Talk some sense into me - using "new" 5 year old tires..

[Mike Self]

10 minutes ago, West Palm 2002 said:

paul walker

He died beyond old tires on a Carrera GT

Bet that Carrera was going considerably faster than we drive our '02s...

 

It's been my experience that 90% of my tire problems have been during the last 10% of tread wear, regardless of age...

 

mike 

[M3M3]

These look new, but....

 

 

[albatcha]

I found the story I was thinking of, 10 year old tires stored indoors in bags, guy put them on the car and crashed, broke his neck, girlfriend died, killed the driver of another car he crashed into.

 

I also found another study that tested multiple tire brands and models at different ages and they found that some were failing when subjected to half the amount of force that the new version of the exact same tire failed at.

 

One person can tell you they never had problems with old tires, but compared to the data from the NHTSA and NTSB and many others that looks at information from years of laboratory experiments and hundreds of real world tires, that's like a congressman showing you a snowball and saying climate change isn't real.

 

 

Edited July 30, 2019 by albatcha

[dang]

My logic is easy...  I'm a cheap bastard so if it holds air I use it!

[MoBrighta]

In the old days, I rode on two wheels and inspected my tires often.  It was  BMW K100, and came from the dealer with a tire repair kit - a metal abrasion thingy (to scuff the inside of the hole and insert the plug), glue, plugs and a CO2 inflator setup.  I used it, and it worked as a TEMPORARY fix until I could replace the tire.  It was an extended time, and BMW would have revoked my license it they found out, but it held up.  I suppose they would have had me replace the tire immediately but it was a good repair and help up for a long time.  I also plug my 2002 and 535i car tires as long as the hole is in the TREAD -- sidewall damage is considered fatal and requires replacement.  As far as age (from MFG date) - I tend to use them up before ten years passes, and never had a problem wearing them out... but I am a statistical sample of one, so no relevance to the rest of the world.  My 91 year old mom smokes, has all her life, but I KNOW tobacco causes health problems like cancer.  Same relevance.

 

Best advice - use the best tires you can afford, drive smoothly, and inspect them often for inflation, damage, tread depth and even wear.  Be careful out there - the car and the life you safe may be your own.

 

///hijack:  (and upgrade those tail lights!)

Edited September 28, 2019 by MoBrighta
spelling

[SydneyTii]

1 hour ago, MoBrighta said:

Best advice - use the best tires you can afford, drive smoothly, and inspect them often for inflation, damage, tread depth and even wear.  Be careful out there - the car and the life you safe may be your own.

This right here!

The contact area of a tyre isn’t that big, give yourself the best chance.

 

[TobyB]

Oh, just run 'em.  

 

t

[MoBrighta]

Are we beating an old horse, long dead here?

 

Savings from buying old or used tires- $250 to $375 a set of four.  One ambulance ride, $800 - $1,200 or more, plus any gauze used during transport at $16 a square inch. (Price may vary in your market)

 

In the Denver market, you can buy 'new tires, stored in an atmosphere controlled warehouse' that are 6-8 years old.  While this may be true, there are other relevant criteria.  Value of a perfectly restored - or even a nice, well maintained 2002 - is usually at least an order or magnitude higher - or more - let alone the value of a human life.  A tire failure can bring this all down in a flash.

 

No, I do not sell tires for a living, but I DO have to pay repair bills and hospital bills and insurance premiums.  Like everybody else, I like saving money, and am a real cheapskate with things for daily living.  I'm not a Rockefeller.  But ... with my life on the line, I will stick with newer tires.  Even when I buy used I have a 2-5 year age limit.  and I like them to be at least 9 or 10/32 inch deep.  I have been lucky, and compound this with inspection and maintenance and smooth driving habits (thanks to many BMW High Performance Driving Classes).  Be practical, be cautious, live long and prosper.

 

Most large tire chains (not small casual shops) will not mount tires older than 5-10 years depending on the chain, or if they see less than 6/32" tread, or wear bars are even with tread blocks.  Of course they want to sell you a nice new set, with mounting and balancing and a tire warrantee and new TPMS gadgets and maybe a cappuccino while you wait... That's the safe route.  Hell, I understand, and I use 'Safety' to sell my lighting upgrades and restorations. 

 

I will die one day, but I want it to be like my grandfather - peacefully in my sleep, and NOT screaming in absolute terror like the rest of the people in the car.

 

(apologies to William Francis)