Please change you tires!!

[Chris Burns]

These were NCT radials.

[Dangermouse]

I have that problem with pine needles too.




oh, wait........

[DMCVegas]

I'm really curious as to what happened here, and why 35 year-old tires are still in service.

[Chris Burns]

DMC TX posted this on FB awhile ago. One of their customers I would guess.

[DMC3165]

Just curious. The current tires on my D are 5 years old and have 28,xxx miles on them. They have good tread left and get used at least twice a month. Should they be changed based on age or tread? How long should they last for?

[Jonathan]

I'm really curious as to what happened here...

Ran over a porcupine from the looks of it!

[vwdmc16]

Regardless of the amount of use, tires are highly recommend to be changed every 7 years. That sounds super short to many but there is reason for that. Doesn't matter if its a stored classic or your daily driver if you want to be safe, they need to be kept fresh.

Just curious. The current tires on my D are 5 years old and have 28,xxx miles on them. They have good tread left and get used at least twice a month. Should they be changed based on age or tread? How long should they last for?

[Jimmyvonviggle]

While some look at this as a negative, I think it's a clever way to regrain your fenders.

[DMCVegas]

Regardless of the amount of use, tires are highly recommend to be changed every 7 years. That sounds super short to many but there is reason for that. Doesn't matter if its a stored classic or your daily driver if you want to be safe, they need to be kept fresh.

Agreed. This absolutely cannot be stressed enough. Once tires hit 7 years of age, they absolutely, positively must go. This goes for both your regular tires, as well as your spare. If you're not sure about the age of the tires, this is how you can determine them:

carcare_611141_300.jpg

That last 4 digit code is imperative to verifying your tires have been recently manufactured. You don't want to roll around on old tires. You also cannot go by just looks alone. I've dealt with used tires in the past. Ones that still had decent tread on them, and looked great. Then after a few washes and a couple of weeks, they look like garbage because whatever thick dressing they put on the sidewalls to cover up the rot and damage has since washed off. Then I discovered that I bought 5-7 year old tires... So learn from me, and know that while a visual inspection is important, you can't go by it alone.

Likewise, you ALWAYS want to be sure that aside from the date, you also see that DOT stamp on the side to show that you've got legitimate tires. I actually have had counterfeit tires in the past, and I can tell you that they're not fun when they explode on the highway at speed before you can pull over, and then crunch both your fender as well as your rocker panel. So be diligent in both replacing your tires when they're old, buying them from a reputable source, and then inspecting every single tire if you ever buy a used car (which is how I wound up with fake tires).

Look at the price of a new tire. Now compare that to the price of a repair for a fender or quarter panel, let alone the replacement cost of one. I'm certain that the tire is cheaper, and would be the preferred route to go.

[DMCMW Dave]

I'm really curious as to what happened here, and why 35 year-old tires are still in service.

Because people do that. We easily replace 15-20 sets of them every year.