My mother drives a 99 Buick Century she bought new. She still has the original tires - only 20K mileson the car. No sign of anything other than normal wear. Should these be replaced any way due to the passage of time. The car is not kept in a garage. Thx.
Ten year old tires should probably be replaced, regardless of mileage. How do the sidewalls look? Any signs of dry rot?
You were hoping to hear time did not matter?
That would be great. I check them often and as I said nothing other than normal wear. I was just wondering if 10 years exposed to the elements created unseen problems.
If you have no cracking on the sidewalls, they are likely not too bad. You have a better chance if the car spent most of its time in a garage as opposed to outside in the sun and additional Ozone.
If mom is planning a long trip I would suggest buying her a set of tyres for an early birthday present. It will help keep her safer and make both of you feel better.
None. No cracking or anything that I can see.
Take One More Closer Look At All Four Tires. Look Slowly and Carefully.
Look in the grooves of the tread area, too, all the way around. I would be totally amazed if you don’t see some cracking. We have a 96 Caravan, purchased new, with less than 50,000 miles. I’ve been there, done that.
Mfgrs. of rubber products, like belts and tires, generally say the lifetime of the product (whether it has minimal or extended use) is about 6 years. After that time they should be replaced. Don’t wait, as before failure it is often not possible to see any problems, but I wouldn’t keep my mom on these old tires.
I would inspect the tires for cracks, and if none found just keep driving. If the car had sat outside all the time, there would be cracks, and the rubber would need replacing. I changed tires on my trailer with only 10,000 miles on it when even the spare tire (never used) had cracks in it. But those tires had been outside for 20 years in bright sunlight.
Sunlight does matter. The ultraviolet light will change the chemical composition of the rubber, leading to cracks. If the tires rarely see sunlight because they are under shade trees, a carport, or in a garage, the effect will be lessened dramatically.
Replace them, its your mum. You likely can buy inexpensive tires(store branded) to replace them as she drives so little it seems.