Mazda Mazda 3, 2.3 Tyres

I drive a mazda 3 200km a day, have put over 30 thousand k's on these tires so far with no complaints. They have only broke loose once in wet weather but then again I was not behaving. For those having issues I suggest you look at something other than the tires to blame.

I had to buy new front tyres yesterday [late July 2010] to pass NZ's requirements [wof]. Uneven wear on the inside [which one can't really see ], I couldn't find anything online of any substantial use on the brand I was offered which is Maxxis.Therefore I am offering this info as a 1 hour user!
Mazda 3 , 2.3 has a road noise problem and apparently a 'scalloping problem' on tyres. I haven't had a wheel alignment done for at least a year [my car is 2005]. Reports are Mazda 3s are hard on tyres.
My previous tyres were from new supplied by dealer Bridgestone Potanza [spelling may be wrong] 250 x 50 x R17. I have done 36, 000 kms mostly suburban but maybe 20% on Auckland's motorways which are a mixture of smooth and horrible cheap rough stoney chip surface. The latter surface creates a lot of road noise which I never noticed in my previous car [much beloved Honda Civic GTI].
So far I cannot report on road noise but I instantly noticed that these tyres make the car so much more manoevreable - I can now get into supermarket/public car parks dead straight whereas before I was always parking on an embarrassingly amateurish angle.
The other advice I was offered is - inflate tyres to around 36 psi not 32 as per the Mazda manual. Get them aligned every 6 months or so - at least once a year. Some tyre suppliers offer a 6 month check for free. That way you will save a lot of money. My 2 front tyres were $215 each with alignment extra. Some suppliers offer alignment free and check ups free but they had not offered Maxxis tyres - Bridgestone and Toyo. If I had realized the alignment and Mazda wear and tear were such a problem the original tyres would have lasted another 2 years.

Hard to compare against any other makes as this is all i've used on the car, but they seem fine to me, this site does need another review category for "ice and snow" which is probably the only conditions where they don't grip very well, they are summer tyres though.