Is it neglectful for a dealer to sell a car on 7y/o tyres?
Is it neglectful for a dealer to sell a car on 7y/o tyres?
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DOCG

Original Poster:

717 posts

82 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
I went to see a car recently and the tyres were dated as being from 2015 on the sidewall, although they were in good condition in terms of tread, etc. The car had clearly been garaged, but MOT history also showed that the car had hardly been driven at all in the last 7 years.

As far as I know, after 5 years tyres start to deteriorate, this was one of the primary causes of the Paul Walker crash.

Is this neglectful or am I overthinking it?

ChocolateFrog

34,954 posts

201 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
Depends partly on the value of the car.

At best they'll put the very cheapest tyres they can on it, which probably won't be any better.

It's unlikely it'll been through much retail prep with 7 year old tyres on.

davebem

747 posts

205 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
If its UK, the dealer would only be concerned that it passed MOT? e.g. tyre depth tread, even wear and the sidewalls arnt damaged/perished. I suppose it depends a little on what kind of car it was, Paul walker was in a 400hp Porsche doing over 100 mph, if the car is a 60hp fiat 500 then its not so much an issue (as long as the tyres are in good condition?). You could try and do a deal with them and get them replaced.

DOCG

Original Poster:

717 posts

82 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
Depends partly on the value of the car.

At best they'll put the very cheapest tyres they can on it, which probably won't be any better.

It's unlikely it'll been through much retail prep with 7 year old tyres on.
It was quite a high value car, and a sports cars on low profile tyres so new ones aren't the cheapest to buy.

DOCG

Original Poster:

717 posts

82 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
davebem said:
If its UK, the dealer would only be concerned that it passed MOT? e.g. tyre depth tread, even wear and the sidewalls arnt damaged/perished. I suppose it depends a little on what kind of car it was, Paul walker was in a 400hp Porsche doing over 100 mph, if the car is a 60hp fiat 500 then its not so much an issue (as long as the tyres are in good condition?). You could try and do a deal with them and get them replaced.
The car passed an MOT with no advisories.

The car wasn't quite a Carrera GT but definitely not a Fiat 500 either.

davek_964

11,152 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
I bought a car once with very old tyres on it. Handled like a shopping trolley, so I bought new ones.

At no point have I ever considered that the dealer was neglectful. In fact, for various reasons he's the best dealer I've ever dealt with.

The car is perfectly legal. If you don't like it because of the tyres, don't buy it.

bennno

15,133 posts

297 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
DOCG said:
I went to see a car recently and the tyres were dated as being from 2015 on the sidewall, although they were in good condition in terms of tread, etc. The car had clearly been garaged, but MOT history also showed that the car had hardly been driven at all in the last 7 years.

As far as I know, after 5 years tyres start to deteriorate, this was one of the primary causes of the Paul Walker crash.

Is this neglectful or am I overthinking it?
Depends on the car and if you intend to thrash it at 90 mph through car parks with large immovable trees.

I've driven the backside off my morgan 4/4 on 12 year old tyres that showed no wear, I swapped them for new tyres this year and its levels of grip are not discernibly different.


Edited by bennno on Thursday 10th November 18:14

ZX10R NIN

30,419 posts

153 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
In a word no it's not, now if your buying the car & not happy then negotiate with the dealer.
I'm sure you'd come to a sensible compromise.

Sheepshanks

40,504 posts

147 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
DOCG said:
As far as I know, after 5 years tyres start to deteriorate,
Surely they start to deteriorate from the moment they're made?

Pica-Pica

16,431 posts

112 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
I would want new tyres on it. The advantage here is that you can put what ever you think suits the car, UHP summers, all seasons, winter. In some respect wanting new tyres gives you a completely free hand, rather than does half-worn tyres. The only question is, who pays?

NMNeil

5,860 posts

78 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
DOCG said:
I went to see a car recently and the tyres were dated as being from 2015 on the sidewall, although they were in good condition in terms of tread, etc. The car had clearly been garaged, but MOT history also showed that the car had hardly been driven at all in the last 7 years.

As far as I know, after 5 years tyres start to deteriorate, this was one of the primary causes of the Paul Walker crash.
No, driving at 100mph on the street was the primary cause.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/03/paul-...


Louis Balfour

28,176 posts

250 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
DOCG said:
I went to see a car recently and the tyres were dated as being from 2015 on the sidewall, although they were in good condition in terms of tread, etc. The car had clearly been garaged, but MOT history also showed that the car had hardly been driven at all in the last 7 years.

As far as I know, after 5 years tyres start to deteriorate, this was one of the primary causes of the Paul Walker crash.

Is this neglectful or am I overthinking it?
There is no law against it. .

I went back to a dealer earlier this year because I found that the front tyres were older than I thought they should be. They changed them without question. It was a fairly high value and high performance car though.

fflump

3,374 posts

66 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
DOCG said:
ChocolateFrog said:
Depends partly on the value of the car.

At best they'll put the very cheapest tyres they can on it, which probably won't be any better.

It's unlikely it'll been through much retail prep with 7 year old tyres on.
It was quite a high value car, and a sports cars on low profile tyres so new ones aren't the cheapest to buy.
4 decent brand low profile tyres could wipe out a hefty chunk of a dealer's margin.
Tyres do not have an expiry date so the dealer is not being neglectful. It is relatively easy to see if the rubber is perishing by looking for small cracks on the sidewall (any big cracks will result in an MoT failure if inspected properly).

That said, 7 year old tyres can be substantially older than that. They can be fitted as new up to 5 years after the manufacture date (week and year of manufacture is stamped on the sidewall).



sixor8

8,388 posts

296 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
I've seen cars at classic auctions recently with tyres over 20 years old, that had recently passed a MoT test. eek Legal, but the amount of grip would be suspect I expect, they go hard with age.

If a car is 99% of the time garaged, the tyres will last much longer before cracking / perishing, UV light has an accelerated degrading effect on them. They recently passed a law putting a tyre life limit on PSV and HGVs but car tyres, no.

CraigyMc

18,365 posts

264 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
Obviously not car related, but a truck or bus won't pass an MOT with front tyres over 10 years old.

If I was emperor it'd be all vehicles and all tyres, but that's just me.

Pica-Pica

16,431 posts

112 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
fflump said:
That said, 7 year old tyres can be substantially older than that. They can be fitted as new up to 5 years after the manufacture date (week and year of manufacture is stamped on the sidewall).
How can 7 year old tyres be older than the date on them?

CraigyMc

18,365 posts

264 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
fflump said:
That said, 7 year old tyres can be substantially older than that. They can be fitted as new up to 5 years after the manufacture date (week and year of manufacture is stamped on the sidewall).
How can 7 year old tyres be older than the date on them?
They can't.

It's common for people not to know that tyres have their manufacture date on the sidewall though.

Pica-Pica

16,431 posts

112 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
CraigyMc said:
Pica-Pica said:
fflump said:
That said, 7 year old tyres can be substantially older than that. They can be fitted as new up to 5 years after the manufacture date (week and year of manufacture is stamped on the sidewall).
How can 7 year old tyres be older than the date on them?
They can't.

It's common for people not to know that tyres have their manufacture date on the sidewall though.
I know that, you know that, it seems flump has some confusion or mis-typing.

HustleRussell

26,399 posts

188 months

Thursday 10th November 2022
quotequote all
IMO you’re being ridiculous OP but that’s just my opinion.

DOCG

Original Poster:

717 posts

82 months

Friday 11th November 2022
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
IMO you’re being ridiculous OP but that’s just my opinion.
May I ask why you think so?