5/32 left with only 26k miles on OEM Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires

Measure in 3 places across the width of the tire. The lowest depth is the one you use in comparing tread depth. You can find the original tread depth in the "specs" area for each tire at Tire Rack. Their home page has videos showing how you can measure using a coin and what the recommended tread depths are and how they affect handling. Or you can buy a "professional" tread-depth gauge from most auto parts stores for around $3.

You could read their test write up or I'll cheat and just give you the results.

The difference between a new tire and one worn down to 2/32 (legal limit in many states) in a test on a water soaked surface was an almost doubling of stopping distance! 4/32 deep tires took about 50% longer to stop than new tires.

New - 195 feet

4/32 - 290 feet

2/32 - 378 feet

Even more startling to me is that, on a 2/32 tire in stopping tests in the wet from 70MPH, the new tire would have stopped the car where the worn tire would only have slowed the car to 55MPH!!!! 4/32 would only have slowed the car to 45!!!!

They don't cite skidpad tests but the same issues that affect stopping distance would affect your staying on the road as you round the curve in the very wet. The tire needs the depth in order to evacuate the water beneath the tread and get the tire "rubber" into contact with the pavement. If it rides up on the water, it is like driving on ball bearings. I recall driving behind a car once and seeing it hit a puddle just as it came to a bridge and then going off like a pinball bouncing off the sides of the bridge. When I stopped, sure enough balding tires.

Depth does matter in the wet.

In the dry, depth is not nearly as important as long as the depth is consistent on an axle. In some countries (happened to me in Germany) you are required to replace tires in pairs. .

 

i had no idea toyota ever put energy savers on at the factory. that's an expensive tyre, no?

 

Our OEM was Michelin Pilot, still going, at 6/32" depth after 64,000 km. Snow tires have been on for at least 15K though. They are insanely pricey, not sure why.

 

i'm looking at energy savers on tyre rack, $112. i think. oem's are like 60 bucks.

 

Yeah I was interested in those; was a real letdown: found out they're not available in 215/45R17.

 

strange, i asked my local guy, he couldn't get them but they are on tyre rack. this has been going on for a year or more. do they not make the 215's or not currently available?

 

The energy saver a/s seem to be in the normal profile range, whereas pilots are more low profile/wider range. There are some tires that span both, Ecopia EP422 plus, Michelin Premier and Primacy, for example.

Seems like energy savers are often in short supply.

 

The 2012 v Five was supplied with OEM Toyo Proxes A20 in 215/50R17. Pricey! Even at Tire Rack:


PROXES A20
Passenger All-Season
Not Yet Rated
| Reviews (3)

• Details & Pricing

• Size: P215/50R17
• Sidewall Style: Blackwall
• Serv. Desc: 90WLoad Index 90= 1323lbs (600kg) per tire
  Speed Rating “W”= 168mph (270kph)
• UTQG: 300 A A300
  Traction: A
  Temperature: A

• Qtyer Tire:
• $241.52
• Availability: Fewer than 11, Additional Due 10/07/16
• See Shipping Cost

• 966.08$Set of 4:
• Free Road Hazard Protection
  ($75.28 value. Exclusions apply.)

 

I have a 2009 Gen II (touring) which I purchased at the end of 2013. If you check previous threads you'll see my solution to the winter/summer tyres problem. When I bought my summer tyres this year, I was replacing a set of Michelin Energy Savers (second set since new) - first (OEM) set of Michelin Energy Savers replaced around 73,000 miles, second set replaced around 105,000 (with winter wheels, shod with Bridgestone Blizzak WS80s) then summer wheels back on at the end of last winter @ ~110,000 miles, then new summer tires (Antares) fitted @ 112,000 miles, so the second set of Michelins did about 34,000 miles in total - they looked to be about 60-70% worn, but they were very noisy (compared to the Blizzaks) and I noticed the sidewalls had started to develop very fine cracks, which apparently is a shortcoming of Michelins in that the treads tend to outlive the sidewalls. So, the short answer is Blizzak WS80s on steel rims for the winter, and Antares Ingens on the OEM rims for the summer! - hope this helps - Wil