Good Tires, Old Rubber

[Gomera]

This is the situation I'm in and I'm just curious what thoughts might be out there about it. My tires are actually quite good. The thing is, the car isn't driven all that much. I have extremely low mileage. However, the tires are old. They've been on the car for years, so I have good tires that are made of rubber that is now quite old. We all know how expensive tires are, so I'm hanging in there with them. Any thoughts of the cons about old rubber?

 

[joeNmass]

If they are in good condition I see why not use them. The only thing I could think of that might be a problem is that the rubber could have "dry rot" that is when the rubber starts to crack, usually this is most noticeable on the sides of the tire.
But, if you do see them and if your not drag racing with these tires then I would just go ahead and use them.

Let's see what others have to say about this.

 

[FenderBender]

I would definitely keep a close eye on them. Maybe you should have them inspected just to be on the safe side. Rubber does start to break down with age, not necessarily with use.

 

[MaximumSpeed]

Yeah, I would watch them. If you don't see any signs of them falling apart, you should be ok. You can usually see problems before they cause a breakdown.

 

[Gomera]

Thanks for the opinions. To be honest, the older I get, the safer I drive. I am never in a hurry, so the days of speed driving have come and gone for me. I think just being aware and as safe as possible is what the answer is here.

 

[lamborg25]

I also don't see why you should not use those tires but of course keep a close eye on them. The quality is especially key. How do you go about choosing the best tires?

 

[Gomera]

I bought these so long ago that I don't even remember the process, but I am fairly certain that I went with what was recommended inside of my price range.

 

[UGoGirl]

I think that the advice to have your tires inspected by a reputable tire dealership is very good advice. Your tires are the only thing between you and the road.