for the ownership experience, we have only had a couple problems with Rosie. The drivers side side air bag depoloyed one morning while my wife was driving to work. No reason at all, Ford said she ran over something which triggered the airbag, I told them they were full of hot air. We had to have our insurance cover the repair. The story is much longer and more details but I'll save it for another time.
Another morning months before the airbag experince my wife did run over a truck tire tread long as an alligator. Upon impact with the underside of the car it tripped the emergency fuel shutoff. The car stalled and wouldn't start back up. This can be reset by running your hand up the side kick panel and feeling for a rubber covered push button under the dash on the drivers side. You need to push this button to reset the fuel shutoff relay. There is a page in the owners manual that covers this. Now I know why one is supposed to read the owners manual, my wife found out about this button from the tow truck driver. Saved alot of cash instead of towing the car.
Other than that no problems to speak of. I change the oil every 10,000 miles, filter every 5,000 miles, and use Mobil 1 Synthetic 15,000 mile oil.
I changed the plugs at 100,000 miles and really enjoyed that experience. Not. My knuckles are healed and I am proud of the special tool I made to remove the bottom back bolt on the drivers side cover. I cut off an allen wrench and hammered it into a 1/4" driver socket which I also cut in half. This works quite sufficiently in the tight space.
I have had no problems with the COP's. I have the tires rotated every 12,000 miles and maintain 32 psi at all times.
We had the transmission flushed at the dealer at 36,000 miles. At about $265.00, I would say I still dislike dealership service. I will say for the first 100,000 miles I had the dealer change the oil every 3,000 miles (as they agreed to upon purchase of the car) for free. Of course this took place once a month for 3 years. A little more than they bargained for. When they became a little snotty about changing the plugs and flush and fill of the coolant I quit going there. I'm an accomplished mechanic myself and did these thing at home when I changed out the dual coolant control valve.
My wife loves her Bird and enjoys driving it to Ringold Ga. each and every day she works. That's why we bought it. She gets about 25 mpg average and averages 75 mph (or so) except through Chattanooga and on Monteagle. We just spend 3 days last week out towards Gatlinburg and did much sight seeing. We totaled about 325 miles in just one day of sight seeing.Some think it crazy to drive such a car that often. But, that's what it's for. Not to sit in the garage and collect dust. Can't enjoy that very much.
However, when I purchase my Shelby Mustang next spring, I won't be driving it that much. See, I drive 75 miles to work and then 75 miles home, in the opposite direction. I work for General Motors in Springhill Tn. I drive a 2007 Chevy HHR. It is 18 months old and I have over 58,000 miles on her. And yes, I am still on the original set of tires. I also use Mobile 1 synthetic oil and change it when the computer display tells me to. That is around 15,000 miles last change. I do change the filter at around 7500 miles. I get 29 mpg. on the higway and I drive about 79 mph. to and from work.
Well, that's about all folks, I need to return to working on my 1996 ImpalaSS. I've got the timing cover off, gears and chain out, and pan dropped. She'll be back on the road after I'm done with a few updates, repairs, and freshening up. See, she (Bessie) has about 268,000 miles on her.
Yep, we do alot of driving.

[Lonestar]

Re: Gotta love those Michelins !!!!

With everything going on with the General at this time, I sincerely hope you are not impacted in any way.