Replacing tyres as a result of age rather than wear

Ditzy_Mitzy

In the past I, like most motorists, have replaced car tyres as they have worn out.  Wear was picked up naturally, through driving and, on occasion, a tyre has been punctured irreparably.  So far so ordinary, but the coronavirus outbreak slashed my, and others', annual mileage.  Following that, normal driving has never quite resumed.  As a result, I now have four tyres of ever increasing age that are not subject to ordinary wear and tear.  They look quite new, still, leading to the obvious concern that the tyres are unlikely to wear out this side of 2030 barring drastic changes in lifestyle.  So, then, has anyone an opinion on how old is too old for a car tyre that still has decent tread and holds air?  

uknick

If they look Ok 10 years as per the manufacturer's date stamp.

Goudy

Generally it's stated by the usual motoring organisations that tyres over ten years old should be replaced.
Tyre companies obviously state a shorten time frame, somewhere between 6 and 7 years.

The UK government states 10 years for most minibuses and their tyres aren't too dissimilar to car tyres.

Different brands and types of tyres are made up of slightly different compounds of rubber (most winter tyres have more silica in them than summer tyres) so will age at different rates.

I would carefully inspect them regularly at around 5 years. (I guess you know tyres are marked with a month/year date of production)
Pay attention to the areas between the tread blocks as old tyres tend to crack around there.
Like https://www.bktyres.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cracks-in-sidewall.jpg
 

cymruchris

I'd go with the above of around 10 years - a sporty car I bought 18 months ago which had done little mileage had tyres that looked almost factory fresh, but were made in 2013. I didn't actually spot this until I got a double puncture (Front and rear offside) after hitting a pothole at about 20mph. I've now got all four replaced with new. Keep an eye on the sidewalls and between the tread for crazing and cracking, and change them if you see any visual signs of deterioration even if the tread is still good.

Grumpy_chap

I had to change tyres on our Fiesta back in 2014 because they had literally disintegrated.
Those tyres needed changing again at the MOT in January this year because they were degrading again and the garage said they'd be a fail, even though the tread etc was all pretty much as new.

EssexExile

I had an Astravan for 17 years and never changed the rear tyres. They still looked fine when I sold it.

knightstyle

We were looking for a cheap caravan a few years ago to renovate and live in, nearly all we looked at had dangerously old tyres, many with lots of tread but didn't have the 4 number code which gives the week and year they were made. 

daveyjp

On both occasions I have had to replace tyres on my vehicles (other than punctures) the tyres still had tread, but were 5-6 years old and were showing signs of cracking on the sidewalls.

Last year it was flagged as an advisory on my wife's car.

Bigwheels1111

With all the eco friendly alternatives they use now I’ve seen 3 year old tyres with cracks in them.
nissan qashqai For eg gets abs faults on the rear, dealer quote £500 plus to fix.
Most of the time is 5p for some black tape.
The loom is protected buy a plastic covering made from eco nut oils.
Foxes love the taste and chew through the 2 wires.

facade

Bigwheels1111 said:

With all the eco friendly alternatives they use now I’ve seen 3 year old tyres with cracks in them.
nissan qashqai For eg gets abs faults on the rear, dealer quote £500 plus to fix.
Most of the time is 5p for some black tape.
The loom is protected buy a plastic covering made from eco nut oils.
Foxes love the taste and chew through the 2 wires.

Foxes as well?

I thought it was squirrels and other rodents. I've been encouraging cats to run round the garden to keep squirrels away.