Question: New Tires? Really?

[vdogamr]

So I took my car to a mechanic recommended to me by someone I trust for an oil leak. They seemed pretty good, even as they said they didn't feel comfortable working on the problem they found. And without charging me they directed me to a local Corvette Specialist. But they also told me that my woderful looking tires are 6 years old and that tires should be replaced every 5 years.

These tires look great. No cracks, lots of tread... Is it really recommended to change a perfectly good tire every 5 years? Most of my tires don't last that long so it has never come up. But they said the tires would be fine for the summer but once the cold rain started up again, my tires would become rock hard. I don't think they were telling me a lie, but is there a tire treatment I can use to prolong their life. I don't want one of the few things I was smart enough to check out when I bought the car (tire tread) to end up being one more repair.

Any advice, even "replace those tires" would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[G Winter]

This has come up in the news media the last couple yrs.
He is correct in once sense that the tires should be replaced after 5 yrs. I don't think it is a cut and dried as that. A tire that sits out in the hot sun every day all day might get dried out sooner where as a tire spending most of it's life in a dark garage could last much longer. Light and heat are rubber's biggest enemy. Tires definitely get harder with age.
I have run some much older tires on other cars and never had an issue of any kind.

Glenn

 

[roger longman]

Hi vdoqamr, I'm not offering advice here, just relating my experience with an '88. When I bought it the walls of the 4 Goodyear tyres were cracked, as the previous owner had kept them under inflated. I meant to change them soon but other things cropped up and I had done about 18,000 miles before I got around to it, sometimes forgetting and going way faster than I should have done but never a problem. My son however(reported in a previous thread) had put on about 2,000 miles on a NEW set of Nan Kang tyres when 1 completely disintegrated and the other 3 were about to.He received a 50% credit ! I guess it's a matter of manufacturer,designation,conditions and common sense. We could be even more careful and replace them every year. Oh did the Corvette specialist offer to replace them for you ? Roger.

 

[vdogamr]

I have not seen the specialist yet. I was referred at the end of the day Friday and I haven't found a good time to set up another appointment yet.

Normally the thought that garaged tires can last longer would make me feel good. Afterall I am keeping it in the garage now. But with all the weird rust locations I have found on this car and with the weather stripping being ruined, and so many other factors that just lead me to believe that the previous owner(s) didn't care as much as they should, I have no idea what the weather conditions were that hit these tires. Is there any thorough check I can do to evaluate their life expectancy?

 

[RMJones]

I have not seen the specialist yet. I was referred at the end of the day Friday and I haven't found a good time to set up another appointment yet.

Normally the thought that garaged tires can last longer would make me feel good. Afterall I am keeping it in the garage now. But with all the weird rust locations I have found on this car and with the weather stripping being ruined, and so many other factors that just lead me to believe that the previous owner(s) didn't care as much as they should, I have no idea what the weather conditions were that hit these tires. Is there any thorough check I can do to evaluate their life expectancy?

OK I have to chime in on this one for a few reasons. I am a genuine certified Michelin tire expert and I will tell you this much. The only thing between you and the asphalt is the rubber you ride on. Having said that, yes, a tire's molecular construction does break down over a period of time depending on various factors such as light and environmental conditions. If you have the garbonzas, spend the money and change them. And put Goodyear Eagles back on the car like it had from the factory. I know they don't exactly make the ZR40 that came on the car so I recommend the GSD3 Eagle. Good luck and take care.

 

[diesel1456]

there are also which tire dealers do not want you to know is that they may have new tires sitting on the rack..well they look new but it was an odd brand that didn't sell very well..at the end of all the numbers on your tire there is a date when that tire was made,,so it could look brand new but be sitting on the rack for 2 or more yrs. like say
4806 the tire was made on the 48th day of the yr in 06 there little numbers

 

[Furrball]

Any advice, even "replace those tires" would be appreciated. Thanks.

Yes! Replace them! Here is a news video that will enlighten you quite a bit!
ABC News
And for everyone out there, learn the tire codes! Beware of "Manager's Specials" at your local tire store. My wife just found a buy three get one free deal for her mini van and when she got home I checked them out and they had apparently been sitting on the rack for 7 years already!

hnoes

 

[vdogamr]

Yes! Replace them! Here is a news video that will enlighten you quite a bit!
ABC News
And for everyone out there, learn the tire codes! Beware of "Manager's Specials" at your local tire store. My wife just found a buy three get one free deal for her mini van and when she got home I checked them out and they had apparently been sitting on the rack for 7 years already!

hnoes

Now I am sad. I suspect that new tires are $300-$400 each. So there goes another $1000. So the first people to tell me that I needed new tires said that I probably wouldn't need to replace them until Fall, when the cold rain will make them rock hard. I am guessing that from all the posts here that I know the answer to my next question.

Can I buy winter tires and then just use these every summer? Maybe apply something to prevent tire rot while they are in storage?

If I remove the tires from the rim, is there something I can check to see if they really are in bad shape?

I can't wait till this car starts nickel-and-dimeing me. I actually have nickels and dimes. :L

 

[ZumZum]

Yes! Replace them! Here is a news video that will enlighten you quite a bit!
ABC News
And for everyone out there, learn the tire codes! Beware of "Manager's Specials" at your local tire store. My wife just found a buy three get one free deal for her mini van and when she got home I checked them out and they had apparently been sitting on the rack for 7 years already!

hnoes

I didn't watch the link, but isn't ABC the same network that was stuffing burning rags down the fill tube of Chevy pickups to show how the gas tanks could explode during a wreck? :eyerole

 

[Stuart]

"All tires for use in the USA have the DOT code, as required by the Department of Transportation (DOT). It specifies the company, factory, mold, batch, and date of production (2 digits for week of the year plus 2 digits for year; or 2 digits for week of the year plus 1 digit for year for tires made prior to 2000). Although not law, tire manufacturers do not suggest using a "new" tire that has been sitting on the shelf for more than 6 years."

That's from Wikipedia. The wording of that last sentence is confusing. It's as if the tire manufacturers implied that it's OK to buy a tire that has been sitting around for 6 years or less, but it says nothing about the life of the tire once it's mounted to a car and put to use.

I think you should use your own good judgement regarding the condition of your tires.

 

[Black Bart]

Whatever you do don't drive on those tires.
Take them unsafe tires off and send them to me.
The tires on my Corvette are 10 years old
The tires on my old Bronco are 15 years old
The tires on one of my pickup trucks are 20 years old.
I sleep well at night because I have not bought into the BS about 5 year old tires.
You can look at a tire and tell if it is starting to crack.
What is the worst thing that can happen it will blow no big deal years ago that happened a lot.
I have had tires blow before years ago it was common you just stopped and put on another tire.

 

[Cruzen]

Local tire dealers and experts in the field have grasped that 5 year rule in much the same manner as the Transportation departments around the country set speed limits. There is a safety factor involved. In the case of speed limits it's about 20%. Since you do not know the history of these tires such as how much time they spent in the sun, how much highway ( heat generating) driving they endured etc. You might consider at least starting to save for those new boots or make them a priority on your list of things to do.

Several years ago a friend of mine here in Arizona was driving his award winning 55 Chevy Nomad home from a car show when one of the 9 year old tires let go at about 75mph. It whipped around and did damage to the rear quarter panel. He felt lucky that the car stopped straight and he was able to get to the shoulder of the road. This tire had less than 3000 miles and spent all it's time in a garage. The cost to repair the car and it's down time as a result of this mishap was more than significant.

My dad on the other hand has the original shoes on his Chicago suburb based, garaged, 1999 Cavalier with 43K miles. This car is now being sold so I have less concern about this situation. So....

Here in Arizona tires wear quickly so most are replaced within that 5 year period however that is not the case on our show cars which spend much time in garages and are driven 1000 to 10,000 miles per year. As such we have to watch the tires on these vehicles closely for signs of fatigue etc.

Your question about tires depends on whether you like playing Russian Roulette or not. Remember that if that tire lets go at speed you may be communicating on this board from a wheel chair or worse.

I guess the question really is, DO YOU FEEL LUCKY???

The trip is short,
enjoy the ride,
Denny