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Tyre Dates
- Thread starter toopy
- Start date
chrisvega
Well-Known Forum User
Thanks for posting Toopy, really useful information 
The other interesting, nay alarming point is that MOT testers do not check the age of tyres - at least mine don't.
I recently had a 280ZX with almost perfect tread on the 'Made in Japan' Yokahama tyres that turned out to be 25 years old !
The car had been stood off the road for the most part of those years.
Passed the MOT with no questions.
It was only when I found a receipt for purchase and checked the sidewall date that I realised they were potentially dangerous.
Needless to say I replaced them with new tyres all round.
The other interesting, nay alarming point is that MOT testers do not check the age of tyres - at least mine don't.
I recently had a 280ZX with almost perfect tread on the 'Made in Japan' Yokahama tyres that turned out to be 25 years old !
The car had been stood off the road for the most part of those years.
Passed the MOT with no questions.
It was only when I found a receipt for purchase and checked the sidewall date that I realised they were potentially dangerous.
Needless to say I replaced them with new tyres all round.
Ok I'm going to be controversial here.
Judging a tyre by it's date alone gives motorists an expensive problem like the problem racers have with Seat Belts and other bits of kit (seats, extinguishers, personal safety wear etc).
I have driven quickly on old tyres and experienced good grip. When I went to Spa in my 240 the tyres were 12 years old, no problem. When I sold my car about 2 years later it was driven on those tyres to Malta and came second overall in the Mdina GP. Following that it did more events on the same tyres.
Age alone should not be the only determining criteria. That's like saying nobody over 70 should drive a car - try justifying that with Charles Barter.
A number is just an easy way of enforcing something. Should we be driving around in 50 year old cars?
Yes I know tyre compound can harden but I did many many track days on tyres that were at least 5 years old with great grip.
Is a Continental tyre that's 5 years old more dangerous than a new budget, second-hand or remould tyre?
Judging a tyre by it's date alone gives motorists an expensive problem like the problem racers have with Seat Belts and other bits of kit (seats, extinguishers, personal safety wear etc).
I have driven quickly on old tyres and experienced good grip. When I went to Spa in my 240 the tyres were 12 years old, no problem. When I sold my car about 2 years later it was driven on those tyres to Malta and came second overall in the Mdina GP. Following that it did more events on the same tyres.
Age alone should not be the only determining criteria. That's like saying nobody over 70 should drive a car - try justifying that with Charles Barter.
A number is just an easy way of enforcing something. Should we be driving around in 50 year old cars?
Yes I know tyre compound can harden but I did many many track days on tyres that were at least 5 years old with great grip.
Is a Continental tyre that's 5 years old more dangerous than a new budget, second-hand or remould tyre?
Last edited:
toopy
Club Member
Common sense should prevail, but there will always be those that look at the cost and nothing else!
Tyres on a car that is garaged most of the time, won't have the same UV degradation and therefore hardening as ones sat outside all the time, and a car that moves fairly regularly even if it sits outside, will be different again.
Caravans and motor homes are the classic example of tyres that could be unfit for purpose in relatively short periods of time, as they sit for long periods in the same position, with tyres on one side of the vehicle generally deteriorating much quicker than the other.
Tyres on a car that is garaged most of the time, won't have the same UV degradation and therefore hardening as ones sat outside all the time, and a car that moves fairly regularly even if it sits outside, will be different again.
Caravans and motor homes are the classic example of tyres that could be unfit for purpose in relatively short periods of time, as they sit for long periods in the same position, with tyres on one side of the vehicle generally deteriorating much quicker than the other.
STEVE BURNS
Club Member
Be very very careful with old tyres this was from my 280ZX and decided to take it out the car and inflate it to see if it was still OK lucky for me that I did and never used it
with tyres
with tyres
Steve that tyre is awful, there is no way I'd have that on a car even when it was new. Two valves?
STEVE BURNS
Club Member
Inflatable spare that fitted inside the 280ZX behind the trim in the roadside wheel arch and they supplied a tin of air that you used to inflate it
It looked OK when it was in the compartment of the car
Not sure what the two valves where for as never had a need to inflate it until decided to take it out and test it in case I needed it