When I was first learning to drive (60's) my Dad instructed me to have the car roll a bit before turning the wheels--this would help the tires to last longer, as the friction from turning them while the car was NOT moving is significant and would cause a lot of tire wear.

I mentioned this concept to a younger friend of mine and he said "yer nuts! Tire compounds are so much better today, I doubt that there is any significant tire wear from turning the wheels while the car is standing still."

Obviously there are some circumstances where you have to turn the wheels while at a stop, but it is rare, and I am always bothered by it.

Any thoughts about this? I still don't do it (pretty much can't do it--I can feel my Dad roll over in his grave every time I even think about doing it)

 

Your dad continues to be right.

Your "friend" is punishing his tires *and* suspension when he does this. He is the usual nutbar with more money than brains, and an inability to grasp simple logical concepts such as cause and effect.

 

TVN, you want to prove your point to the younger one? Try this, take his car, park it on some newer concrete (so there are no marks there) and then have him turn his wheels back and forth a few times and then move the car forward about 20 feet so you can see where the tires were. I bet you will find some black marks on the concrete. You can do this on asphalt, but it is harder to see the black rubber residue. Not to mention that concrete has a tendency to pull off rubber more anyways.

 

I learned not to turn the steering with car stationary because of the enormous load on the steering joints. In those early days with no power steering on anything, it was damned hard work anyway! Tyres were pretty cheap then, but still one was punishing the tyres without any need to.
Leedsamn.