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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ How Old is Too Old for Tires? NPC
Posted by: andys Feb 14 2018, 12:08 PM
About 1 1/2 years ago, slight collision repair on my daughters car, they mounted a non-matching tire. I pointed out their mistake, and they willingly mounted a matching tire. So when I bring the car home and open the trunk, there is the unmounted mismatched tire. I store it in the garage, unwrapped.
So now, my wife's 2010 Camry is in need of tires, coincidentally the same size as the NOS tire in the garage. Since that specific tire is still available, do I consider buying three new, and use the other to make up the set? What's the conventional wisdom? Worth the risk?
Thanks,
Andys
Posted by: mepstein Feb 14 2018, 12:29 PM
Stored out of the sun for less than 2 years, i’d use it. Just make sure it’s really identical to the others.
Chances are the tires you are buying are a year or 2 old.
Posted by: Unobtanium-inc Feb 14 2018, 12:41 PM
My rule of thumb is anything under 3-4 years is probably good. I just changed out the tires on my 356, they had perfect tread but at 6 years old they had aged out. The tire guy thought I was crazy. But I always think about this guy, who was driving his Convertible D on old tires, they looked fine, until they didn't....
Attached image(s)
Posted by: Tom_T Feb 14 2018, 01:02 PM
Andys,
Contrary to what some will say on here, it's not as simple as "....if it's "X" years old, it's okay...."
You 1st need to look at the true age of that tire - NOT when you got it.
Look at the sidewall marking for the date of manufacture using the link below, then read the parts 1 & 2 tire age tech articles also linked below.
Sidewall Markings:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=33
Tire Age - Part 1:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=138
Tire Age - Part 2:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=183
.
Another myth - while you may have stored it out of the sun in your garage/etc. - you have NO IDEA of how it was stored before you got it.
In general, you probably want to be no more than 5-8 years old max on the car, but they can age unseen inside &/or with checks & cracks outside well before their life expectancy is up. A couple of years ago I had to replace tires on both our 88 Westy & 85 BMW after less than 2-4 years due to tiny cracks forming on the sidewall & in tread grooves, due to the sun & ozone here in SoCal (ages on tires varied - even with matched sets).
So look that tire over very carefully inside & outside in very good light & moving the tire tread & sidewalls around to open up any cracks before deciding to mount it; & then again very closely inspect it after mounting & full inflation on the outside in case the cracking shows up after inflation. If any cracks seen - don't use it!
Also, if near the age limit now, it may not give you enough remaining lifetime left to bother with mounting any NOS tire near the end of that lifespan.
So read up, & make your decision from an educated perspective on the facts of your specific tire - not generalities.
Be Safe! 
Tom
///////
Posted by: Andyrew Feb 14 2018, 02:15 PM
There are SO many people that go and buy used tires from the tire shops that have stacks of them sitting out in the sun with various amounts of wear and run them on their car..
I've bought used tires once. I wont do that again. So many manufacturers out there that put out a decent tire for dirt cheap nowadays.
I'd keep the spare as a spare.
Posted by: Andyrew Feb 14 2018, 02:15 PM
Whats the tire size?
Posted by: aharder Feb 14 2018, 05:04 PM
I thought all tires had the mfg month and year XX/XX.
Didn't see it in the one above 
Posted by: Mikey914 Feb 14 2018, 05:19 PM
My 912e had 15 yr old tires on it with nubs on it still. Im sure lsss than 1000mi on them. Drove home from Seattle and changed them all next day. However if it wasn't pointed out in the prepurchsse inspection i wouldn't have known. The looked new.
Posted by: cuddyk Feb 14 2018, 05:30 PM
Same thing happened to me, Mark. Still had all the nubs, but the date code showed the tires were almost old enough to vote. I changed em first thing.
In my opinion, there's too much potentially going on in the rubber that we can't see to chance driving them much past the expiration date, which is generally put at 6 years. Tires aren't very expensive for our cars, so it's cheap insurance. Here's a pic of the stamp. Sometimes it's on the inside sidewall. 
Posted by: NeunEinVier Feb 14 2018, 06:47 PM
Heard it's better for tires to be driven once in awhile than just sit. Supposedly movement helps keep the tires soft by working additives through the rubber.
Posted by: thelogo Feb 14 2018, 06:56 PM
My rule of thumb is anything under 3-4 years is probably good. I just changed out the tires on my 356, they had perfect tread but at 6 years old they had aged out. The tire guy thought I was crazy. But I always think about this guy, who was driving his Convertible D on old tires, they looked fine, until they didn't....
Let this be a lesson
If you even think the tire needs replaceing then do it
Tire is dirt cheap compared to the tens of thousands of dollars in body damage it will cause if it fails at speed.
Posted by: GeorgeRud Feb 14 2018, 08:58 PM
I thought Porsche was calling for 6 years as a service life.
Posted by: gulf908 Feb 15 2018, 01:42 AM
my mechanic has told me that there is an imminent regulation coming here that if the tyre is older than 7 years from date made,then the car will not be registered
better get a wriggle on to put up some miles then .... 
cheers
Dennis 
Posted by: ConeDodger Feb 15 2018, 06:59 AM
If you are asking the question, it’s too old.
Posted by: speedy914 Feb 15 2018, 09:59 AM
On a high performance car, fresh tires are a must. In the business for a long time, many Ferrari, Corvette, Porsche etc. owners, don't replace their tires often enough. A vital part to the cars performance and safety and should be replaced every 3-4 years max regardless of situation. Again just my opinion. I bet Paul Walker and Roger Rodas would agree.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Feb 15 2018, 12:49 PM
If they are old enough for you to be asking... get new tires.
Zach
Posted by: thelogo Feb 15 2018, 12:52 PM
On a high performance car, fresh tires are a must. In the business for a long time, many Ferrari, Corvette, Porsche etc. owners, don't replace their tires often enough. A vital part to the cars performance and safety and should be replaced every 3-4 years max regardless of situation. --------'''''--
Yeh as in they are the only thing holding you onto the road so kinda
Critical
Again just my opinion. I bet Paul Walker and Roger Rodas would agree.
Thats kinda cold man
Posted by: theer Feb 15 2018, 01:01 PM
I thought all tires had the mfg month and year XX/XX.
Didn't see it in the one above
The week/year date stamp thing (see picture above) didn't start until.. well a long time ago.. so if it's NOT there, they are really, REALLY old.
Posted by: gandalf_025 Feb 15 2018, 01:03 PM
So, I guess you guys think I should replace the factory
tires on my 1990 ZR1 Corvette with 23000 miles then, huh..??
Yeah, I guess it is about time...
Posted by: Kansas 914 Feb 15 2018, 01:39 PM
So, I guess you guys think I should replace the factory
tires on my 1990 ZR1 Corvette with 23000 miles then, huh..??
Yeah, I guess it is about time...
There are cars out there with original tires for use in the Preservation Class. So - no you don't have to change them - but don't drive the car with them on it.
Posted by: Drums66 Feb 15 2018, 07:41 PM
.....Hard, cracked ......low,no, bald tread, donate to the local tire throwing contest.
(same with the rubber around your windows!!!)
Posted by: thelogo Feb 19 2018, 08:38 PM
My rule of thumb is anything under 3-4 years is probably good. I just changed out the tires on my 356, they had perfect tread but at 6 years old they had aged out. The tire guy thought I was crazy. But I always think about this guy, who was driving his Convertible D on old tires, they looked fine, until they didn't....
Let this be a lesson
If you even think the tire needs replaceing then do it
Tire is dirt cheap compared to the tens of thousands of dollars in body damage it will cause if it fails at speed.
Just did my tires they were 17 years old
Got some nice coopers for 412 bucks
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