Just gave the Gov't £80 to waste!

HI All

Just changed all of the "apparently" near perfect tyres on my Warwick Duo, 2011. Young guy in the tyre shop was near to tears!

The originals, it has only done 14kmiles, as fitted by Peugeot presumably when the thing was built were "light van" tyres, can't remember the make.

As I say they were visually perfect, but as strong adherent to the fact that you only have 4 tiny footprints between you and the tar, I took the safe option and changed them.

Got Michelin Agilas Camping tyres, also marked mud and snow.

Now here's the interesting bit, if there is one.................

Knowing that these are not common tyres, 10,000 Escort tyres must be sold for every one of these, I insisted to the tyre company that I'd not accept any made before week 25/2017. He called Michelin and the first offered were more or less 2 yrs old!!. So, he was left in no doubt that I wouldn't accept any made after week 25/17. He clearly heard me and called me back to say he had bought 4 for me, made week 48/17, all good.

The point being, I changed the originals as they were 7 yrs old, as seems to be recommended nowadays. I intend to keep this truck for 4 more years. I didn't want the new owner (poss me if I change my mind) to be having tyres 2 yrs older than they really were!

So, now my 2 long haul trips this year should be trouble free, and I can sleep at night.

Total cost, incl fit, balance, new valves, disposal of the oldies.............£480, as I said, another £80 in VAT for the gov't to waste!!

I once had an advisory because of a tax disc slightly on the swept area of the screen even though the instruction stated ..... bottom left of windscreen...  Anyone with common sense would have removed it or ignored it.... wouldn't they?
Wholeheartedly agree about the tyres, they used to just measure the tread.
Rich..

Do you feel better now?

I expect you know already the manufacture date is stamped on the side of the tyre.

Yes Don!

Certainly do know about the tyre date, hence the post actually. My last MH Froggie 1, was 1991, and I checked the tyre dates, and found one was 16yrs old!. Now I have become a little more alert.

My MOT man (who had nothing to gain as he doesn't sell tyres) told me of an accident recently with a tyre blow out, the police checked the tyre date and found it was 20yrs old.

IanH wrote:HI All

Just changed all of the "apparently" near perfect tyres on my Warwick Duo, 2011. Young guy in the tyre shop was near to tears!

The originals, it has only done 14kmiles, as fitted by Peugeot presumably when the thing was built were "light van" tyres, can't remember the make.

As I say they were visually perfect, but as strong adherent to the fact that you only have 4 tiny footprints between you and the tar, I took the safe option and changed them.

Got Michelin Agilas Camping tyres, also marked mud and snow.

Now here's the interesting bit, if there is one.................

Knowing that these are not common tyres, 10,000 Escort tyres must be sold for every one of these, I insisted to the tyre company that I'd not accept any made before week 25/2017. He called Michelin and the first offered were more or less 2 yrs old!!. So, he was left in no doubt that I wouldn't accept any made after week 25/17. He clearly heard me and called me back to say he had bought 4 for me, made week 48/17, all good.

The point being, I changed the originals as they were 7 yrs old, as seems to be recommended nowadays. I intend to keep this truck for 4 more years. I didn't want the new owner (poss me if I change my mind) to be having tyres 2 yrs older than they really were!

So, now my 2 long haul trips this year should be trouble free, and I can sleep at night.

Total cost, incl fit, balance, new valves, disposal of the oldies.............£480, as I said, another £80 in VAT for the gov't to waste!!

I am glad you had the sense to make sure when your tyres were made, I didn't and on checking one of the Michelin I had put on my last van, I found one was 2 years old. So after getting the regional manager involved they agreed to swop it out, I got some strange looks from the tyre centre, but didn't let it bother me. The strange thing was I had to remove the wheels to check the date, as it was only marked on one side of the tyre wall.

I will not make the same mistake again, although they tried to flog me off that shelf life does not effect the tyre as they are coated with I think he said silicon, well he would say that.
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Richard

rgermain wrote:
I will not make the same mistake again, although they tried to flog me off that shelf life does not effect the tyre as they are coated with I think he said silicon, well he would say that.

You know there must be a reason why the DOT requires the manufactured date to be shown on the tyre.

I think shelf life more likely to be an issue on a motorhome than the average commercial van.

The point being that the date on the tyre is the manufacturing date, not the date it was installed onto the vehicle. Richard was correct to check and proves my point that one of his was 2yrs old.

This raises another point, re shelf life. The tyres may well be coated with some silicon compound but that is not enough IMHO. Aircraft tyres, part of my background, are stored in very controlled conditions and are usually also part inflated. I appreciate that's not going to happen with car and van tyres, but the storage conditions must be controlled.

Even if we accept tyres which have been in long storage, the fact remains that they should be changed after 7 years, if they're 2 yrs old to start with that's only an available life of 5 years.

Finally I think it absurd that this important date isn't on both sides of the tyre. How could you check a dual wheel for example?

I'm with you I never scrimp on tyres they are the only thing in contact with the road. Unfortunately too many leisure vehicle accidents appear to be the result of the tyres.

At least you can motor without the worry.

IanH wrote:The point being that the date on the tyre is the manufacturing date, not the date it was installed onto the vehicle. Richard was correct to check and proves my point that one of his was 2yrs old.

This raises another point, re shelf life. The tyres may well be coated with some silicon compound but that is not enough IMHO. Aircraft tyres, part of my background, are stored in very controlled conditions and are usually also part inflated. I appreciate that's not going to happen with car and van tyres, but the storage conditions must be controlled.

Even if we accept tyres which have been in long storage, the fact remains that they should be changed after 7 years, if they're 2 yrs old to start with that's only an available life of 5 years.

Finally I think it absurd that this important date isn't on both sides of the tyre. How could you check a dual wheel for example?

Yes real crazy not to have date on both sides of the tyre wall, just checked my new van with Bridgestone tyres and all had date on O/S wall, not going to look on the I/S. ( all had same date of 2 months before van was imported, then it stood around at A/S etc. till I bought it new 12 months later.

What did surprise me was the Tyre fitter asked me if I wanted the old Michelin tyres at 7 years old and 16k as I would have no problem in selling them online with usual auction site. I declined his offer.
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Richard

Richard

I rather suspect, but don't know, that mine will be re-purposed!

Main thing is its all done now and I can relax. We're doing at least 2 long trips this year, next month through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and France, Sep both the Spanish and French Pyrenees. Mostly in out of the way and remote places. I prefer to sleep at night!

IanH wrote:HI All

Just changed all of the "apparently" near perfect tyres on my Warwick Duo, 2011. Young guy in the tyre shop was near to tears!

Got Michelin Agilas Camping tyres, also marked mud and snow.

A chap i used to work with worked at Michelin ('the Mich' as it's known locally). He told me the processes used making new tyres....but i'd best not tell you otherwise you will be the one near to tears!

I doubt your old tyres are land fill they would would have been sold on at a good price to  part worn dealer, so you can add the tyre disposal fee to your money wasted sum.

IanH wrote:Richard

I rather suspect, but don't know, that mine will be re-purposed!

Main thing is its all done now and I can relax. We're doing at least 2 long trips this year, next month through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and France, Sep both the Spanish and French Pyrenees. Mostly in out of the way and remote places. I prefer to sleep at night!

IanH,

That is exactly the same reason I changed the tyres on our then Topaz, peace of mind during or trip to the South of France. I don't look at it as money wasted as I didn't want any issues while on the toll roads.

Just hope I don't meet the van with my old tyres on while I am near it!

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Richard

Richard

Having read the comments above re "recycling", exactly the same thought occurred to me!!
Should this, unfortunately happen, I'll be out of the drivers door like a ferret and be checking made by dates!!!. You, really, wouldn't want to be in the offending vehicle!

Thanks 
Ian