Tire recs for aging car?

[Andre1969]

I had a tire blow out on my '67 Catalina convertible in 2022, on my way to a car show. It actually gave plenty of warning, but I didn't realize what it was. The car picked up a funny vibration, on the driver's side rear. It was subtle at first, and I didn't pay it any attention, because it's an old car, and they do pick up rattles from time to time. However, it gradually got worse, and after about 20 miles, I pulled off at a rest stop, to check the left rear tire. Nope, tire looked good. I also pulled on it, to see if it felt like it was getting loose, and checked the lug nuts, but nope, nice and tight. I also checked the right rear, for good measure.

Still, the car show was a good 65-70 miles away, and I didn't feel safe continuing onward, so I got off at the next exit and went back, to a friend's house. The vibration kept getting worse, and suddenly, about 10 miles after turning around, the whole car started to shake pretty violently. I was thinking all sorts of things, like the driveshaft, a U-joint, something in the rear-end, etc.

Suddenly, there was a loud POP! One of the rear tires blew out. My first thought was, thank GOD, it's just a tire! But nevermind the fact that I'm still doing about 55-60, in a middle lane on I-83 above Harrisburg, and had to get over. Meanwhile, I had a friend in the passenger seat, and he started panicking. But, in hindsight, he said he was really impressed with how I handled the whole thing so nonchalantly.

I've had tires go flat before, but honestly couldn't remember the last time I had a blowout like that. As for the age of the tire? Well, I hate to fess up to this, but it was put on the car around late 2008/early 2009! I'd had a bunch of work done to it back then, and one thing I did was swap out the original 14" rims for some 15x7" Pontiac Rally 2's and had new 225/70/R15 whitewalls put on.

Logically, I know it's not a good idea to let a tire last almost 14 years. But the car's always garaged, doesn't get driven much, and I just lost track of how many years it had been. The tires still looked great. But yeah, after 14 years, they can be a time bomb.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Do we get enough car posts to justify making another category? I'd like to see it. I know that being able to repair and maintain cars myself has saved me thousands of dollars and helped me achieve FI earlier.

 

[friar1610]

The car is a 2011 Buick Regal, 2.4 liter 4. 106K miles. An adequate and serviceable but unspectacular 2nd car that will accumulate maybe 6K miles per year for about 3 more years. My wife primarily drives it around town and it gets some highway miles too. Needs new all-season tires (it came with Continentals and I replaced them with the same tires at about 50K miles.) Don’t know that I need to spend the bucks for a 3rd set. Just want safety and some ability in New England snow* for the remaining life of this car. Any suggestions?

* being retired, we won’t consciously go out in snow with this car but might get caught in it. Have an AWD Volvo if we must go out in snow.

Thanks for all the input. Car goes in tomorrow for a 3rd set of OEM Continental Pure Contacts. Tomorrow will be an expensive day as I’m having a few other things done that should help carry me through another 3 years or so.

 

[Ian S]

You mean front end alignments?

I don't know any place that includes front end alignments with new tire purchases.

Mike

In this post https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/tire-recs-for-aging-car-119858-2.html#post3011028 the claim was made that Costco included alignment with tire purchase. I was disputing that.

 

[Koolau]

Here's one thing I can't figure out, though. The date codes on the OEM tires on my uncle's truck all read "0816." How in the hell did August 2016 tires end up on a truck that he bought in June of 2016?!

At least, I'm presuming that "0816" is the date code for "August 2016?" I couldn't find any other 4-digit numbers on the tires.

Heh, heh, more important question: What is date code on the used tire you bought? If it's not too old, I wouldn't worry about it very much.

 

[JoeWras]

Do we get enough car posts to justify making another category? I'd like to see it. I know that being able to repair and maintain cars myself has saved me thousands of dollars and helped me achieve FI earlier.

Interesting idea. The Admins/Mods last added a "Technology" category.

In a new car category, we could have repair tips, price trends, purchase advice, stories about idiot drivers, driving tips, and only if people could behave: "Self Driving Cars" and "EVs". But we seemingly can't behave on those two subjects. Politics get mixed into those routinely, which is a damn shame.

 

[Andre1969]

Heh, heh, more important question: What is date code on the used tire you bought? If it's not too old, I wouldn't worry about it very much.

I didn't even think to look at that! D'oh! I'm planning to drive that truck to work today, so if I remember, I'm going to check that date code. The truck's been sitting for about two weeks, so it could probably use a little exercise.

Funny thing, that Monday night, I had a dream, that the "new" tire went flat again! Maybe I'm subconsciously feeling a bit guilty for possibly being penny wise and pound foolish.

 

[Ian S]

Interesting idea. The Admins/Mods last added a "Technology" category.

In a new car category, we could have repair tips, price trends, purchase advice, stories about idiot drivers, driving tips, and only if people could behave: "Self Driving Cars" and "EVs". But we seemingly can't behave on those two subjects. Politics get mixed into those routinely, which is a damn shame.

Well, politics can get mixed into pretty much anything. I think an automotive forum would be a great addition to the site.

 

[dknighd]

Tires are the only part of your car that touches the ground

 

[Andre1969]

Tires are the only part of your car that touches the ground

Not necessarily. Sometimes exhaust components touch the ground

 

[dknighd]

Not necessarily. Sometimes exhaust components touch the ground

That should probably be avoided,

 

[Koolau]

I didn't even think to look at that! D'oh! I'm planning to drive that truck to work today, so if I remember, I'm going to check that date code. The truck's been sitting for about two weeks, so it could probably use a little exercise.

Funny thing, that Monday night, I had a dream, that the "new" tire went flat again! Maybe I'm subconsciously feeling a bit guilty for possibly being penny wise and pound foolish.

If you're at all like me, reading black on black for the date code is problematic. If you have any WHITEOUT, try a light coating over the numbers. Hope it turns out to be a real young tire.

 

[JoeWras]

Not necessarily. Sometimes exhaust components touch the ground

LOL!!!

And rotors. Looking for a used tire? Just skip it next time.

 

[Andre1969]

If you're at all like me, reading black on black for the date code is problematic. If you have any WHITEOUT, try a light coating over the numbers. Hope it turns out to be a real young tire.

Well, hell. Yesterday I tried looking for the date code, but couldn't find it. But then I remembered...this tire had raised white letters on it, so the guy mounted it inside-out, so they wouldn't show. So I'm guessing the date code is only on the outside of the tire? I'll have to look around some more. Other stuff, like the tire size, treadwear rating, temp and traction grades, are stamped on the inside, so maybe it's there somewhere as well, and I just didn't notice it?

Anyway, going on three days now, and it's still holding. And it made it the 18 miles to work. And got me back home in one piece. So, hopefully it'll last for awhile!

 

[Music Lover]

Agree wholeheartedly.

My perspective....the only thing between your car and the road is your tires.

Tires are not, IMHO the place to skimp. Ditto for brakes.

I'm not singling you out, there are several similar comments.

IMO, buying good quality used tires isn't skimping, especially when the OP said they need tires for 3 years driving 6k a year. That's less than 20k. If it was me I would find a decent set of used tires.

For those who think that 3 or 4 year old tires are not good enough, do replace your tires ever 3 years?

 

[Aerides]

Since it's your wife's car, and given you're both already retired and presumably don't have to worry about a few hundred bucks:

If my husband proposed getting used tires for my primary car, to save a few, I cannot get past the language filters here to tell you how I would respond.

(You know your wife best though, she might think differently.)

 

[REWahoo]

....do replace your tires ever 3 years?

No, but I don't go beyond 6 years regardless of miles or appearance.

 

[Music Lover]

No, but I don't go beyond 6 years regardless of miles or appearance.

My point was that there is nothing wrong with a set of gently used tires. But based on many of the comments, some people are suggesting that if you buy used tires you're either cheap and/or risking your life.

 

[Ian S]

My point was that there is nothing wrong with a set of gently used tires. But based on many of the comments, some people are suggesting that if you buy used tires you're either cheap and/or risking your life.

How exactly do you know they are "gently used?" Some tire damage can be hidden under the surface. Also, just how much are you really saving? A significant part of the cost of replacing tires is removal of the old tires (often triggering an environmental fee), installing the new tires and balancing them. Typically with a new passenger car tire, it will have 10/32" deep tread. IMHO, it's unsafe to drive on a tire with less than 3/32" tread. I look for a tire sale when there is 4/32" tread. So for me, there is only about 6/32" of usable tread. Your gently used tires might be down to 7/32" of tread so for me that used tire would have already used up half its life AFAIAC. So no, used tires are not for me!

 

[Music Lover]

How exactly do you know they are "gently used?" Some tire damage can be hidden under the surface.

Tread depth tells you how much wear they have, it's not rocket science. And when people buy a used car they're also buying used tires, but most people just drive on the used tires that came with them unless/until they need replacing.

Also, just how much are you really saving? A significant part of the cost of replacing tires is removal of the old tires (often triggering an environmental fee), installing the new tires and balancing them. Typically with a new passenger car tire, it will have 10/32" deep tread. IMHO, it's unsafe to drive on a tire with less than 3/32" tread. I look for a tire sale when there is 4/32" tread. So for me, there is only about 6/32" of usable tread. Your gently used tires might be down to 7/32" of tread so for me that used tire would have already used up half its life AFAIAC. So no, used tires are not for me!

The OP needs tires for 20k miles, not 60k miles. If they bought them with 7/32" there is more than enough remaining tread.

You don't have to buy used tires, I don't care. But it can be a smart choice in some circumstances whether you agree or not.

 

[Koolau]

How exactly do you know they are "gently used?"

We bought 2 cars from one dealer within 3 months. Both cars had Bridgestone tires ca 1983. Within less than one year 7 of the 8 NEW tires had sidewall issues (bulges and other damage.) We are not that hard on tires. My point: Gently used "good" tires may well be as good (or better) than new tires. IIRC we got 5 of the tires replaced. The dealer kept saying "You damaged the tire." When I contacted the tire company, they replaced several of the tire. They must have know that these tires were defective. I've never bought a Bridgstone tire since, though have no other data to suggest they are all bad. This were probably just the "baloney skins" that got sold to new car mfgs. to put on new cars at the time. YMMV

 

[Ian S]

Tread depth tells you how much wear they have, it's not rocket science. And when people buy a used car they're also buying used tires, but most people just drive on the used tires that came with them unless/until they need replacing.

The OP needs tires for 20k miles, not 60k miles. If they bought them with 7/32" there is more than enough remaining tread.

You don't have to buy used tires, I don't care. But it can be a smart choice in some circumstances whether you agree or not.

I have a simple tread depth measuring device and use it. But it tells me nothing about potential internal damage.

Unless you are planning to junk the car after 20,000 miles, you will almost certainly take a hit price-wise if the car's tires are anywhere close to the wear bars.
You're right: I don't have to buy used tires and I won't. I've always bought new tires even when I was a starving grad student. Others are obviously free to make their own choices.

 

[dknighd]

If my husband proposed getting used tires for my primary car, to save a few, I cannot get past the language filters here to tell you how I would respond.

If I had to replace only one used tire, and was lucky enough to find one that matched the other used tires on that car, I would do that.


But the OP apparently needs 4 tires. So, buy 4 new tires. Who cares if the tires might be the most valuable part of you used car.



Tires are a wear item, and should be replaced as needed. Spouses are not.

 

[Music Lover]

If my husband proposed getting used tires for my primary car, to save a few, I cannot get past the language filters here to tell you how I would respond.

Have you ever bought a used car? Do you immediately replace the "used" tires?

 

[dknighd]

Have you ever bought a used car? Do you immediately replace the "used" tires?

The last used car I bought I replaced the tires ASAP. They were probably the only thing wrong with it. Still legal, but not good enough. I bought two sets of tires for that car before I resold it.