Tire Age? Anybody Change Them for Age?

[Craig T]

I just put some air in my front tires and noticed they're almost seven years old. Makes sense with a low mileage 9 year-old car. They still have at least half tread left.

Would you guys change seven year-old tires on a performance car, even though they have tread left?

[recycled sixtie]

Yes I would for a couple of reasons. If you can afford a performance car then you should be able to put new rubber on it. Why compromise the performance? Safety, peace of mind would justify it.

[Jim Richards]

Craig, I'm in the same boat with my 964's tires. They only have 7-8k miles on them, and I will probably replace them for age next year.

[id10t]

If you actually drive it, then yes. If it is a rolling chassis or sitting waiting for restoration, etc. then no.

An old tire that isn't flat spotted, delaminating, dry rotted, etc. is PROBABLY fine. On the other hand, if you are taking a corner at 35mph do you really want to find out what happens with a sudden and extreme failure?

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Yes I would for a couple of reasons. If you can afford a performance car then you should be able to put new rubber on it. Why compromise the performance? Safety, peace of mind would justify it.

It's not the cost. The tires are being change as I type. It just that there is so much conflicting information about tire age. Of course the tire manufactures say they age-out. They sell tires. I was just curious how many of you guys would change them.

[pwd72s]

I just did..put a set of Continintals on my '09 Mustang at 24,000 miles. Original BFG's still had good tread..

[Deschodt]

I recently bought a 4y old 991 that came with low miles, and stock tires. They looked perfect. They felt like they were made of wood... 4 yrs !! Sometimes it's age, sometimes it heat cycles... Yeah if you are asking, go ahead and replace them. Tires are the difference between a fender bender, a ditch visit, and a happy day. Them and brake stuff are an area not to be stingy...

[Craig T]

I plan to do a couple track events this year, so for piece I mind I took them straight to Tire Man for replacement. After I got there (and got the invoice), I started wondering if I was just being OCD. I guess better safe than sorry.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Craig T

I plan to do a couple track events this year, so for piece I mind I took them straight to Tire Man for replacement. After I got there (and got the invoice), I started wondering if I was just being OCD. I guess better safe than sorry.

Keep one or all of the old ones, and take a look at the insides, perhaps cut one apart. Get a inexpensive new current tire and compare, see if the old ones were delaminating, etc.

[SoCal911T]

Since I got a take home company car 12 years ago, all my tires have been replaced due to age rather than wear.

[Evans, Marv]

I read (who knows if it's actually true) tires shouldn't be used past six years of age for safety reasons. Like "Idi0t" said, if it's just a roller you're working on in the garage, they should be OK for that. I'm in the same situation with my car. I won't be driving on my old tires.

[javadog]

Yes, I've changed them several times for age. I've seen numerous failures (not all mine) and I've had many tires come apart when on the tire changing machine, just from age. They all looked fine on the outside and some of them had zero miles.

JR

[speeder]

Do it all the time. I have a collection of vehicles that have been sitting w timed-out tires. My tire dealer thinks that I'm a gift from god, thousands spent.

As far as when they are done, I go by hardness and other observable clues as well as date codes. MC tires are the most critical, IMO. Couple years and they're done, good tread or not.

[targa911S]

when I bought my old MGB it had been sitting in one spot for 10 years. The tires were new when it was parked. I ended up having to replace then because they were egg shaped permanently. Same deal with my 914 in storage for 12 years.

[look 171]

On my fun cars, they get changed. On my truck (don't use it that much) and other vehicles, I leave then on and drive them until they get close to the wear bars. Normally, they are worn after 6 or 7 years so they get new tires. like many of us in socal, (just think of all the gardeners and others with very on old tires on our roads) we just keep on rolling them. I have driven on 7-8 year old tires, and they have been fine

[Rickysa]

I did on both the pcar and a jeep I'm working on. I have a friend (ie someone I can trust) that sells tires and he said "cheap money to avoid a blowout"

Peace of mind.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Craig T

Would you guys change seven year-old tires on a performance car, even though they have tread left?

That would depend on how I drove it. I change out the tires on my 911 because it gets a significant amount of it's miles on the track. My '47 Dodge truck has 10 year old tires and I figure they're good for another 10 years. I never drive it over 45 mph. Well - sometimes I get wild and run it up to 55.

[unclebilly]

Weird... How do you get tires on a Porsche to last more than 2 driving seasons? Oh, maybe you aren't 'driving' it...

It seems like I cant keep tires on the back of my hotrod 930...

[look 171]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Weird... How do you get tires on a Porsche to last more than 2 driving seasons? Oh, maybe you aren't 'driving' it...

It seems like I cant keep tires on the back of my hotrod 930...

how long did those back tires last ya? When I drove my hotrod 930, they would last 8000 miles. aggressive neg camber and 315 tires will do it every time

[billh1963]

I have no street tires older than 7 years old. I have a few sets on old rims I use for rolling project cars around. However, I never drive on old tires.

A new sets of Michelins for my 911 are $600. Spread out over 7 years that's only $85/year.

I NEVER cheap out on brakes or tires.