How old is too old for tires?
- Thread starter Malo83
- Start date
It's time for me to post the obligatory warning on sidewall cracking:
Sidewall cracking = bad, but no sidewall cracking doesn't mean the tire is good. That's because there are different types of rubber and some tire manufacturers use a less crack resistant rubber in their sidewalls.
I go into much more detain about tire aging here: Barry's Tire Tech: Tire Aging and Weather Cracking
Sidewall cracking = bad, but no sidewall cracking doesn't mean the tire is good. That's because there are different types of rubber and some tire manufacturers use a less crack resistant rubber in their sidewalls.
I go into much more detain about tire aging here: Barry's Tire Tech: Tire Aging and Weather Cracking
I run them till they start coming apart or cracking badly. Have some that are easily 50 years old and are still fine.
And guys on here knock NEW Chinese tires.....................
In Discount Tire’s website, they state that any tire older than 10 years old (DOT code on sidewall?) will not be serviceable or repaired by them if you have a flat with a nail or something. I am currently about to junk a car I’m still commuting with today that has older tires but would not recommend to anyone.
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2024
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- 1
Paul Walker's (Fast and Furious franchise) death may have been due to old, hardened tires that had a lot of tread on them:
And, I did not realize that it has been ten years.
Old tires may have been a factor in the crash that ended the lives of the "Fast & Furious" actor Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas, based on the latest information from the police investigation. At least two of the tires on the crashed Porsche Carrera GT were more than nine years old. And, according to new details from the California Highway Patrol, the "driving and handling characteristics" of the Porsche "may have been compromised" because of this.
Unfortunately, many people—particularly those who drive classic cars or seasonal vehicles—may be tempting fate the same way.
There is no clear-cut consensus on when to replace aging tires, which leads people to leave them on their vehicles too long. Consumer Reports recommends following the guidelines in the owner's manual, but not all car or tire manufacturers offer such guidance.
Then what?
Certainly you should follow the car manufacturer's recommendation. As an example, some car manufacturers recommend removing tires that are six or more years old, regardless of miles. Porsche goes a step further, stating that the tires on the Carrera GT, for instance, shouldn't be used if they are more than four years old.
When not specified, we recommend removing any tire 10 years old or older. (Michelin may be the supplier of the tire, but in this case they would follow Porche's guidelines of removal at four years.) This is especially important for a spare tire, which can sit hidden away in your trunk, ignored for years on end. Our video shows how you can check the age of your tires.
Even if your tires have rolled up only a few thousand miles, the aging process makes the rubber less pliable and leads to deterioration of the mounted tire's internal structure, which is hidden from the outside.
Tire aging is particularly important for people who own classic cars with era-appropriate tires, owners of older cars that are used very little, and owners of campers.
The tires may look fine on the outside and have lots of tread, but the hidden aging process can compromise their integrity and performance. Always inspect your tires routinely.
In the end, it's best to err on the side of safety, even when it's financially painful to replace a set of expensive, low-mileage tires. A tire failure at speed can be a dangerous event.
Our best advice is to replace old tires regardless of appearance, even if they have never been on the road.
Paul Walker's death highlights dangers of aging tires
Even with low miles, old tires present a safety risk
Published: March 27, 2014 04:15 PMAnd, I did not realize that it has been ten years.
Old tires may have been a factor in the crash that ended the lives of the "Fast & Furious" actor Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas, based on the latest information from the police investigation. At least two of the tires on the crashed Porsche Carrera GT were more than nine years old. And, according to new details from the California Highway Patrol, the "driving and handling characteristics" of the Porsche "may have been compromised" because of this.
Unfortunately, many people—particularly those who drive classic cars or seasonal vehicles—may be tempting fate the same way.
There is no clear-cut consensus on when to replace aging tires, which leads people to leave them on their vehicles too long. Consumer Reports recommends following the guidelines in the owner's manual, but not all car or tire manufacturers offer such guidance.
Then what?
Certainly you should follow the car manufacturer's recommendation. As an example, some car manufacturers recommend removing tires that are six or more years old, regardless of miles. Porsche goes a step further, stating that the tires on the Carrera GT, for instance, shouldn't be used if they are more than four years old.
When not specified, we recommend removing any tire 10 years old or older. (Michelin may be the supplier of the tire, but in this case they would follow Porche's guidelines of removal at four years.) This is especially important for a spare tire, which can sit hidden away in your trunk, ignored for years on end. Our video shows how you can check the age of your tires.
Even if your tires have rolled up only a few thousand miles, the aging process makes the rubber less pliable and leads to deterioration of the mounted tire's internal structure, which is hidden from the outside.
Tire aging is particularly important for people who own classic cars with era-appropriate tires, owners of older cars that are used very little, and owners of campers.
The tires may look fine on the outside and have lots of tread, but the hidden aging process can compromise their integrity and performance. Always inspect your tires routinely.
In the end, it's best to err on the side of safety, even when it's financially painful to replace a set of expensive, low-mileage tires. A tire failure at speed can be a dangerous event.
Our best advice is to replace old tires regardless of appearance, even if they have never been on the road.
JHZR2
Staff member
I still have about 50% tread on the OE Michelins on my 2015 accord Hybrid. It has 83k miles I believe.
I’m sure I could get 125k miles on the set of tires if they wouldn’t age out. I’ll probably change them this fall.
10 years is my rule unless I observe something like tendency to hydroplane, or cracks or bubbles. I start scrutinizing pretty sternly at 6. I don’t recall when I wore out a tire on mileage last.
I’m sure I could get 125k miles on the set of tires if they wouldn’t age out. I’ll probably change them this fall.
10 years is my rule unless I observe something like tendency to hydroplane, or cracks or bubbles. I start scrutinizing pretty sternly at 6. I don’t recall when I wore out a tire on mileage last.
My wife’s 2008 Pontiac Solstice GXP had the original tires when we bought it on 2-16-2023. The date code was 0607, the 6th week of 2007! We carefully drove it the 60 miles home on the 16 year old tires and had them replaced 3 days later. I used the tires as a negotiating/bargaining tool before the purchase.
A good way in which to arrive at a replacement date would be if the tires get too exciting to drive in the wet or if they're 3/4 worn and winter is on its way.
I don't like putting a grand or so into new tires any more than anyone else does, but I also don't want a sudden failure at speed or to be sitting by the side of the road wishing I'd just spent the money on new rubber.
I'd say that ten years is plenty for any tire.
I don't like putting a grand or so into new tires any more than anyone else does, but I also don't want a sudden failure at speed or to be sitting by the side of the road wishing I'd just spent the money on new rubber.
I'd say that ten years is plenty for any tire.
Because they are. Worst case it blows and I have to put another on.
Next time it rains go for spin and see how they are doing? If they still grip then that's good enough for me, but I've never had a structural failure of a tire except for ancient tiny small trailer tires, which were quite terrible looking for many years before it went.
Sorry guy....but that's irresponsible.
Also irresponsible to fill up our landfills with tires that do not need to be changed. If they are unsafe, change them. If they are safe then run them. Who can determine if tires are safe? Thats the real question.
If you say so. Don't plan on dropping 20k on tires anytime soon.
That's the catch, a topic trying to determine when they need to be changed.
Isn't it also irresponsible, to add to junkyards and pollute manufacturing a new vehicle, because the old one was totaled in an accident due to bad tires? It really doesn't take much to total a vehicle once the tires are old enough to question them.
Certainly "if they are safe" and that's going to depend on the load of the vehicle, the speed, the roads, traffic and other obstacles, rain/snow, keeping them properly inflated, UV exposure, climate temperature, even which way the wind is blowing and how hard, can determine whether you have the minimum safe traction to not lose control.
Personally, if it were a daily driver i needed to depend on to get to work, they are getting some miles on them anyway but I would be looking to replace at 6 years, considering it snows here in winter. If it's a less frequently driven vehicle, and not driven on any trips further away than it is affordable to tow home (which isn't just about the chance of a tire failing), then I'd go closer to 10 years for a garage kept vehicle. If the vehicle is kept outside, what I typically do is let some air out of the tires and as the sidewall starts to bulge out, then I get a lot better idea of how deep the dryrot cracks are, and of course, potentially make some deeper at the same time if the tire has hardened too much.
Extending that thought, if the tire is losing air through the sidewall then it is definitely due to be replaced no matter the age or tread wear.
If the vehicle is never driven in rain or snow, then I could see getting 15 years out of a garage kept vehicle if the tires don't show excessive dryrot cracks, but as mentioned above, I let some air out to inspect for them, not just assuming they aren't there if I can't see them at regular inflation level. I have never actually gotten 15 years out of any, though, about 10 is enough to make me look at tire options and once I put in that effort, might as well get them while the info is fresh in my mind. I sometimes wait a little longer if there aren't any good sales at the time.
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2023
- Messages
- 23
I will run a truck tire longer than a car tire. Maybe even up to 10 years for a putting around town truck.
Passenger car about 7 years max
Performance car 5 years is pushing it.
Passenger car about 7 years max
Performance car 5 years is pushing it.
That's what happened with my old Dunlaps, fortunately only a mile away. Replace them.
