New Tires Needed? What Say You?

[Onomea]

Was at the Toyota dealer's today for my Aqua (Prius C)'s annual check up here in Japan. Mechanic said I need new tires, having last replaced them in 2017, six years ago. I asked him, other than age, what was wrong with the tires. He said that they showed evidence of cracking.

I told him maybe I'd buy new tires next time. When I got home, I checked the tires and basically see little evidence, if any, of cracking. (Certainty far less than I have had on other cars/tires in the past.)

Any, I took these pix.





I have circled in red below an area that maybe the guy was talking about? Still, does not look like cracking to me but simply minor wear....



Whatcha guys think? Do I need new tires?

 

[Farmer17]

Doesn't look bad to me, I would go to another tire store and get a second opinion. You don't want to take a chance on a high speed blow out.

 

[snubbyfan]

I say check the date code. I've had tires that look good with good tread end up with tread separation 'cause they were old and started separating from the inside.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Those look okay to me. Many tire stores and some manufacturers recommend replacing any tire over 6 years old as a precaution due to the aging of the rubber. There are some manufacturers, though, that say replace them at 10 years.


For tire sellers 6 year replacement = extra profit.

 

[johngalt]

Sounds like the dealer wants to sell a set of tires

 

[Igiveup]

The area in red looks like a curb rub.

 

[DWalt]

I have driven many, many miles on old tires having sidewall cracks, without failure. Maybe I was just lucky. I also once had a ply separation on a tire under two years old that showed no external abnormalities. Fortunately it was still under warranty.

 

[LVSteve]

Different country with a stricter standard?

 

[Rudi]

"I sell tires, you need tires".

 

[dmar]

I don’t own a tire shop, but those tires look really good to me.

 

[ameridaddy]

The area in the red box looks like a ridge of rubber wear, a kind of rubbed sideways rubber, from the tire needing alignment, not a dry rot crack.
Get an alignment and drive on.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Arlo, do you know anyone with an electron microscope?

 

[Onomea]

I don't think it's an alignment issue as I can take my hands off the wheel and the car holds steady on its course. The curb wear explanation makes sense to me.

Re different country and different standards, the dealer's not saying I am required to get new tires, but is saying that he advises that I do. The Japanese, however, do tend to be perfectionists.

And I would not be surprised to learn that the mfr recommends replace regardless of wear after six or seven years. (Though I do question if that's necessary.)

I don't drive this car aggressively. (Not that that would be easy to do anyway, with its 99 combined screaming horses power plant... Gets over 50 MPG tho.)

 

[Geeorge]

Just Armor all them and drive

 

[EPP]

He might have been referring to these.

 

[Autonomous]

Replacing tires when they age out is good practice. Six years is a common life span. Plasticizers evaporate and other non-visible stuff degrades too.
I used to struggle with the idea of replacing tires that aren't worn out, still don't like it.
It's your call.

 

[Rustyt1953]

The Buckeye Band-Aid.

 

[lihpster]

I wouldn't stress about it. Light car, low horsepower, and you're not Mario Andretti. I think they're fine. But I'm no expert. But one thing to think about is how many times you've passed or been passed by a boat on a trailer with 20 year old tires?

 

[Breakaway500]

"You don't want to take a chance on a high speed blow out."

Prius C..so no chance of that happening.

I call tires "old" after 15 years. Unless they show actual structural breakdown and loss of integrity I say run them. Unless you are going to maximum load the tire, like on a truck with a camper etc you will be fine.

 

[Bekeart]

Biased answers to simple questions

Ask a barber if you need a haircut.

Ask tire dealer if you need new tires.

Couple f years ago sold SWMBO'S sister my old car.
Checked with my tire shop about the well-worn tires.
Dealer's opinion - good for another 5000 - 7000 mile before getting to the wear bar indicators. Did not comment on age.

Few months later she had a flat.
"These are so old they are DANGEROUS and must be replaced."
Of course, the suggested tires were not the lowest price ones.

Bekeart