Factors That Affect the Age of Your Tires

Some people don’t mind the age of their car tires. If you drive almost 12,000 to 15,000 miles every year, you know that you will have to replace the tires next time. It’s expected that they’ll get worn out after 3 to 4 years. Even though you take your car out for a spin only on weekends and drive only 6,000 miles every year, the aging tires can still cause trouble for you. Car owners must know there are two kinds of tires that are risky to use – the ones that are aging and the ones that are seldom used.

The Aging Tires

A tire is like a rubber band. If you try to stretch a rubber band that’s old, you’ll notice cracks on its surface. This is exactly what happens to tires. If they run old, cracks begin to appear on both their surface and inner side. These cracks can separate the steel belts in the tread from the rest of the tire.

How Long Do Tires Last on Average

According to rubber manufacturers, there’s no easy way of putting an expiration date on a tire. That’s because there are factors like storage, the condition of use, and heat that reduce the useful life of tires. Let’s take a look at how each factor affects a tire:

1. Heat

The fact about tires is that they age faster in hotter climates. Then, there are supporting factors that hasten the aging process of tires, like coastal climates and exposure to sunlight. This makes it necessary for the people who live in warmer states to replace their tires well before they cause a problem.

2. Storage

All the spare tires and the ones that are lying unused in a shop or your garage are risky to use. The thing is, when you carry a spare tire in the back of your trunk, it’s like baking it in an oven. That just makes a spare tire riskier than the one mounted on your car, even if it hasn’t been used. The unused tire will age slowly, but it will age nonetheless.

3. The Condition of Use

This is all about the kind of treatment a tire receives. Do you make sure it’s always inflated? Has the tire hit the curb many times? Aside from all that, the extent to which you use your car will also determine how quickly or slowly the tires will age. If you drive your car only on the weekends, its tires will have a different aging pattern than the ones that are driven every single day on the highway.

Quality tires will cost you money, especially when you include the cost of mounting and balancing. That makes car owners buy used tires, which is very risky. A tire that is only one-year-old can be dangerous if it’s not properly maintained. If you’re unsure about the condition of your tires, it’s always better to get them checked instead of waiting for them to cause a problem. Contact Car Guys Auto Center today and find out if your tires need replacing.  We are located at 32639 Groesbeck Hwy. Fraser, MI 48026 and we can be reached at (586) 285-4444. 

Whether you’re looking for a cheap tire or one to last, Car Guys Auto Center has got you covered. Some of our inventory and tire selection, with pricing and more, is available online:

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