I suspect tire threads will drive opinions almost as much as oil discussions. I had Hankook summers on both XFs and after ~20k miles I still had plenty of front tread, but the rears were 6/32s on the roadster and less than 4/32s on the SRT6 (I was enjoying spinning them too much). I decided it was better to be safe and replace them at 14 years old (the tires, not me).

Decided to shoe both in Continental Extreme Contact DWS06 Plus, 235/40-R18 and 285/35-R19. I wanted the extra width to protect the rims. It set me back $2050 after rebates but they are a 50k mile all-season, look nice, ride quietly, and the grip seems excellent for the fair-weather but fast driving that I do. I will let you know in about 10 years how they wear and if they remain quiet. By the way, the same tires in oem sizes were only $1608 for the eight at Discount Tire.

 

I like every thing you did just don't turn too sharp the 235 front will rub,, well they did on mine check it and let us know jim

 

What do you mean by "run"?

 

sorry to early for me to two finger type ,,,, meant rub

 

They rub on mine also; especially when backing.

 

I have turned (low speed) at full lock and no rubbing. Yesterday I cut sharply into a parking lot with a modest incline with no rubbing. I have not hammered it at higher speed at full lock and am unlikely to do so. This is the roadster. I have not had the SRT6 out in the last week (been driving topless) but will do so Monday and report.

 

I am willing to be wrong on this, and in fact I hope I am so that I can save some money in the future, but I always understood that seven years was the safe age limit for tires no matter how much tread was left or how they were stored or driven. I never let my tires go more than 5 years living in the south because of the extra stress that extreme heat can have on them. Since tires are literally where the rubber (and safety) meet the road, I do not skimp on them or try to save money by keeping them on longer or by buying low cost/low quality tires. I have heard of stretching the expiration date on tires before, but have never known anyone to run tires for 14 years. Maybe I am reading these posts wrong?

 

NWGA, you read it correctly. I stretched it, but my lame excuse is I rarely drive highway and only put 800-1500 miles per year on each car. I also keep both cars garaged and covered, and check the tire pressure monthly. Both cars had about half the tread remaining and no cracks, nor had they ever been patched. But there is a definite element of risk.

Discount Tire, where I buy all my tires, states six years is the useful life and they will not service a tire over 10 years old. I was planning on replacing them the last two years, but rarely drove the cars and just kept pushing it out. But 14 was my limit. I kind of consider the new ones as lifetime tires because in another 10 years I will be 84yo and may not be able to get in/out of these cars.

If I was replacing them every five years, they would have only 5000 miles on them and most of the tread. I know the answer is to drive them more, but the 2-3 long trips I take in the summer, I prefer to drive my 2018 Maserati Ghibli. Much more comfortable, and plenty of room for gifts going out and beer and scotch coming back. Today I went to two grocery stores and a lawn store with the roadster, total less than 20 miles. But a delightful drive with the top down.

 

My father is 90 and he can get in and out of my car. It takes a minute, but he can do it. Then again he only does it once in a while.

 

#1 I would like to commit last / first. Goldwing In 4 months I will be 84 and have no trouble getting in or out ( maybe a little slower than 5 years ago)
i still drag race my car going 10.55 @135mph to be on a drag strip at100 + so don't count yourself short, i plan to be on a drag strip at100 +.
#2 if you are looking at almost every crossfire that is for sale the tires have lots of thread and are 6,7,8, or 10 years old some older than that
.Yours at 14 years is testament of that. #3 I should have said MAY rub. your car is the 3rd or 4th car i heard of not rubbing with 235/40-18 tires on the front,

The tire 235/40-18 is 9.3 section width, 3.7 ground to rim. but yet only 25.4 tall where the stock tire is 225/40-18 is 8.9 section width 3.6 ground
to rim and 25.1 tall with those spec's they should not rub ,but on MOST of the crossfires they do. jim

 

One of the truly great things about America is, that for the most part, we are free to do a wide range of things and make any number of decisions about how we live our lives, thankfully free of regulatory interference. (Although some would argue that the nefarious Nanny State is alive and well). A good example of this is to operate a car at any speed for any distance on 14 year-old tires. The fact that so many Crossfires are offered for sale with ample tread on expired tires is further evidence of this. It may also be further evidence that not many Crossfires actually run very often due to the quaint "quirks" that keep them in constant need of repair. I am not sure what the fact that many Crossfires appear to be fair weather, short distance drivers says about the car or the operators. Other than perhaps they are hobbies and "toys", and the owners have the luxury and the resources to use them as such. Good for them!

The great American tradition of making choices like driving on 14 year-old tires has also had a beneficial side-effect. It has kept ER Trauma Nurses like me gainfully employed for years and helped to create a shortage of healthcare workers and properly accredited Trauma Centers. People who drive without wearing seat belts, motorcyclists who don't wear helmets, and geezers climbing ladders are just a few of the frequent supporters of ER Trauma business. The glaring difference between the individuals described above, and drivers who operate cars beyond established safety norms is that these folks mainly endanger, injure, and kill only themselves. Drivers who operate any type of motor vehicle with equipment well beyond established safety norms endanger every other driver on the roads and pedestrians who may be present along their paths. It doesn't matter that the endangerment is only for 20 miles or only in sunny weather. Accidents and tragedies are independent of such deceptive variables. Simply put, faulty tires do not care if the sun is shining, or they are only going to the grocery store.

Another side-effect of operating statistically unsafe vehicles is to keep personal injury attorneys extremely busy and very well paid. One has only to observe the eyesore of their ubiquitous billboards cluttering the highways and byways of our formerly scenic countryside to understand this. If you are involved in an accident running 14 year-old tires it is almost a sure thing that you and your insurance company will lose money, and attorneys and victims will be handsomely rewarded. The peripheral economic costs like lost work time, tragic disabilities, and skyrocketing insurance costs also are part of the equation.

Just because one can do something does not mean one should. Bungee jumping from a towering suspension bridge comes to mind. It is not my intention to single-out or chastise anyone on this forum. I am addressing the practice of running on expired equipment that is absolutely essential to safe operation, not the drivers who do so. As I observed in the opening, this latitude of discretion, or lack thereof, is a major feature in American freedom. I would submit to the reader that folks who can afford to operate multiple cars of relatively high value, and reserve some as merely fun cars to be driven short distances in ideal weather can probably afford to keep those cars maintained well within safety specs. And it begs the question: Why? No one on this forum would purposely expose themselves and others (grandchildren, loved ones, friends) to a known and statistically proven danger unnecessarily. Why do this with something as mundane and easily mitigated by spending a few dollars on safer tires.

So, by all means, exercise your rights of choice when equipping and operating your cars. Just please don't cause an accident that affects me or mine. And it is well to remember that any accident in which you are involved impacts all the other occupants of your vehicle (see grandchildren, loved ones, friends, above), You may be saving money at the tire store, but you can only cheat death a finite number of times. If driving on obviously expired equipment is the hand you want to play, perhaps you may want to reconsider when to fold your cards.

 

Let me explain why , but first does your wife live by your rules LOL just though that was funny, 5 paragraphs to say don't drive on 14 year old tires.///
all i was saying is that most Crossfires are garage queens and only driven to a car show or to a meet, to show them off , I am not included in that bunch
as i drive mine almost every day and i ware out my tires way before they are even 2 years old i also get my rear tires with a Tire treadwear rating of
180 to 200 or just run drag radials yes my fronts are 235/4018 with less than 500 miles on them manufactured in2024 changing this week to 225/40,,
manufactured 2026 this is just to let you know why Crossfires OH and Corvettes are fast sport cars that have tires on then that are out of date.
don't take this post personally it is info for all. thanks for your post jim
I am in N. east Ga about 4 months a year.

 

It is hard to have one's wife brought up in a post about tires and not take it personally. What does she have to do with it? To what "rules" are you referring? I didn't state or make any rules, I merely noted standards. There is nothing funny (lol?) about pulling dead and mangled bodies out of a wrecked car, especially children, believe me. Once you put a body on the slab in the morgue, it doesn't matter why fast sports cars have tires on them that are out of date. The fact that they are fast and are driven that way makes it even more irresponsible to drive on expired tires. I had resolved not to lecture any one poster on the matter, and merely address it as an issue for all. However, if you will be kind enough to let me know what 4 months you are in NE GA, I will endeavor to keep my family and friends out of your way.

I think if you actually read all 5 paragraphs (perhaps too daunting a proposition) you would have discovered that I said quite a bit more than "don't drive on 14 year-old tires". Perhaps the difficulty arises because I actually use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar?

 

I knew how U would react BUT it's ok to react that way. and thank you for staying out of the way
I have done that also stay out of the way each to his own . your are still one of us on the crossfire forum which means if U ever need help,,advice or just to
get an answer a question ,,about the Crossfire of course.. jim

 

NWGACarGuy - First and foremost, Thank you for what you do as a First Responder and as an ER Trauma nurse. It takes a very special type of person to do what you do in helping others. Picking up body parts on a highway after a motorcycle or vehicle accident, only a dedicated professional First Responder has fortitude to do. And as a result many responders cut short their careers because of the trauma that they witness and they deal with on a daily basis. It is certainly understandable the frustration when simple preventative actions could have avoided incidents that cause catastrophic and often times fatalities. But as you said in this country we have the choice to do what we will and unfortunately sometimes driving in the fast lane can result in getting to the end of our road sooner than we might like. Again thank you for what you do!

 

(Remaining above the fray) here's recommended Key Tire Age Guidelines:
6 Years (The Standard Limit) 10 Years (The Absolute Limit)
How to Check Your Tire's Manufacture Date. You can find a tire's exact age by locating the DOT code on the outer sidewall. Look for the letters "DOT" followed by a string of numbers. The last four digits will indicate the week and year the tire was produced. Example: A code ending in 2426 means the tire was manufactured in the 24th week of the year 2026.

 

.


Here is another thought... If the ppl responsible for road repairs would do their jobs and keep the roads clear of potholes and bumps, tires wouldn't get the wear ratings like are posted. Also, if ppl want to use 'maypops' (a name I give tires who's tread is worn or unserviceable), then woe be to them who are involved in a blowout that caused a wreck (accident investigators that do their jobs would look to see the date codes on the sidewalls). Ppl here have had their rims cracked/damaged on potholes/bumps that cost them hundreds of dollars to fix, and that didn't include the tire on which was on the rim(s) that were ruined. Localities tend to rob peter to pay paul, the roadways are a hazard unto themselves with this type of attitude. Peace out!


.

 

For the record...my wife really likes my "rules" and has for over 52 years! Peace Out here too

 

wow NWGACarGuy 52 years " congratulations" not many people make that far,, today .
My wife and I are right there with you, 52 great years with My wife making MOST of the rules ////// retired from Miami Dade county
with 35 years of service and 4 years in the USAF ,,as far as rules to be truthful ,,,we make those together jim