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My 1991 wagon is on its 3rd set of Michelins at 225k mi.
My differential clearly favors the right rear tire, so that tire takes the brunt of upshifts and downshifts, and it wears out first if not rotated. I have a 5 speed. This wouldn't be so noticable with an automatic.
I've heard knowledgable people say that the tire direction thing no longer applies, though I understood that it was early radial tires, not bias ply tires, that had the problem.
The posts to this thread seem to indicate, however, that the direction should NOT be changed. I wouldn't know, because I keep my tires on the same side, and have never tried crossing them. Old habits die hard.
Interestingly, the owner's manual for my BMW says NOT to rotate tires at all. It basically agrees with Click and Clack on that subject. I rotate them anyway (front-to-back) because the Bimmer tends to eat back tires for reasons that we won't explore here.
On an unrelated subject, I just drove my daughter's boyfriend's Subaru STI. That thing is a SERIOUS rice rocket. It's stock except for Ricaro seats and racing compound tires. The ride and handling make a 911 Porshe seem refined by comparison, but that sucker will really stick to the road, and although the turbo lag is annoying, when it gets a head of pressure up, it really slaps you back into your seat. If only I were young again.....
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