Question for all drivers (especially C280 drivers):

Do your rear tires wear out faster than the fronts?

I assumed the fronts would wear out faster but the rears appear to be wearing faster than the fronts.

I know it's RWD but for all the other reasons, i.e., more front weight bias (not a BMW!), braking power to the front, turning, etc., I still figured the fronts would exhibit more wear. I guess laying down the power on the rears more than counterbalances these. Other people out there confirm?

Even on a somewhat front heavy rear drive car the rears usually wear faster than the fronts because they are constantly tranmitting drive torque. Rears also tend to wear in the center, while the fronts tend to wear on the shoulders.

This is why tire rotation is recommended every 5000 to 7500 miles. It evens out the wear and generally allows you to get more total mileage out of a set of four.

On a front drive car the rears will usually last through two sets of fronts. A mid or rear engine car is just the opposite. They eat two sets of rears for every set of fronts, and since most have different front/rear tire sizes and you can't rotate them, you just replace sets of two when necessary.

Duke

I noticed last week that my c320 rears have a lot less tread than I would have expected. Factory Michelin mxv4+ tires with 30k. I was thinking that New England winters and traction control had taken their toll, though it could be just how nice the car feels when you step into it a bit!

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2001 e320 wagon
2004 F350
2006 Crown Vic

Whan can cause steps between threads on the shoulder?

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Zafar
94 E320 58000 Miles

Had a 4-wheel alignment done lately?

Rear toe-in and camber is especially critical on MBs. Rear tire wear is excessive if not premature if those parameters aren't set properly.

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

To my knowledge, the W202 chassis doesn't have a rear camber adjustment.

Jonathan