Technical > Automotive > New tires

New tires

You get what you pay for. Tires that are 6-8 years old are still old regardless of storage. They will wear at a faster rate and will likely have no warranty or adjustment available to them, so I'd ask and make sure you have the guarantee in writing. They will also suffer from dry rot and traction issues much sooner than a new tire.

If there is a blowout or failure, will replacements be available in the same size and construction? Yours would not be the only "deal" to turn sour if there is a failure relatively soon after installation. Please don't think I am blowing it (NPI) out of proportion, either. In a year of selling brand name, quality tires to folks who declined road hazard, the incidence of a failure due to road hazard following tire replacement is unusually high.

Your call, but I probably would not want to take the gamble.
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

reply to klally
I'd do it especially being that you say your pickup doesn't get much use....and with your friend working there if something should be wrong with any of the tires after having them installed I'm sure they will take care of you...

Have them install some new valve stems and you should be good to go...

reply to klally
You have to assume that these tires are older than the 6-8 years. They might have many years on them already before that shop put them on their racks. (This goes for any tire)

The rubber in tires dries out over time so where they are stored doesnt affect this fact. In my opinion you are taking a risk that these tires will fail at any moment. Tires can fail quickly and without warning.
It's a risk.

Why would you assume the tire is older when the tire has the manufacture date printed right on it?

You need to look at the tire... and see how it looks, how much dry rot it has if any, etc. It is an old tire if it looks good... go for it lol... why spend 1 grand on tires for something that sits... 100 of that cost is likely mounting and balancing... getting 4 new (older) tires for 50/each? Ya okay... don't go for that deal right?

Road hazard and all is lol, called a tire patch... again... hardly driven...

Ya I'll just trust the web... after all I did not plow on 15-20 year old tires rofl. Best tires ever too, wish they still made em.

O wait by this logic plowing, spinning, running overloaded... on old tires means I should be dead or at least had major tire failure... rofl.

Hell my other car has 10 year old tires... :-| according to the interwebs I am in danger... okay... right. Most tire issues are morons running under inflated... you know 10... 15 psi... I see it way more than I'd like to... Hell perfect example here... I'm going around, keeping air in my tires... just put this car on the road like 5 months before... dont like how dry rotted one of my tires is... so I go to change it swap it to a spare I have on a bad rim... pop off the tire anddd it is full of rubber powder... tire was run low on air... not by myself... so some idiot ran this thing low or out, and left it on the car. Had it gone bad... someone would have yelled old tire... dry rotted tire... when in fact, it was due to some moron running it flat and causing damage (fyi, should not have a tire full of rubber powder)

Also could you tell me who does not stamp a date? I can't say I look at every tire... but every tire I have looked at has had a date stamped... even talking back into the 90's. Far as I knew, at least all good tires (brand name) had a date stamped on them.

Also please do not tell me you think a tire is nothing but rubber?

Not trying to downplay dry rotted tires or old tires but, everyone here is making it sound like the tire has a hard expiration date... and like, your gona die if you use it after that... um no.

The OP has said this truck is not run everyday... someone really do say why the OP should spend likely a grand on tires vs 300... because they have a little age? lol please. OP can check the sidewall date... see how old they are... and go from there...

reply to klally
For that price, it's a pretty good deal -- go for it.

Some people are really anal about everything being perfect, but in real life things don't always work that way.
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Wacky Races 2012!

reply to klally
Thanks for the comments guys. These tires are Cooper with an older style M+S tread pattern. They have never been outside.
I'll take my chances.

Remember you can check the manufacture date to be sure they are not really like from 95 or something...

reply to klally
I work in rubbers.
Most tires are SBR rubber and the mil spec states a shelf life of 15 years. That means stored in a cool, dry place out of sunlight and ozone.
If they were kept in air conditioning, away from ozone like electrically motorized equipment and out of the sun for 8 years then the tires would be perfectly fine.
If they were in a open to air shop exposed to extreme summer temps every year then I would not take the risk.
Heat will age rubber (cause it to over cure which then it becomes brittle).

To be properly stored for shelf life the tires should have been heat sealed with black garbage bags and kept in air conditioning (at least around about 80F) to ensure the best possible shelf life.
$300 does not seem like that great of a deal.
I have not bought 4x4 tires, but I paid under $500 for brand new cooper tires for a corolla installed with alignment.

If you are reasonably sure they were stored properly then I would negotiate them to $200 including everything.
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...brought to you by Carl's Jr.

The tires for a Corolla are a bit smaller and cheaper than what the OP is looking at. 31x10.50R15 tires sell around $150 ($130 .. $190) apiece not including installation, so he's getting at least a half price deal.
--
Wacky Races 2012!

reply to klally
I'd have to look to make a call, myself - but one concern I'd have - if they've been sitting for 6-8 years on a rack; and haven't been rotated or moved regularly - there may be some pretty good flat-spots or deformities in the tire by now...

All depends on how they were stored, if they're a good deal or not.

reply to klally
I rather buy rethreads then buy tires that are that old!
Jut joking, I won't buy either one!

reply to r81984
So who cares what you paid for corolla tires.

I paid $30 for a lawnmower tire... So ya you got ripped off @ $500.