I purchased a new 06 MCS with JCW package in late August. The car was outfitted with 18-inch JCW wheels and Dunlop SP Sport 01 DSST tires.

After 3800 miles (3876 miles to be exact) both front tires are worn to the wear bars! Both rears are like new. This is a new car so I have followed the 4500 rpm limit for the first 1250 miles and have been an average to aggressive driver for the remainder of the mileage. This can has never been on the track or AutoX. Street driving only. I have never had a set of tires wear out in 3800 miles!

I am preparing to scream at the dealer and Dunlop directly.

Anyone with insight on this? Is this common and expected?

 

No, that should not be the case.

I'm guessing the factory didn't adjust the front toe correctly. Make sure to have the car aligned before you put another new set on there.

I'm guessing that the car will drive much better after you get it aligned correctly.

 

I've had similar problems with other vehicles using higher performance tires. In each case the alignment was the culprit. Not sure what the roads are like in your area but here in the DC metro area there's always roadwork going on - and keeping a car in alignment can be a major headache. Rotating your tires regularly can be a tread saver too.

Hang in there.

 

I'd check the front suspension. Try getting your face close and sniffing. Possibly the boys at the factory spilled their stout on the parts while assembling them.

Otherwise I'm sure the dealers (MINI or Dunlop) will be glad to make it good. There must be a fault so the MINI dealer needs to get a chance to fix it.

Good luck. I have the 5000 Dunlops on 16 inch rims and at 20000 miles I can't get them to wear out. I want to dump the runflats (not because they are bad tires but because they are heavy and harsh) but am too cheap to do it until they are worn out.

Performance tires are soft. My ex-wife wore out a pair of new front tires on a Sorocco on one trip the the East and Back (4000 miles) This turned out to be due to a shortcut taken by the mechanic at pep boys while installing new front struts. The front alignment was off.

 

I agree on rotation commnet but at 3800 miles I haven't had a chance even to rotate!

Thanks for the input guys. I will be in touch with the dealer. I suspect from the feedback that front end alignment may be the culprit. I don't routinely drive roughly over potholes or curb jumping so I suspect the alignment was never right to begin with.

 

No way those tires should be shot at 3,800 miles. If you drove it like you stoled it yes, but you said you were following the break in. Something is fishy with your tires or maybe your cars alignment.

 

Others have experienced this ...

http://www.mini2.com/forum/wheels-tyres-suspension-brakes/58660-very-high-john-cooper-works-dunlop-sp-sport-01-tyre-wear.html

 

I think I might be in the same boat... 06 JCW w/ 18" JCW wheels (dealer-installed with Dunlop runflats). I'm just around 3800 miles, and the fronts have _significantly_ less tread left than the rears. I'll take a look and see if I can spot the "wear bars" (never heard of this), but I'm guessing the alignment is out of whack on mine too.. argh.