[onebadjon]

Ok,

On my 968 cab(purchased Sept.14th), the tires are 8 years old. they have 4900 miles on them. 50081 when installed and 54900 now.
They are Dunlop sp8000 zr -- 205/55zr16 and 225/50zr16.........
All 4 look to be in good shape, tread,sidewalls(both sides). car always stored inside.

Should I replace them? can I wait another year or two or 2000 to 4000 miles?

I always read about tires need to be replaced after 6 years...............


Then next question, What would be a good replacement? and has anyone used "tirerack" to purchase them and then have them installed?

Dealer wants about $850 to replace all 4 .............


Thanks for your help and advise


John

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[flash]

they are well past their lifespan - 6 years is the max - the rubber is now almost certainly hardened - i just changed out my S0-3s due to age - they had gotten hard and non-compliant, on a car that was always stored inside, and never saw rain, let alone any other kind of weather

the sp8000 was a horrible tire to begin with - they wore like nails, but were hard and unforgiving - i had brand new ones on on my car when i got it - i hated them - you can do a LOT better

i am now very fond of the yokohama ADVAN AD08 - probably overkill for the 16's though

i have purchased tires from tire rack a few times, and had good luck with them

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[94SilverCab]

I have also used Yokohamas which I liked very much (admittedly, mine were M&S rated).

I am currently running Toyo T1Rs that I prefer, they seem to be wearing nicely.

I used Tire rack for years and was extemely satisfied with them, the last set I bought at STS Tire Center because I wanted new tires NOW! (for Hershey 2009) I was very pleased with STS service and wrote them a major thank you letter.

Your tires should definately be replaced. Doesn't make sense to buy them from the dealer, I would use a tire specialist.

JMHO,

Jay

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[rxter]

Agree that those tires are too old to usable any longer. At an average of 15K per year tires last what, 3 years max? 8 years is too long. When I bought my car the tires had loads of tread left on them, but they were about 8 years old. I had a 500 mile highway trek in front of me to get the car home. First thing I did was put new rubber on - no way you should trust tires that old. Maybe for putting around town for a while, but nothing where a flat would cause you or anyone else harm.

Pretty subjective which is the "right" tire. I have had both Yoko S-drives and Michelin PS2 Exaltos on 16s. The Yokos look better to my eye, but they are both good tires - I've had no trouble with either one.

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[flash]

on the inexpensive side, it seems the Sumitomo HZR3s are getting great reviews - i have the 2s on the white car and love them for what they are

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[LuJac]

You've got way too much time on your tires. Tires start to degrade as soon as they come out of the molds. A durometer test is a much better test of a tires condition than looking at the tread. An old,hard tire will ride rough, have less stick, and is not safe. The tread will not conform to the road and much greater chance of blow-out over irregularities in daily driving. I change my cars out every three years regardless of milage. Race teams use heat cycles rather than milage. Top teams put on new rubber each time out. Depends on level of competition, power level, and sponsership..
ore than about 4 cycles is all you can get out of a slick. More than that and you can't even get consistant data for qual/race setup.

I like Yokos for street tires. They seem dependably made , balance out well, and not too pricey. The ride is much improved over expansion joints on the highway.(one of my prime factors when traveling). You can get them almost anywhere if you need a new one. Have not had any trouble with them on 5-6 cars, but did just blew a belt on my wife's van coming home from Mid-Ohio two weeks ago. I did it myself on a BIG pothole though. Lost another when I ran over a fastener in Summit Point paddock, but can't blame that on the tire. Hope this helps...
PFZ

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[Langley968]

I just returned from an "international" cruise in the good 'ol USA together with my wife! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif[/img] Went down for the day, since today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada, and as a gesture of "thanks" for the joy of owning a great car, we decided to drive up to Mount Baker for the first time. Just a great drive! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]
As we were driving along, she again commented on how much better the ride is now that I have Sumitomo HZR3s on the cab. For the price and especially if you are going to use them primarily as a "cruising" tire, then they will do just fine. I bought them through Tire Rack and had them installed by one of their "recommended installers". I have nothing but good things to say about the whole experience! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

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[DayDreamer]

I've just fitted Yoko's Decibels. I hate them....They are very quiet and smooth, but the side wall's are too soft. Any long sweeping corners are very scary. Once you get your line and enter the long sweep, the car 'marshmellows' sideways as the walls flex, then as you straighten out again, the car 'marchmellows' back again... its a very unnerving feeling.

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[flash]

try adding a bit of pressure - typically tires with softer sidewalls need a bit more

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[onebadjon]

To all that answer my post, Thanks. Everything said will help.

John

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