Tire Alignment versus Tire Rotation !!!

[Zchild]

This may qualify as the proverbial dumb question however, I for one, do not care... I was taught that the only dumb question is the one un-asked... I have been conditioned into getting my tires rotated everytime I get my oil changed... I've been thinking about this and would like to pontificate here for just a moment... I pay about $50.00 dollars everytime I get my tires rotated and I get them rotated every 5,000 miles, therefore I am spending, yes you guessed it ; ding, ding, ding... $600.00 for every 60,000 miles I'm getting on my tires. Yes I get around 60,000 miles on a set of tires, I do alot of highway driving. I have 144,000 miles on my bimmer. My other quandry is that I pay about $90.00 dollars for a four wheel alignment to keep my tires wear pattern in line. To me I should stop getting my tires rotated and spend a little more money on the four wheel alignment. A set of tires is less than $600.00 dollars. My last set of Ultra-High Proformance tires cost $480.00 dollars. I'm just trying to figure out if someone, anyone thinks I'm throwing money away anywhere? I've tried to look at this thing from several different angles and I keep coming up with the fact that I'm paying more in tire rotation cost than for the actual tires themselves. Lastly, I'm a big boy I can tandle the hruth. Happy Motoring...[driving2]

 

[jrt67ss350]

Alot of people on the board here will tell you you don't need to rotate your tires. I, on the other hand, am a fan of rotating my tires. I do it about every 7000 miles or so (about every other oil change for me).

My solution to your problem would be to buy yourself a little hydraulic jack and two jackstands and rotate your tires yourself. If you are paying someone $50 to rotate your tires (that's outrageous!!), then the jack and stands will pay for themselves after the first rotation. Plus, then you have the stands, so you can do your oilchanges yourself and save even more money. That's my solution, but I like to work on my car.

 

[Kirby]

Alot of people on the board here will tell you you don't need to rotate your tires. I, on the other hand, am a fan of rotating my tires. I do it about every 7000 miles or so (about every other oil change for me).

My solution to your problem would be to buy yourself a little hydraulic jack and two jackstands and rotate your tires yourself. If you are paying someone $50 to rotate your tires (that's outrageous!!), then the jack and stands will pay for themselves after the first rotation. Plus, then you have the stands, so you can do your oilchanges yourself and save even more money. That's my solution, but I like to work on my car.

I also rotate my tires myself. I can check the brakes, etc. at the same time so I know what's what for inspection.

At least one Tire Dealer here offers FREE lifetime rotation with a 4 tire purchase. Does anyone offer that in your area?

 

[theBMWenthusiast]

I also rotate my tires myself. I can check the brakes, etc. at the same time so I know what's what for inspection.

At least one Tire Dealer here offers FREE lifetime rotation with a 4 tire purchase. Does anyone offer that in your area?

not sure how good the tires costco sells, probably as good, but dont know the brands, but im pretty sure they give lifetime alignments with their tires...at least thats what my dad said

 

[330i and like it]

You don't need to rotate as oftern as you are. You can get away with every 10K. As far as alignment, if the car is running smooth and you see no wear on the inside or outside of the tires leave it alone. Like you said if you are spend the price of a set of tires every 60k you need to put that money towards the tirres. Just my opinion!

Mark
www.castle-designs-inc.com

 

[Average Jae]

tire rotation isn't the biggest deal, but get them balanced at the same time. it may cost a bit more, but the balance makes sure your tires are weighed correctly, so the tire performs as it should

as for alignment, if your tires are balanced, and all have equal pressure on both sides, but the car veers one direction or another, take it in to get the alignment fixed.

i didn't knwo you can rotate ultra high perf tires.. aren't they directional usually? either way, mine are staggered, so no rotation for me. besides if yer getting 60k out of your ultra high perfs, you are doing really good imo. another question tho: you live in MD, what do you do when the snow hits? summer tires suck in the cold.

 

[Big Daddy]

All rotation does is allow the tires to wear evenly and wear out as a set. BMW has always recommended against tire rotation, and like jae says, most BMW's are staggered as are mine too and you cannot rotate them. I do rotate the tires on my truck (free at Schwab) as it is not a high performance vehicle.

Costco tires are first rate and top quality. Once you pay for the balance and rotation they will do so for free for the life of the tire. as will Les Schwab. Discount tire's all come with free lifetime rotation and balance as well.

Alignment should not need to be done very often. I have had my roadster done once in 45k because I changed the spring set up. If your alignment is bad you will wear tires out. If your tires are cupping your shocks are bad.

Tire Rotation

 

[aNoodle]

All rotation does is allow the tires to wear evenly and wear out as a set. BMW has always recommended against tire rotation, and like jae says, most BMW's are staggered as are mine too and you cannot rotate them. I do rotate the tires on my truck (free at Schwab) as it is not a high performance vehicle.

Costco tires are first rate and top quality. Once you pay for the balance and rotation they will do so for free for the life of the tire. as will Les Schwab. Discount tire's all come with free lifetime rotation and balance as well.

Alignment should not need to be done very often. I have had my roadster done once in 45k because I changed the spring set up. If your alignment is bad you will wear tires out. If your tires are cupping your shocks are bad.

Tire Rotation

I'm with BigD! Except not all of us have staggered wheels :-( I wish I did!

I rotated my tires when I first got my car, then decided to give it a go on not rotating at all, I think on my 3rd set. I was amazed how evenly they wore with the 50/50 weight balance. Towards the end, there was noticeably less rubber on the sidewall...err...the side corners of the wheels in the front compared to the back. So maybe around the last 10,000 miles to go I swapped the Continentals from front to back and got a little better corning out of them in the front. But tread wear was equivalent from front to back, side to side. (This personal experience was on onger lasting touring sedan tires, rather than sport tires.)

Every tire guy looks at me cross eyed when I say BMW doens't recommend rotating tires. They don't get it, I wouldn't have either until I just let them wear. It's wierd, I'm not sure today I fully get it. Something to do with the rubber setting in one direction. Moving them from left to right will make the strands of rubber have to stand up in a different direction with the toe in, or camber, etc. That shift apparently makes them weaken and wear out quicker?

 

[Average Jae]

Every tire guy looks at me cross eyed when I say BMW doens't recommend rotating tires. They don't get it, I wouldn't have either until I just let them wear. It's wierd, I'm not sure today I fully get it. Something to do with the rubber setting in one direction. Moving them from left to right will make the strands of rubber have to stand up in a different direction with the toe in, or camber, etc. That shift apparently makes them weaken and wear out quicker?

it really depends on what tire set you have, if you have directional treads, you can't really rotate them as big daddy's link shows. (swapping front to back isn't as effective as criss crossing in getting even ware.) but as aNoodle said, maybe the 50 50 balance has something to do w/ the tread ware.

i've come to accept the fact that my tires will only last about 25k to 30k miles, and sits staggered, so i could care less about rotation. i would like to get them balanced once or twice during the life time though. (i know i'll be balancing/ rotating my snows every season, for optimal wear and longevity. those suckers are expensive!! i need to at least get 3 good years out of them..)