Tires for 16 year old car

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cabfranc
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Tires for 16 year old car

Post by cabfranc »

I have a 16 year old Honda Accord that needs new tires. I plan to keep this car until it no longer runs or needs a major repair, but realistically, how long will that be? Does it make sense to buy new tires as opposed to used ones? If I buy new tires that last 6 years I highly doubt I will be driving the car in six years. Does anyone have experience with used tires?
Californiastate
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Californiastate »

I don't focus on age for Hondas. I focus on mileage and maintenance. I also wouldn't try to save money by searching for used tires.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Mr. Rumples »

My Honda is 21 years old, two years ago got new tires, last year a new timing belt. The bigger issue for me was the drying out of the gaskets and some hoses, they were done too. Treat her right, and who knows how long she'll run.

I really can't recall what I paid, but I was very happy with the tires and service I got at Discount Tires.
Last edited by Mr. Rumples on Mon May 23, 2022 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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arcticpineapplecorp.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by arcticpineapplecorp. »

i wouldn't get used tires and I never have. safety is first.

what difference in amount are we talking about between new and used anyway?
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by YeahBuddy »

I would never buy used tires just for the safety aspect of it alone. I just bought new wheels for my 33 year old car. Just get some new tires for like $450 mounted and balanced and be done with it. Nobody has a crystal ball to tell you exactly when this car may need a major repair. I still see a lot of 20+ old Hondas and Toyota rolling around.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by vineviz »

I have Honda cars much older than yours and I would never buy a used tire.

New tires for your car should be less than $300, not including mounting and installation, which is a minuscule expense IMHO for a car with a trade-in value that could be $3k or more.
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cabfranc
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by cabfranc »

I have been unable to find four new tires for under $600 out the door. And these are brands I have never heard of, like Kelly and Delinte. Used tires can be gotten for like $250-300, but it is probalby not worth it.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by mrmass »

Good god Used tires. My 2006 Honda will need tired in 6 months, I'll get something from Costco.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by exodusNH »

cabfranc wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:38 pm I have been unable to find four new tires for under $600 out the door. And these are brands I have never heard of, like Kelly and Delinte. Used tires can be gotten for like $250-300, but it is probalby not worth it.
Like many other items, tires are suffering from COVID pricing.

Unless you're buying the tires from someone you know or have a trusted mechanic, this is not where I'd would look to economize. You would definitely not want retreads. Tires can also start dry rotting around 7 years. (Old tires were a factor in the death of Paul Walker.) If people routinely drove them improperly inflated, their life may be dramatically shorter.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by deikel »

try tires.com, enter your vehicle and list the tires by price, performance review ect until you find the right set

Depending on where you live consider winter tires year round

ship the tires to your house and then bring them to a reasonable place to have them mounted and balanced (say another 80)

I think you can do better then the 600, but its not outrages (assuming the tires are of any quality)
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Olemiss540 »

cabfranc wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:38 pm I have been unable to find four new tires for under $600 out the door. And these are brands I have never heard of, like Kelly and Delinte. Used tires can be gotten for like $250-300, but it is probalby not worth it.
Have you checked tirerack for materials pricing?
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Northern Flicker »

cabfranc wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:24 pm I have a 16 year old Honda Accord that needs new tires. I plan to keep this car until it no longer runs or needs a major repair, but realistically, how long will that be? Does it make sense to buy new tires as opposed to used ones? If I buy new tires that last 6 years I highly doubt I will be driving the car in six years. Does anyone have experience with used tires?
Don’t buy used tires.

Tires have treadwear ratings by their longevity in expected miles of service under ideal conditions. You can buy cheaper tires with a 20-25K mileage life, or expensive tires with a 40-65K mileage life. Actually service miles will usually be a little less than rating.

Riken is a tire brand that is good for a long in the tooth car. When major tire companies replace a tire model, they sometimes license the moulds to another company with a proviso they will not use them to produce long lasting tires. My understanding is that Riken has a business model of licensing these. This makes their tires comparable to premium, name brand tires for safety and handling, but cheaper and with a shorter lifespan.

Some of the highest performing Goodrich tires also have a shorter than average lifespan, but they are not at the low end of the price spectrum.

I had an older car that needed new tires, and Rikens were not available in the requisite size. I got some very highly rated General tires with a 30K treadwear rating that were comparatively inexpensive. I did not find the tires to be all that great, but they were serviceable of course. I no longer consider tirerack’s ratings to be particularly meaningful as a result of the experience.
Last edited by Northern Flicker on Mon May 23, 2022 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by vineviz »

cabfranc wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:38 pm I have been unable to find four new tires for under $600 out the door. And these are brands I have never heard of, like Kelly and Delinte. Used tires can be gotten for like $250-300, but it is probalby not worth it.
Discount Tire Direct lists Yokohama Avid Touring S tires as "in stock" in 195/65 R15 for $79.21 each with free shipping.

https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy- ... -s/p/40543

This might not be your exact size (they should fit a 2006 Accord SE) so verify.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by jmw »

I’d rather buy a new Chinese tire than a used Michelin. If you’re working remote and otherwise don’t drive much, get new Chinese tires and plan on replacing them at lower age and mileage than you normally expect. You don’t need to spend 600+ on premium new tires if you don’t drive much. I haven’t had any new tires last six years including premium new tires. Make sure you get an alignment if your car doesn’t drive straight after you get the new tires.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by 123 »

cabfranc wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:38 pm I have been unable to find four new tires for under $600 out the door...
I agree with others that this is likely a consequence of the COVID situation. It can be harder to accept higher prices on things that you purchase infrequently (like going to Disneyland after a 10-year hiatus). We just have to accept the higher price if lower cost alternatives are distasteful and "move on".
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by burritoLover »

Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Northern Flicker »

burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
I believe that virtually all of the safety enhancements to survive a crash in cars today were available and in use by 2006. I think newer cars have some technologies to help avoid a crash, if used properly.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by burritoLover »

Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:17 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
I believe that virtually all of the safety enhancements to survive a crash in cars today were available and in use by 2006. I think newer cars have some technologies to help avoid a crash, if used properly.
Um, no, technology does not remain static. A new car is vastly more safe than 16 year old car. Even safer than a 5 year old car just from crash structure, air bag, and other improvements.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Admiral »

Like the ad says, "so much is riding on your tires."

Skip a dinner out and buy new tires. TireRack will DEF have 4 tires for your car for less than $500 shipped. Kumhos are pretty cheap and decent. Falkens also. They get a little noisy after 7k miles.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by exodusNH »

burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
16 years only goes back to 2006. The basic safety features are there. Maybe a few airbags are missing and certainly no automatic breaking. But it's not like its 2000 and they're driving a car from 1984.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Admiral »

burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:28 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:17 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
I believe that virtually all of the safety enhancements to survive a crash in cars today were available and in use by 2006. I think newer cars have some technologies to help avoid a crash, if used properly.
Um, no, technology does not remain static. A new car is vastly more safe than 16 year old car. Even safer than a 5 year old car just from crash structure, air bag, and other improvements.
This is highly dependent on the car. I would put my 20 year old BMW 530 up against many, many new cars. Lots of airbags, DSC, anti-lock brakes, etc. Thing is a tank. True, it does not have lane departure nannies and no collision sensors/emergency braking (and no backup camera) but it was not unsafe by any measure. It also doesn't have autopilot, which IMO makes it more safe, not less so. 8-)
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Northern Flicker »

You could get radial snow tires and just don’t put studs in them. They won’t last long, but traction should be excellent.

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp? ... toModClar=
Last edited by Northern Flicker on Mon May 23, 2022 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by burritoLover »

exodusNH wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:32 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
16 years only goes back to 2006. The basic safety features are there. Maybe a few airbags are missing and certainly no automatic breaking. But it's not like its 2000 and they're driving a car from 1984.
That is like saying we had all the same basic medical technologies from 16 years ago so you are no better off today with medical tech as you are then. Every new generation of a car comes with improved crash safety. 3 full redesigns (in this case) represents a quantum leap in safety and crash survivability even though the safety feature list remains relatively the same.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by stevewolfe »

I upgraded my 1997 Corolla in the summer of 2008, with a 2009 model, for safety reasons. The car, despite 239k miles, still ran perfectly fine. That said, if I compare the IIHS safety results from my 2009 Corolla to a 2022 Corolla, there is modest improvement in the "Moderate overlap front" test group (1 score increased a grade) and in the "Side: Original test" group (1 score increased a grade).

Where the real difference shows up is in the additional "crashworthiness" categories that they can now grade such as crash avoidance and mitigation (2022 Corolla scores Acceptable and Marginal on headlights, Superior on front crash avoidance - both for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to pedestrian).

So for the features that existed in 2009, a 2022 Corolla is a marginal, incremental improvement in a small number of ratings (2 individual item ratings across 4 categories). However, the 2022 can be tested on more categories (crash avoidance) and this is where the additional safety value really lies, IMHO.

That said, I plan to keep my soon to be 14 year old car for a little while yet. My 1997 lacked things like ABS brakes, electronic stability control, etc. and it was worthwhile to upgrade to the 2009 to get those features. While the crash avoidance features are nice, I don't feel as compelled to upgrade because of those as I did previously. Perhaps I'm wrong... I'm also only driving it about 3,000 miles a year due to work from home.

Steve
Last edited by stevewolfe on Mon May 23, 2022 3:45 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by fyre4ce »

Tires are a very important part of the car. Except for aerodynamic forces, all the accelerating, braking, and cornering forces go through the four tire contact patch. Unless you're looking to sell the car imminently, go get a new set of high-quality tires and trim other areas of your budget if needed. Nice newish tires do increase the resale value of the car somewhat too.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by burritoLover »

Admiral wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:36 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:28 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:17 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
I believe that virtually all of the safety enhancements to survive a crash in cars today were available and in use by 2006. I think newer cars have some technologies to help avoid a crash, if used properly.
Um, no, technology does not remain static. A new car is vastly more safe than 16 year old car. Even safer than a 5 year old car just from crash structure, air bag, and other improvements.
This is highly dependent on the car. I would put my 20 year old BMW 530 up against many, many new cars. Lots of airbags, DSC, anti-lock brakes, etc. Thing is a tank. True, it does not have lane departure nannies and no collision sensors/emergency braking (and no backup camera) but it was not unsafe by any measure. It also doesn't have autopilot, which IMO makes it more safe, not less so. 8-)
It might have a pinnacle of safety 20-years ago but the implementation of that technology is far outdated even compared to a Kia midsize sedan now let alone things that don't show up in a safety feature list - like improvements in managing crash energy in the structure of the car.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by JupiterJones »

Tires are like underwear. Buying cheap isn't great, but it sure beats buying used.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by vineviz »

burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:28 pm Um, no, technology does not remain static. A new car is vastly more safe than 16 year old car. Even safer than a 5 year old car just from crash structure, air bag, and other improvements.
Has "vastly" become a synonym for "marginally" and no one told me?
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Northern Flicker »

Our 2005 car has crumple zones, dual side airbags front and back, reinforced door beams for T-bone protection, dual front air bags, computerized AWD with anti skid control, and anti-lock brakes. It also has a lower center of gravity than all of the SUV’s, trucks, and crossover vehicles sold today, so rollover risk is less than on many new vehicles.

It also lacks an inbound internet port listener that makes it theoretically possible for a hacker to find a vulnerability to connect to the network that controls the drivetrain and brakes on a new car. And it has less firmware that could be prone to safety-compromising bugs, and does not receive regular firmware updates that could introduce a safety bug. If software can address a safety issue, it also could cause one.
Last edited by Northern Flicker on Mon May 23, 2022 4:26 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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burritoLover
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by burritoLover »

stevewolfe wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:41 pm I upgraded my 1997 Corolla in the summer of 2008, with a 2009 model, for safety reasons. The car, despite 239k miles, still ran perfectly fine. That said, if I compare the IIHS safety results from my 2009 Corolla to a 2022 Corolla, there is modest improvement in the "Moderate overlap front" test group (1 score increased a grade) and in the "Side: Original test" group (1 score increased a grade).

Where the real difference shows up is in the additional "crashworthiness" categories that they can now grade such as crash avoidance and mitigation (2022 Corolla scores Acceptable and Marginal on headlights, Superior on front crash avoidance - both for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to pedestrian).

So for the features that existed in 2009, a 2022 Corolla is a marginal, incremental improvement in a small number of ratings (2 individual item ratings across 4 categories). However, the 2022 can be tested on more categories (crash avoidance) and this is where the additional safety value really lies, IMHO.

That said, I plan to keep my soon to be 14 year old car for a little while yet. My 1997 lacked things like ABS brakes, electronic stability control, etc. and it was worthwhile to upgrade to the 2009 to get those features. While the crash avoidance features are nice, I don't feel as compelled to upgrade because of those as I did previously. Perhaps I'm wrong... I'm also only driving it about 3,000 miles a year due to work from home.

Steve
You can't compare IIHS tests from a 2009 to a 2022 model - there wasn't a small overlap test in 2009 and they've changes speeds and evaluation criteria for the existing tests over the years.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by UALflyer »

Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:03 pm You can buy cheaper tires with a 20-25K mileage life, or expensive tires with a 40-65K mileage life.
It'll frequently be the exact opposite.

There is more to tire quality than its longevity. In general terms, the tires that offer the best handling, control, and grip will also wear out the fastest, as the way that they achieve superior performance is by using the softest compounds. There is a reason, for instance, that race car tires wear out so quickly. The corollary to the above is that the longest lasting tires tend to prioritize longevity by sacrificing handling, control and grip.

So, in general, I actually tend to stay away from all tires with the longest mileage warranties (you should actually be comparing their UTQG specs, while keeping in mind that different manufacturers may calculate their specs differently), as the sacrifices in their handling, control and grip tend to be too much for my taste. Having said that, how long a tire lasts is a function not just of the compound and the rotation, but also your specific vehicle and your driving. On some vehicles, however, tires just wear out quickly.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by exodusNH »

burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:39 pm
exodusNH wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:32 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:10 pm Amazing people drive around in 16 year old death traps that probably could otherwise afford a new car (assuming here since this is Bogleheads) and then consider putting used tires on the car no less. New cars are money traps but 16 years is a massive increase crash safety - you could potentially walk away from one crash in a new car that would kill you in the older car. it is kind of like opting out on an MRI when your doctor thinks you need one because you want to save a few bucks.
16 years only goes back to 2006. The basic safety features are there. Maybe a few airbags are missing and certainly no automatic breaking. But it's not like its 2000 and they're driving a car from 1984.
That is like saying we had all the same basic medical technologies from 16 years ago so you are no better off today with medical tech as you are then. Every new generation of a car comes with improved crash safety. 3 full redesigns (in this case) represents a quantum leap in safety and crash survivability even though the safety feature list remains relatively the same.
It depends on the medical procedure you're talking about. I had an appendectomy 17 years ago. I suspect that there is no difference in technique, except that they would no long send you home with fistfuls of opiates.

Crash survivability of a 2006 vs. 2022 aren't that different. The basics simply haven't changed. There hasn't been some new metallurgy technique that has been invented. We didn't just discover crumple zones. Most of the benefits over that period of time have to do with driver assistance features, not fundamental safety.

I would much rather be driving a 2006 vehicle in 2022 than a 1984 vehicle in 2000.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

If you can verify the date code before even going to look at used tires, you can do really well with used tires. All tires have a 4 digit code. First 2 digits are week number of the year they were manufactured, second 2 numbers are last 2 numbers in the year. Decide for yourself how old you're willing to accept and ask sellers for this number. I've picked up same year or one year old tires for 1/4 the price new and picked up tires on wheels for not much more. People often change cars and the old tires or wheels don't fit and they just want them out of their garage.

There's no reason to think your "just broken in" Honda is near death. When my older son got his permit, I bought a 91 Honda CRX for him to learn in, then drive. This was in 2012. I did the required maintenance on the car and it was awesome. Remember that for teenagers, the number of morons that can fit in a car increase the amount of risk. Since only one moron fits in that car, its only near miss was a "deer in the headlights" on a narrow, twisty back road near my house. He was able to threshold brake and steer around the deer because his dad (me) who taught racecar drivers for a dozen years taught him how to do that.
Last edited by Jack FFR1846 on Mon May 23, 2022 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Northern Flicker »

burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:54 pm You can't compare IIHS tests from a 2009 to a 2022 model - there wasn't a small overlap test in 2009 and they've changes speeds and evaluation criteria for the existing tests over the years.
Then how do you know which are safer?
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Northern Flicker »

UALflyer wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:55 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:03 pm You can buy cheaper tires with a 20-25K mileage life, or expensive tires with a 40-65K mileage life.
It'll frequently be the exact opposite.

There is more to tire quality than its longevity. In general terms, the tires that offer the best handling, control, and grip will also wear out the fastest, as the way that they achieve superior performance is by using the softest compounds.
Yes, but higher speed rated tires are not cheaper as you noted. If you hold the speed rating constant and/or specifically stick to the tire speed rating spec for the car, my posting applies, and offers a way to find cheaper tires. Snow tires also have softer compounds and more open treads that lead to a much shorter life.
Last edited by Northern Flicker on Mon May 23, 2022 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
mega317
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by mega317 »

I'd like to see some data behind this little safety back and forth.

Best I could find in 5 minutes on Google is this study from NHTSA https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/proceedin ... 000291.PDF which is unfortunately rather old. But they estimated lives saved by safety features overall and from 2006 until 2012 (the final year of the study) that number actually went down. Suggests that there wasn't much benefit from additional safety features after 2006. Would love to see something more recent.
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by livesoft »

I bought a used tire. It was perfect in every way.

I have received cash for used tires off my car from Discount Tire. Why do used tires appear on the market?

Consider this: Suppose an AWD vehicle owner has one tire damaged after only 2500 miles on the car. When they replace the damaged tire, they decide to get a set of 4 matching tires, so 3 nearly new tires are valuable and have to go somewhere. Those 3 tires become used tires for sale.

Or instead of getting 4 new matching tires, the Subaru owner with one damaged tire finds one tire that matches their 3 good tires. Maybe that one tire came from another Subaru owner who decided to give up 3 great tires and bought 4 new tires.

Basically, used tires for sale are not some 15 year-old worn out tires.
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galawdawg
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by galawdawg »

I second the Discount Tire recommendation. You should be able to get four (4) new tires installed for under $300 out the door. They include lifetime rotation and balancing.
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ClevrChico
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by ClevrChico »

I was in a similar situation and bought Douglas tires from Wal-Mart. They're made by Goodyear and surprisingly good.
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burritoLover
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by burritoLover »

Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:56 pm
burritoLover wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:54 pm You can't compare IIHS tests from a 2009 to a 2022 model - there wasn't a small overlap test in 2009 and they've changes speeds and evaluation criteria for the existing tests over the years.
Then how do you know which are safer?
Easy - when the small overlap test was first run on a Corolla it was in 2014 and it was ranked as "Marginal" with the "Structure and Safety Cage" rated as "Poor". In 2022, it is good across the board. So even in only 8 years, the improvement was dramatic.
Hoosier CPA
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Hoosier CPA »

Bought tires for my 09 Altima with 190k from discount tire for around $500. Goodyear - very good tires. I never skimp on tires and brake parts and I drive a lot. Not as old as your car but at those miles still one major repair away from scrap.

I don't have concerns with an 09 from a safety standpoint but I understand that many on here do, and I respect that.
Last edited by Hoosier CPA on Mon May 23, 2022 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
johnny
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by johnny »

I tried used tires once. Not again.

Just put a new pair of General's on my 2009 Odyssey. Drives great. Safe. Given the age of the car, no idea how long they will be needed. But why risk your safety with used tires?
exodusNH
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by exodusNH »

mega317 wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 4:00 pm I'd like to see some data behind this little safety back and forth.

Best I could find in 5 minutes on Google is this study from NHTSA https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/proceedin ... 000291.PDF which is unfortunately rather old. But they estimated lives saved by safety features overall and from 2006 until 2012 (the final year of the study) that number actually went down. Suggests that there wasn't much benefit from additional safety features after 2006. Would love to see something more recent.
There's also evidence that the more safety features you add to a thing, the more people rely on those features than being careful. Cars handle so well at 80 mph that people fail to recognize how much more energy they have at that speed. At 80 mph, you've got more than twice the kinetic energy as at 55 mph.
bloom2708
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by bloom2708 »

I bought a car that had Douglas tires. They worked fine and were quiet. Walmart Tire Center is a good place to start.

I would just look on the lower end of the spectrum. Milestar MS 932 is another lower end brand I have used in the past.
mega317
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by mega317 »

exodusNH wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 4:16 pm There's also evidence that the more safety features you add to a thing, the more people rely on those features than being careful.
And I'd believe that after being in a Tesla for the first time last week (Uber). Scary. I'll allow that it's possible the ride would have been scarier with the same driver in a different car....
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Watty
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Watty »

cabfranc wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:24 pm Does it make sense to buy new tires as opposed to used ones?
Keep in mind that the savings may not be as much as you hope since you will still need to pay to have the tires installed and balanced. For example if you can find used tires that are half the price of new tires then the out the door price with the installation fees included will be more than 50% of the final new tire price.

One option to consider is that since this is not an all wheel drive car then you may be able to just replace 2 tires instead of all 4 and keep the two best tires. Back when I was on a tighter budget I did that lots of times.
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InvestorHowie
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by InvestorHowie »

I've had good experiences with Discount Tire and Tire Rack. Noticed that Sam's has Goodyear's on sale - $456 for the set which seems reasonable to me.

I'm rolling in a 17-year old Toyota 4Runner and still love it but never skimp on tires or motor oil. No shame in getting the cheapest tire available that has decent ratings though.
Time is your friend; impulse is your enemy. --John C. Bogle
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MortgageOnBlack
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by MortgageOnBlack »

My Honda Civic is 31 years old (1991). I have about 3 years on the tires I bought new.
I am trying to justify replacing it, but it just keeps on running and has been a great reliable car. I think my insurance on it is $30 a month and I feel it could take it Cross Country in a moment's notice without having an issues.
InvestorHowie wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 4:23 pm I'm rolling in a 17-year old Toyota 4Runner and still love it but never skimp on tires or motor oil. No shame in getting the cheapest tire available that has decent ratings though.
My wife and I are trying to justify buying a 4runner new eventually. The sticker price of a new one is hard to bare, but I don't think we will ever need an SUV again.
Last edited by MortgageOnBlack on Mon May 23, 2022 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
UALflyer
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by UALflyer »

Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:59 pm
UALflyer wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:55 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 3:03 pm You can buy cheaper tires with a 20-25K mileage life, or expensive tires with a 40-65K mileage life.
It'll frequently be the exact opposite.

There is more to tire quality than its longevity. In general terms, the tires that offer the best handling, control, and grip will also wear out the fastest, as the way that they achieve superior performance is by using the softest compounds.
Yes, but higher speed rated tires are not cheaper as you noted. If you hold the speed rating constant and/or specifically stick to the tire speed rating spec for the car, my posting applies, and offers a way to find cheaper tires.
That's incorrect or at least highly misleading. Once again, most of the time, at the same speed rating, the tires with the lowest mileage warranty or no mileage warranty at all, will be more expensive than the tires with the longest mileage warranty.

Making highly, highly, highly durable tires is relatively expensive. Softer compounds that offer greater grip and handling are both significantly more expensive and wear out much faster. What you may be seeing is that softer compounds offer greater performance, which naturally means that they come with higher speed ratings.
Chardo
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Re: Tires for 16 year old car

Post by Chardo »

Used tires are good for playgrounds and boat docks.

Buy new tires. They're not terribly expensive. And if your car dies before you hope, you can sell the tires.
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