Tire, how old for use

You say they're "perfect" so I assume the tread is good. Have you driven on them and if so how do they ride? As long as there's no rot or tread separation I think they'd be safe. But that's just my unqualified opinion..

"Guenter Scholz" wrote in message news:d721uf$jg4$ snipped-for-privacy@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...

Don't use it... only as a spare tire for emergency use only. I recently just swapped an old tire off the spare tire wheel... man! Rubber is so hard...

Sorry, should have been clearer. It's the spare tire which has 'never' been used and was always in the trunk (dark and away from UV etc) - ie. brand new. I'm told by 'qualified' people that a tire more than 5 years old that has never had a load on it (ie never installed) is dangerous to use. I 'know' that a 5 year old tire is perfectly good to use since I've done just that. The question, though, how about a 15 year old tire.... I'm not sure anymore.

cheers guenter

Considering the cost of a new tire, it would be false economy to entrust your life to a 10+ year old tire, even if it's never been on the road.

ya... better off putting cheapo new tire on spare than to trust that oldie tire...