After 93,000 miles…my original tires have finally worn out

[Top_Fuel]

There’s a statement you’ll never hear a Mirage owner make.

Now let me explain...

When my Mirage was brand new, these were the first 3 things I did to it:

1. Got an alignment check (Yes...my brand new car needed a front end alignment)
2. Got the front end aligned under warranty
3. Replaced the factory wheels/tires

Why would I replace wheels/tires on a brand new car? The answer is explained here.

Note: I should have replaced these tires at 80K miles, but with Covid and a dry summer, I kept putting it off. If you're wondering, here’s what the tires looked like at 90,000 miles...




Observations

Here are some observations from my first set of Mirage tires…


1. Quality tires can last a long time on a properly maintained Mirage

When I joined this forum in 2016, I was stunned when some people were replacing their original tires before 20K miles. If your alignment is good and you rotate the tires regularly, you shouldn't be wearing out tires this quickly. Don’t just shrug your shoulders and assume that Mirages are hard on tires.

Mirage front ends aren’t dialed-in very well at the factory, and the rear alignment should always be considered suspect until you confirm otherwise. If your Mirage has never had a 4-wheel alignment check, it could be costing you in premature tire wear. A free alignment check only costs you some time, but can pay off in longer tire life.


2. Rear axle alignment: It doesn’t have to be perfect

This one surprised me. My rear axle geometry is barely (0.05 degrees) within the factory specs, so I was worried about rear tire wear. But consistent rotations have minimized any wear issues from the rear axle. Considering that I almost qualify for a new rear axle, this is good news. So don’t panic if your rear axle alignment numbers aren't perfect. Just keep the tires rotated. If your rear axle is out of spec, get it replaced under warranty.


3. A little extra air doesn’t hurt

I run air pressures above 45 PSI year-round (my tires are rated at 51 PSI max). My tires have almost no signs of over-inflation wear in the center of the tread. So if you need a little fuel economy help, air your tires up a few pounds and don’t worry about it.


4. Low rolling resistance tires help pay for themselves over time

The fuel mileage difference between a LRR tire and a non-LRR tire is roughly 2mpg (or more if you’re using poor quality tires). That 2mpg adds up over time.

Using the average Mirage as an example, LRR tires can mean the difference between 40 or 42mpg. Over 80,000 miles at $2.25 per gallon, the fuel savings of 80K mile LRR tires is almost $215…or $54 per tire. My latest Bridgestone LRR tires were $83 each installed, so the fuel savings during the life of these tires will cover 65% of their purchase price.

When factoring tread life and rolling resistance, cheap tires are not a good value if you drive a lot. A $30 tire that only lasts 25,000 miles and loses 2+ mpg is an expensive option for someone who puts a lot of miles on their car. Long treadlife, low rolling resistance tires are (over time) the least expensive tire option on a Mirage if you drive a lot.


5. Don't overlook repairs and road hazard warranty when buying tires

You can find some good tire deals online...but who's going to repair your tire when you pick up a nail? And what is their replacement policy if/when a tire has irreparable damage?

A proper tire repair can cost anywhere from $25-$40. My first Mirage tires picked up 5 nails/screws in 90K miles. Fortunately all but 1 was repairable (for free) because my tires included tire repairs and a pro-rated road hazard warranty from my tire dealer.

What happened to the one tire that couldn't be repaired? Read #6 below.


6. Consider a used backup tire as an insurance policy

If you have expensive OEM (Dunlop Enasave/Yokohamas) tires on your Mirage, you will have to make a tough decision if one is fatally damaged: Do I replace the 1 bad tire...or do I just buy 4 new tires? A single OEM replacement tire may cost $150 installed. Consider purchasing an inexpensive, used backup tire to have on hand if this situation ever pops up. This may sound unnecessary, but how many forum members have been burned by unrepairable damage on 1 tire? The solution is usually to replace all 4 tires even though the other 3 may have tread life remaining.

One of my tires picked up a nail near the sidewall at 60,000 miles and couldn’t be repaired. My prorated road hazard warranty wasn’t going to help much, and I didn’t want to buy 4 new tires yet (the remaining tires had some life left). Fortunately I had a used replacement in my garage that I previously purchased on eBay for $35. I was back on the road the same day without buying 1 expensive new tire…or 4 new tires. That backup tire allowed me to continue running the remaining 3 tires for another 18 months and 30K additional miles.


7. Mitsubishi Warranty Concerns

If I bought a new Mirage today, I would definitely replace the OEM wheels/tires again (right after a 4-wheel alignment check!).

But ditching your factory wheels/tires has a downside. If you ever need a drivetrain-related warranty repair, you’re going to want OEM-size wheels and tires on the car. If you need a $5,000 CVT replacement, you don’t want to show up at the service department with aftermarket wheels and (especially) non-OEM sized tires. You can bet that Mitsubishi has a checklist for denying expensive powertrain warranty claims…and having non-stock wheels/tires is likely on the top of the list. A warning about this is even mentioned in the owner’s manual.

As the owner of a manual transmission Mirage, I’m not concerned about making a driveline warranty claim. But if I need to scrounge up some stock wheels/tires to ensure that an expensive warranty repair goes smoothly, I’ll do it.