The shocking quality of newer cars

[Ubique]

I see some perished tyres on cars in my workshop of late.

Not sure of the reason?

More polymer less rubber?

More UV light - global warming?

Wheel cleaning acid and TFR at hand car washes?

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It is not always the economy cheap makes either. I am sure dated tyres will come on the MOT in the end - I am sure of it....

EV's rip them to shreds, entirely due to the weight and potential to put down full power almost instantaneously, causing the tyres to rip, typically used to good effect when pulling out of junctions, which is why they have very worn shoulders.

 

[premmington]

EV's rip them to shreds, entirely due to the weight and potential to put down full power almost instantaneously, causing the tyres to rip, typically used to good effect when pulling out of junctions, which is why they have very worn shoulders.

A set of four required - is not an uncommon sight at low mileage.

Your average overweight high traction "scalextric" toy - chews thru tyres.

 

[northwest]

I've owned my van two years and had three sets of tyres. Modern tyres don't last two minutes.

I buy really decent tyres and you are right, Modern tyres are rubbish and do not last, I drive on average 12,000 miles a year and every year I am replacing tyres, it's just terrible, I will be going for a cheaper option this time around as I am starting to think a more expensive tyre is a waste of money for the mileage and work I am asking of them.

 

[premmington]

I buy really decent tyres and you are right, Modern tyres are rubbish and do not last, I drive on average 12,000 miles a year and every year I am replacing tyres, it's just terrible, I will be going for a cheaper option this time around as I am starting to think a more expensive tyre is a waste of money for the mileage and work I am asking of them.

I gave up on named make tyres a long while ago on all the little run about town cars I own.

I still thou always replace axle sets at the same time with the same make/tread pattern.

What I have never done - and never will is move axle sets from back to front (and it irritates me when customers ask me to do it on the their cars/vans)

 

[KemppiFrog]

Just reminded me that my Freight Rover van had GRP leaf springs. I was under it with a light and realized that the springs were translucent. Yep, plastic.

 

[m_c]

Quite a few vans have used plastic springs.
Sprinters from the CDI era up to 3.5t use a single leaf transverse plastic spring on the front. Heavier use a twin leaf steel spring, to get the higher load in the same space.
The plastic ones used to delaminate, although generally lasted longer than the steel.

Some Renault Masters also used plastic rear springs, and I'm aware LDV used them at some point.

 

[Ubique]

I'm fairly sure I remember the Volvo XC40 having a GRP torsion bar at the rear, it was essentially a stretched diamond shape with a single pivot point in the centre.
That was at launch in 2017, probably been beefed up for the BEV's.