# Tire dressings

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** tires\
**Created:** [April 30, 2009, 1:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817 "2009-04-30T13:30:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![beast\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@beast\_3](https://community.cartalk.com/u/beast_3)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817/1 "2009-04-30T13:30:51Z")

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Tire dressings sure make the tireson my 1930 Ford Model A look nice, but do they provide any actual protection or benefit to the tires? Or is there any likely hood of damage to the rubber?  
  
 Anyone have any recommendations of homemade dressings? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817/2 "2009-04-30T15:06:53Z")

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I NEVER use tire dressings…I think the BEST thing you can do is get them real clean. Wesleys Bleach White works GREAT.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817/3 "2009-04-30T15:38:17Z")

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Since you’re only putting the dressing on one side of the tire, they offer no real protection. But I don’t worry about damage for regular cars (they’ll wear out first). Yours is a special case, unless you’re putting lots of miles on the A. You might post in an antique car forum to see what others do.

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817/4 "2009-04-30T16:50:53Z")

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It depends on the rubber. Using tire dressing on motorcycle tires will signifigantly shorten the tire’s life. I used to use Armor All on my car tires, but they ended up cracking because of age anyway. I don’t use tire dressing at all anymore. If there is a benefit to the tires, it hasn’t been proven to me yet.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-dressings/29817/5 "2009-04-30T20:56:57Z")

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Tire dressing is for looks only.  
On a 1930 Model A it’ll look more original without.

On regular daily drivers it doesn’t matter. I’ve yet to see any study on long term effects on tire compounds, and the overwhelming majority of tires get changed due to normal wear well before it would matter anyway. Since the tires on your Model A are unlikely to see that many miles, you want to watch them over the years for cracking anyway. Go with what you prefer, dressed or undressed.