My wife took our Camry in to have some wheels/tires I bought on CL balanced (vibrating at 70mph). The tire guy just texted me these pics saying the tires are shot, and wants to sell me some new tires for 625$ including alignment.
The tires have decent tread life left, and I didn't think the sides looked great, but wasn't too concerned. What do you guys think? Go somewhere else, or have him re-shoe the car?
I wouldn't use them with that much cracking. And I certainly wouldn't put any money into them.
When I bought them, I was so preoccupied with the wheels and the treadlife, I didn't think much about the cracking.
I would have those replaced. What is good tread worth when the sidewall blows out?
I would not use them either.
That's a road gator ready to hatch...finish 'em off with a burnout on the front, or practicing J-turn parking on the rear.
Thanks for the input guys. A follow up sort of cheap-skate question, would you:
A. Try to sell these 16" x 7" universal rims I bought for $180 with those cracked tires (which look pretty good on the car), and put new tires on the stock 15" steel wheels, or...
B. Put new tires on the 16" wheels and sell the steel 15" Camry wheels.
Yes, I'm a penny pincher these days!
Nope.
I've driven on some E36 M3 tires and I wouldn't take those around block without expecting to lose one. SWMBO definitely wouldn't be driving on them.
I'd check the date on them, I bet they're aged out.
I guess I'm getting a little too careless with what I drive around the block! I was about to take these on a 1000 mile trip! Yikes.
In reply to CyberEric :
I bet you'll find that 16" tires are cheaper these days. Re-shoe the 16's and sell the 15's. Bonus points for keeping the cracked tires and selling them to a drifter to destroy for beer money. A lot of the 240 guys run 16's in the back and buy garbage tires to destroy.
In reply to CyberEric :
I wouldn't be comfortable selling those tires without being very clear about the condition of the rubber.
In reply to Javelin :
Good to know!
In reply to Dead_Sled :
Oh yeah, I would be. I feel foolish that I didn't look at them closer when I bought them from some guy on CL. I was in a hurry and it was dark, never a good combo for purchasing anything on CL!
I've driven on worse.
To the tire store to get replaced.
About a half mile from my house.
Very slowly.
Javelin said:In reply to CyberEric :
Bonus points for keeping the cracked tires and selling them to a drifter to destroy for beer money. A lot of the 240 guys run 16's in the back and buy garbage tires to destroy.
I'd be more than comfortable with this.
That is a pretty normal looking Michelin tire. What is the date? They could be anywhere from two to twenty years old.
Some Michelin get to a certain tread depth, and stay there for the rest of time.
I wouldnt run those, the rubber has to be basically concrete now.
I once had to use some old old tires for one 50 mile trip....they literally fell apart in chunks going down the highway. Im very lucky and very very stupid for running those
What's the manufacturer code date on the tires?
Sample: these were manufactured in the 6th week of 2018
Another... 8th week of 2015
Every tire has this same marking. 10 years is too many
I just had a tire go flat on my truck. As I was pumping it up there was a nice hissing noise and pleasant breeze on my face. The air was coming out of a crack that looked very similar to your pictures.
Just saying
CyberEric said:In reply to Dead_Sled :
Oh yeah, I would be. I feel foolish that I didn't look at them closer when I bought them from some guy on CL. I was in a hurry and it was dark, never a good combo for purchasing anything on CL!
No harm no foul.
I did the same thing 5 or so years ago on a set of caddy wheels on CL. They were some harder to find 18s with some decent summer tires on them. Dude was in a hurry so I just looked at the rims and used that for leverage on the price.
The next day I saw the cracking in the tread. I ignored it and put them on my car. Tires felt fine and grippy.
About a month later the left rear let loose at 80ish. Took out the fender liner and gas filler hose. We were passing a semi on the highway, luckily we swerved left onto the shoulder.
There's only one part connecting your car to the road.
I think the date code is '11. Says X11 if I remember right. I didn't think they were exactly fresh, but I thought I could get some miles out of 'em.
Dead_Sled, glad you're safe after that, and thanks for your story, I feel less lonely!
I bought corded slicks. Tgey blew out during mounting.
Ive driven on wirse dry rot. But not when i had enough money to buy a better used tire set for my 84 subaru.
Dont be me.
Follow my dads (now amended) slogan:
Not running is an inconvenience. Not stopping (or steering) will kill you.
If you think you see a X in the date code, you're in the wrong section
There are Xs in this sample but the code date is the last 4 digits...12th week of 2016
3 digit date codes are from the 80's and 90's. 4 digit date codes started iin 2000. All date codes will be all numbers. The X11 is not a date.
Around here no tire shop will mount tires over 8 years old no matter the tread depth or lack of cracks. I am totally ok with that.
We get cars in the shop all the time with loose feeling front ends, strange steering issues, brakes that lock up early or strange vibrations and have to explain to people that even though their tires only have 5000 miles on them, they are still old enough to vote and need to be changed. 4 out of 10 people think we are trying to scam them.
I found it, it's 2713, so 27th week of 2013. Doesn't seem that bad to me! But again, maybe I'm too lax.
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