Further to the recent letter from HP in Reading, I have had similar experience with two Polos in the last few years. Both were new company cars that prematurely munched a set of front tyres in less than 5,000 - 6,000 miles. In both instances the replacement tyres, correctly aligned, lasted a good few miles more. A neighbour with a Polo and a friend with a Golf have also had similar problems. The tyre depot manager said they get a lot of new cars in, he reckoned rather cynically that the cars leave the factory like it, so that when your nearly new car needs tyres, you instinctively go back to the dealer, who will charge you top dollar for replacements. Also wheel alignment isn't part of a standard PDI check for most new cars.