New tyres time :-(

[Dezzy]

Originally Posted by HPsauce

Works for me too.

I remember once (not on the S8) asking a tyre place to rotate the spare into use (it was unworn) and they refused as it was too old.

Well they were either really hot or they can sell it. Did they offer to "get rid of it for you mate" Most tyre fitters wouldn't know where to look to find the manufacture date, and thats only been on them since 2000.

[HPsauce]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

Did they offer to "get rid of it for you mate"

No, I knew I was planning to change the wheels eventually anyway so left it as was.

[Adrian E]

My spare is original from 2002 - barely been used but I'd only run it in an emergency due to its age. Still better than a space saver. I'd be tempted to swap one of my fronts onto the spare if I suddenly came into enough funds to swap all 4 tyres, but can't see it happening any time soon!

[David's8]

The aging process is due (so I understand) in the main to sunlight /ultra violet. If its been in the dark of the boot (as opposed to on the vehicle) then it should not have suffered much degradation. I know that motorhomers run into this problem due to doing low mileage but leaving the tyres exposed to sunlight. The general guidance in their case is to change the tyres after 5 years notwithstanding the wear. Change of colour (greyish) and fine cracking are signs of aging (and on your tyres too).

[ainarssems]

Most tyre manufacturers guarantee summer tyres for 10 years and winter tyres for 6 years

[tintin]

Originally Posted by David's8

The aging process is due (so I understand) in the main to sunlight /ultra violet. Change of colour (greyish) and fine cracking are signs of aging (and on your tyres too).

What about a bulge in the middle as well?? ...

[Goran]

Originally Posted by ainarssems

Most tyre manufacturers guarantee summer tyres for 10 years and winter tyres for 6 years

Thanks! this is good info. My spare is a brand new pilot super sport, so I was planning when the others wear out to only buy 3 new tyres, and use one of the worn ones as a spare instead.

[Adrian E]

Cant recall if I mentioned this before in this thread but if in doubt about the age of a tyre look for a 4 digit code stamped on the sidewall in the format 4510 where 45 represents the week of manufacture and 10 is short for 2010

If it's a Super Sports tyre weren't they only released last year anyway?

[Dezzy]

Originally Posted by Adrian E

Cant recall if I mentioned this before in this thread but if in doubt about the age of a tyre look for a 4 digit code stamped on the sidewall in the format 4510 where 45 represents the week of manufacture and 10 is short for 2010

Depending on manufacturer this 4 digit number is sometimes the last 4 digits of the tyres serial number.

[The_Laird]

Originally Posted by ainarssems

Most tyre manufacturers guarantee summer tyres for 10 years and winter tyres for 6 years

Hmm, I'm not sure about that. I've just had to replace 2 tyres on my wife's 2002 mini because they'd gone porous with age. Now, even if they were the original tyres (it's done over 80K miles, so not likely!) they're less that 11 years old. And they were Pirellis, so not cheap rubbish. The tread was still legal, but the side walls were very cracked and old looking, and one had developed a slow leak - no puncture, just seeping air.

So, 10 years seems a bit of a stretch to me.