Which tire is safer, one that has been patched after a nail puncture or one that has been stored uninflated for 1.5 years?
Back in Jan'02, I had a nail puncture in a front tire. Tire store tried to patch it but failed, so I got 2 new tires in front just for symmetry on the axle and stored the good original front tire for the future. Yesterday I had a nail puncture in a rear tire; tire store successfully patched it.
Should I leave this patched rear tire on, or replace it with the OEM tire that's been sitting in my garage for 1.5 years?
BTW, the car is a 99 Dodge Caravan, 23k miles. The rear tires have
23k on them, the fronts 8k, and the one sitting in my garage has 23-8 = 15k on it.Thanks.