"But our cars are always properly maintained. Is your friends wifes car?"

Yes he always takes it to his local trusted indy.when he was in the UK.

I just googled it and guess who came up?

"You are doing the right thing. Drivers who straddle these things cause serious abrasion to the inner shoulders of their tyres that can lead to blowouts and because the damage is to the inner shoulders it is not seen."

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/66969/do-speed-humps-cause-tyre-damage-

The story was that they had recently arrived in France after we had been there 3 or 4 years and he asked me to help him check the front brakes as he thought the pads must need doing.

So we had the wheels off and found the pads were thin and I noticed the state of the inner shoulders of the tyres, so off he went to get some tyres and I ordered some pads for him and I fitted them a week or so later. That was when I asked her (it's her car) if she had been over a lot of speed humps and she confirmed that the hospital car park and approaches was full of them "just like here in France" - and they are the horrible plastic nailed down ones with sharp angled edges.

So there you go.

Edited by focussed on 02/05/2020 at 21:05

Lets be honest here, a Mavira A is at least 10 years old and during that time we have no idea how its been treated or maintained, its possible its been through a hedge or two in its time. If the suspension components ore original its reasonable to assume the rubber bushes are well worn which will allow the geometry to be well outside the manufacturers quoted even without any knocks. The fact that the wear is on one corner only suggests to me that corner has taken a hit, even if the tracking is correct other factors will cause uneven wear.

For Focussed to suggest that my experience is meaningless is suggesting I am simply without experience. The facts I have quoted are my facts, the "facts" Focussed has quoted are those of a friend wife. Thus mine are first hand and his are 3rd hand, need I say any more. I am there when I drive and I know how the wife drives. Does Focussed have extensive experience of how his friends wife drives or is he just assuming she is perfect?

As for posting a link to honest John when we all know he has had some weird ideas over the years does not in any way help. Just think what he has supported, expensive fuels when we all know they are exactly the same with mysterious unproven bits added, left foot braking when we all know this causes accidents especially amongst the elderly and now speed humps. He has been a supporter of Michelin Cross Climate tyres for several years but I have only bought all season tyres now since about 2010. Local indy suggested Kleber Quadraxer to me for the Focus (205 55 16) and since they were cheaper than the OEM Contis (noisy and wore fast) I gave them a go. Brilliant, quiet, lasted twice the mileage and rode really well. Take a look at them and wonder why HJ never mentioned them. Kleber is a sister company to Michelin and the current Quadraxer tyres look pretty much identical, the rating label is identical. Difference is the price, the Kleber is about 20% cheaper. As an supposed supporter of the motorist why did he not suggest them, any suggestions welcome. I will be buying them when I need new tyres without a doubt (assuming the size is available).

So OP, have you had the car thoroughly checked over, a free diagnosis on the internet is no substitute for an experienced mechanic who can actually work on the vehicle.

I would have thought the going-over a car gets in a proper MoT test ought to show up any wear of the kind you are suggesting, GB ?