No, it doesn't. Paul has old, sub-optimal tyres and you're encouraging him to drive his widow-making 911 with "some intent" just so he gets his money's worth?!Paul, you know that there is only one sensible answer. Take it out FAR more frequently and drive it with some intent. Then in another year when they are below 4mm, you can renew them and you'll have had your use. You know it makes sense.
No, it doesn't. Paul has old, sub-optimal tyres and you're encouraging him to drive his widow-making 911 with "some intent" just so he gets his money's worth?!
Personally, I have experienced first hand what old, but barely used tyres feel like in direct comparison with fresh tyres of identical make and model, and that's on an AWD Subaru. I wouldn't use old tyres on a performance car, but then I'm neither cheap nor reckless.
Paul, you know that there is only one sensible answer. Take it out FAR more frequently and drive it with some intent. Then in another year when they are below 4mm, you can renew them and you'll have had your use. You know it makes sense.
Well, it all comes down to how you'd feel if you lost control and had an accident with them on. Let's say you got badly injured, or hurt someone else, would you feel that it was just an accident, and couldn't have been avoided?
Once you'd decided this, you'll know whether they need changing.
No, it doesn't. Paul has old, sub-optimal tyres and you're encouraging him to drive his widow-making 911 with "some intent" just so he gets his money's worth?!
Personally, I have experienced first hand what old, but barely used tyres feel like in direct comparison with fresh tyres of identical make and model, and that's on an AWD Subaru. I wouldn't use old tyres on a performance car, but then I'm neither cheap nor reckless.
I meant no offence, Paul. I do know that the 911 requires a different learned behaviour to drive fast safely. It's a bit like the good old shaft-drive motorcycles. The last thing you do when you find going into a corner a bit too fast is to shut the throttle off, which is the most instinctive thing to do. This is why FWD cars are inherently safer because when understeer sets in, throttling off returns bite to the front wheels. If you have programmed your instincts to be counter-intuitive on that count in a crisis, then I'm sure you'll be OK.However, I take exception to "widow-making." The old 911 is very different from all other cars, it took me months to really get the hang of how to drive it. Now it has become instinctive and feels very safe and predictable (I will now touch my testicles and make "horns" with both hands to ward off bad luck).
I meant no offence, Paul. I do know that the 911 requires a different learned behaviour to drive fast safely. It's a bit like the good old shaft-drive motorcycles. The last thing you do when you find going into a corner a bit too fast is to shut the throttle off, which is the most instinctive thing to do. This is why FWD cars are inherently safer because when understeer sets in, throttling off returns bite to the front wheels. If you have programmed your instincts to be counter-intuitive on that count in a crisis, then I'm sure you'll be OK.
But a well setup FWD will transition into oversteer on sudden lift-off, due to weight transfer.This is why FWD cars are inherently safer because when understeer sets in, throttling off returns bite to the front wheels. If you have programmed your instincts to be counter-intuitive on that count in a crisis, then I'm sure you'll be OK.
No, it doesn't. Paul has old, sub-optimal tyres and you're encouraging him to drive his widow-making 911 with "some intent" just so he gets his money's worth?!
Personally, I have experienced first hand what old, but barely used tyres feel like in direct comparison with fresh tyres of identical make and model, and that's on an AWD Subaru. I wouldn't use old tyres on a performance car, but then I'm neither cheap nor reckless.
Sorry I missed that, Steve, but I suspected you weren't entirely serious and hence my winky smiley.James, tongue in cheek comment to be viewed alongside the earlier one I made.
Rubber is perishable and any 8 year-old tyre, no matter how well stored, would not be as good as when it was freshly made. Now, whether that constitutes a safety hazard would depend on a critical examination of its condition. But there is safety in avoiding catastrophic failure, and safety in maximum adhesion. I suspect regulatory bodies worry more about the former and less about the latter. Otherwise, there's a bunch of cheap Chinese-made ripoff tyres that should be banned for safety reasons.... there is no evidence that 8yr old tyres in good condition are in any way unsafe.
A bit like cambelts, I take it....As I said in my (serious) comment, there is no *right* answer. Even Michelin only *recommend* replacement after 10 years. If it were as simple as that then there would be a requirement to change all tyres every x years. There isn't. As with many things in life it comes down to personal judgement.
Out of interest, how low do people here allow their tyre tread to go before replacement?
Out of interest, how low do people here allow their tyre tread to go before replacement?