I'd be concerned running the kids around in a potential death trap...
http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_advice/car_fact_sheets/tyres
Can a tyre be too old?
Car tyres can deteriorate with age. A tyre that?s been sitting in the spare wheel well for years, even though it?s never been used and has plenty of tread could be ready for retirement.
Heat, sunlight, ozone and other environmental conditions can all cause deterioration of the rubber compounds. In service this can lead to tyre failures.
Some industry experts suggest that worn out or not, a tyre may have passed its useful life after about five years, however this is not recognized in law.
A production date code is usually moulded into the tyre sidewall. Consult a reputable dealer for further advice on interpreting this code
This is something we see through our workshop on a
daily basis....
It makes me shake my head just how many folk are out there driving around on bald, unroadworthy and dangerous tyres...and also with child car seats in the back.
You'd be amazed how many are driving around with;
a) a flat/extremely under-inflated spare tyre in the boot
b) no spare tyre in the boot
c) the wrong sized wheel nut spanner for their wheel nuts.
d) no jack, no wheel spanner, no RACV membership as well
e) all four tyres on the car waaay under-inflated (they can't use one of those "air thingies" at the servo, or they never check them and leave it to the mechanic who does the servicing
, which would be good except for;
f) car is at least 30,000km's overdue for it's last service - which means it hasn't been serviced in 40,000km's at least.
All this while having tyres on the car down to the steel belts showing.
And of course; they want to get really good, safe, high grip, 100,000km lifespan tyres, all for under $100 each and "does that include a wheel alignment?"
Another thing we often see is the Nanna whose car is old, does no miles, but the tyres are perishing from UV and old age - not wearing out from use.
And finally; "It's only a trailer!" comment when they get a puncture and want to put a cheap-@rsed second hand tyre on, because the trailer is 50 years old, rusted to hell, bearings are stuffed, only gets used once or twice a year and isn't worth spending any money on....which is fine until it - or a wheel - flies off the car and kills someone, because they put crap passenger rated tyres on it and then go and load it up with 2 tonnes of sand or bricks etc.
We once had a lady drive in because she could hear a noise under the car, and wanted us to see what it was...all four tyres were dangerous - steel belts flapping on the road...
I said "You need 4 tyres
now." (she had baby seats in the back)
She said; "I have to pay for my daughter's birthday party...I'll get them the week after next".
WTF? get a priority. The child (and her) might not make it to the party.
Guess how overdue it also was for a service?
I
almost said' "You really need to have these tyres replaced
right now, and if you can't afford it, you can pay me later"
But, I have done this several times already for folks who are short of cash, or broke, and have been burned - they more often than not never pay, or take over a year or more to pay - so no more.
