Age of tires from the

[monnieh]

There has been a lot of questions regarding the age of some of the tires you can get during this great sale.

I found this on Michelin's website:

"How do I know how old my tires are?
Each tire has a required Department of Transportation number imprinted on at least one of its sidewalls. That number begins with the letters "DOT" and may contain up to 12 additional numbers and letters.

The first and the last digits are the most important for the tire owner. The first 2 letters/numbers identify the manufacturer of the tires. Prior to the year 2000, the last 3 digits of a DOT number represented the week (2 digits) and the year (1 digit) of production.

For example, if the last three digits are 439, the tire was produced in the 43rd week of 1999. Tires produced after January 1, 2000 have a 4-digit date code at the end of the DOT number. The first 2 digits represent the week of production and the last 2 digits represent the last 2 digits of the year of production. So, 3500 as the last 4 numbers indicates that the tire was produced in the 35th week of the year 2000."


I thought it might be helpful if everybody that has purchased these low price tires posted their tire's production date:

Mine front's where made in 2000 and my rears where made in 2001. When were your's produced?

 

[ruckdr]

monnieh,
Thanks for the useful information. I had 4 new Pilot Sports (18")delivered to my door on 12/17/2002 (last month). I bought them form JonB - Parts Rack.
Fronts: 1601, 1901 (April, May, 2001)
Rears: 0801, 0801 (Feb. 2001)

Later,

 

[monnieh]

OK went and got the exact numbers off my tires:

fronts 48th week of 2000 (both)
rears 49th week for one and 51st week for the other, both of 2001

I guess that is not bad. I spoke with the fellow I bought them from today and his customer service after the sale I would have to rate as "completely DISSATISFIED". His customer service when I was buying them was "completely satisfied". Maybe he was just having a bad day. Unfortunately the impression I got after talking to him on the phone today was, "I sold you the stuff and now I don't care".

His best offer to resolve my request was to sell me a second set from a batch of 1998's he just got in on a pallet? ***?!?

Buyer beware, you might get a set of 5 year old tires.

 

[JonB]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ruckdr:
...I had 4 new Pilot Sports (18")delivered to my door on 12/17/2002 (last month). I bought them from JonB - Parts Rack.
Fronts: 1601, 1901 (April, May, 2001)
Rears: 0801, 0801 (Feb. 2001)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

All of our TIRE WAR TIRES are pallet-loads of 1st-run Michelin, written-warranty tires, with build dates late 00 thru late 01. Michelin stated that they should be considered as new.....NO BLEMS. These are C-1 OEm tires.

Exception / clarification: Back in October I sold 30+ sets of 17" MXX-3s, the last tires availaable from Michelin. These 17" were all 1998 tires, Nov 98 to be exact. Michelin warrants them as well. These 5-year Olds I'd PREFER to 2002 SPORTS !

 

[jrkermode]

I may have started this age issue and I want to apologize.

In my original post I was guessing that the tires were old and that's why they were cheap (clearing out old stock).

I then tried to explain that age may be a concern for the performance fanatics (a few have been known to visit this site!). I was not trying to scare anyone away from the tires.

For street use, even high performance street use, these discount tires are fine.

For the performance fanatics, you want to start with the freshest possible tires (no more than a few months old) and toss them after about 5 heat cycles.

 

[monnieh]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by monnieh:
I spoke with the fellow I bought them from today and his customer service after the sale I would have to rate as "completely DISSATISFIED". Maybe he was just having a bad day. Unfortunately the impression I got after talking to him on the phone today was, "I sold you the stuff and now I don't care".

His best offer to resolve my request was to sell me a second set from a batch of 1998's he just got in on a pallet? ***?!?

Buyer beware, you might get a set of 5 year old tires.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just was working with a friend of mine today on my Viper and he said he had the same bad experince with this same fellow. I guess this joker was not just having a bad day but is not a good person to buy from.

If you need to buy tires I WOULD NOT buy from this buisiness owner. HIS CUSTOMER SERVICE AFTER THE SALE IS HORRIBLE.

 

[malcoll]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by monnieh:

If you need to buy tires I WOULD NOT buy from this buisiness owner. HIS CUSTOMER SERVICE AFTER THE SALE IS HORRIBLE.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>How can I make sure I don't buy from this business owner... if you don't tell us who you are referring to?

Please tell us who you bought from and gave you poor customer service.

Thanks in advance,
Lance

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I bought some in early November last year.

Fronts 3501 & 1801
Rears 1001 & 1501

Michelin warranty.....6 years from these dates whether used or not.

Steve

 

[Skip White]

I have noticed that when the tires are two and a half years old or more they become, VERY HARD AND SLIPPERY. I bought several sets of the Michelins and the luckiest I got was a 49th week of 01. Then I bought another set and they 50th week of 00.

Let me say this, I don't think there is much to worry about if the tires have been stored inside a warehouse. I think it is the ozone in the air that attacks the tire, and the ozone level inside a warehouse is very low compared to outside. I don't know why that is. I would think it would be the same, just as the oxygen and nitrogen levels are much the same inside as outside. This may keep the tire in good shape much longer. I can positively state that three year old tires that have been outside on the car are junk, when it comes to traction and ride quality. I have wrapped my four new pilots with shrink wrap and then put a few small holes in the middle to let out moisture or just incase they need to breath. I don't really know. One more thing I have noticed about old tires, is they seem to wear out much faster. You would think that when they become hard as they age, that they would be more resistant to wear. I guess the hardness would be more like a sort of, "rotting" of the natural rubber they have in them.

 

[GTS Dean]

Lots of different brands of 'tire grip restorer' compound. While some are probably better than others, they're all better than rubber tires with nothing on them but age. I'm gonna buy a gallon and a paint roller brush and take it to some old R1s that have been sitting stacked in the garage for at least 4 years. Then, I'm taking them to the track 'til they get a bad case of "the cords." When that's done, I'll have room for some new Hoosiers

 

[King RT10]

Funny anyone who has done business with whom monnieh is warnning us about, knows exactly who it is. Some things never change.

 

[JonB]

Just for the record, all innuendo aside:

PartsRack is also a TireRack distributor. We simply sell VIPER stuff for less. We sell the exact same products as Tirerack, it just might travel here 1-3 months earlier.

If any customer calls TireRack (or PartsRack) and asks for "late 2000 tires" to be exchanged for newer 2001 tires, Tirerack would probably laugh them off the phone. The year 2000 tires have the same written warranty and performance as 2001's. Michelin and Americn Tire-Rubber MFGs say no problem with even 8-year old tires, properly stored. PartsRack Tires were stored by Michelin since 3 months ago!

I apologize if the innuendo and 'service' issue is aimed at me. In my personal opinion, refusing to swap 2000 date tires for 2001 tires after the sale, is normal business, not poor service.

But thanks to these concerns I have now "DISLOSED" build dates of 2000-2001 in all ads and to all callers. But I wont match build dates. Neither will TireRack, and it is bogus to expect that as normal service....... Set of 4: $789 delivered, w/ written product warrnty from Michelin. Built 2000-2001. New, Stickered. Stored properly by Michelin. THANKS

 

[monnieh]

If a local Tire Rack "laughed me off the phone" the next person they would be talking to would be my Attorney for deceptive trade practices.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

 

[JimT 99RT]

I got a set of these tires and they were in good shape, 0801 rears and 1500 fronts. For those of you that don't put a lot of miles on your cars how old are the tires on your car? When is the last time you changed you tires? Yes there was a reason Michelin was closing these tires out, you never get something for nothing, I guessed when these were such a great price either they were over stocked with old tires or were closing these out for a new model, either way Michelin has to stand behind these tires, and I doubt due to liability reasons that these would be sold if there were problems with them.

 

[BlackACR]

Stand behind them???? I have tried to collect on a set of faulty tires before. I would rather have a root canal.

 

[Tiepilot]

This information has been very helpful!

 

[monnieh]

I glad this is helping some people. Age of tires for a passenger car is no big deal. Age of tires for a Viper, to me, can make a difference in my personal peace of mind.

(I also dig out the newest milk cartons from the back at the grocery store.)

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Gosh darn, I must be stupid, I read this thing three times, cause the cars looked like mine, I really don't understand the furor, is this about being shipped 2000 dated tires instead of 2001 tires? If this is such a concern why was anyone dealing with either a tire rack or OTHER discounter? If there was concern why not ASK what the dates are before we give up the credit card number, especially if we're all so well informed about tire coding. I've spent some time in Texas, so my advice is, put that big hat on, sell some cattle and go on down to the local Michelin store, examine the dates and buy them on the hoof at LIST price, check that out lately? Don't be going to some guys in Indiana or Washington state and buying sight unseen. What?? You wanted a deal? Ouch, dem prices hurt don't they? Hey, you could always try eBay! Me I'm gonna get the best price I can from Tire rack or any other discounter, TIRES ARE A COMMODITY ITEM, I'm gonna use my phone skills to check with the manufacturer and if they back the warranty I'm not worried about it at all.
----------------
"I think that if you are in the passing lane, and not passing, your license should be revoked, and you should be forced to ride the bus until you promise to never delay the rest of us again." .. George Carlin

<FONT COLOR="#ff0000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Lee00blacksilverGTS on 01-24-2003 at 05:19 PM</font>

 

[monnieh]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lee00blacksilverGTS:
Gosh darn, I must be stupid, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Yes.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

And back to you with the same, pardner.

 

[GTS Dean]

Tire manufacturers run production batches based on known or anticipated demand. If you ever tried to get 335-35-17 R1s from BFG, you know what I'm talking about. You call Team T/A and ask about stock and they say "zero, we should be running a batch in x weeks. We'll keep your name handy and notify you when we have some."

They gear up and run batches of specific sizes and models of tires. Tread compound, bead and carcass rubber must be batched up, then belts and carcasses must be woven and formed. Finally, they must schedule the mandrels, molds and autoclaves to actually assemble the tires, cure them, inspect them and wrap them for indefinite storage in warehouses scattered throughout the world for consumption.

Nit-picking over "freshness dates" is usually reserved for racers who may (or may not) be able to measure an infinitessimal performance difference. IMO, it is irrational and absurd to make such a case over street tires which carry a full, unconditional manufacturer's warranty.

Out.

 

[Gavin]

Monnieh - if your attorney took Tirerack to court for deceptive practices I would say you have a fool for an attorney.

It simply boggles my mind that people pull an attorney out of their pocket, or threaten to, without having a clue about the Law as it relates to the issue.

Think about it - would Michelin sell a tire, that had the potential to bring them lawsuits for deceptive practices - and are we nieve enough to think that Parts Rack has been in business all these years with out the advise of a bank of attorneys advising them on their business practices. This isn't Firestone we are talking about here!!