On our trip to Seattle from SFO to catch a cruise ship we suffered 4 tread separations in the last 300 miles of the trip up. This was on our 2001 C240 with 30,000 miles OEM Conrinentals. The tires had aprox one half tread and had been on the ground sense new. I don't think I beleve the stuff from the tire manfacturse about getting getting new tires every 6 years regardless of tread left but it looks like 10 years is too old.
Bob
Wow... I am sorry to hear that.... The odd of having all 4 tires tread separation is astronomical.
I don't trust tires after 6 years old. The reason is simple. rubber deteriorates from day one and it gets harder as it ages. So with harder rubber, the traction and performance suffers. It is not worth your life.
You have to think of tires as 'insurance.' You buy new tires every 6 years regardless of how much treads are left... especially if that is the only tire set you use. It is cheap insurance since you buy one set every 6 years... Say you spent $600 for super duper high end tire... That is $100 per year expense... not bad.
If you have two sets of tires, you can extend it a bit further... but I still would not want to go past 7 years. At $100 per year or less, it is cheap to just replace it.
I had the same experience with 10+ yo tires. They still looked great, but the inside started to develop a bubble. Replaced them all. Since then I replace all old tires. Old rubber loses grip as well.
X.
Well, at least I am not the only unlucky one
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