Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2025 Poal.co

1.4K

The average shelf life a passenger car tire is 6 years. How many years has your spare tire been there unused?

I was listening to a trial lawyer preparing a case against a tire company. The average shelf life a passenger car tire is six years to include the spare tire. This was the crux of his case about a tire failure that lead to a death. I have a couple cars that are 20 years old. I check the spares air pressure every once in awhile but I’ve never used them.

The average shelf life a passenger car tire is 6 years. How many years has your spare tire been there unused? I was listening to a trial lawyer preparing a case against a tire company. The average shelf life a passenger car tire is six years to include the spare tire. This was the crux of his case about a tire failure that lead to a death. I have a couple cars that are 20 years old. I check the spares air pressure every once in awhile but I’ve never used them.

(post is archived)

[–] • 1 pt

Long ago the tire rotation pattern included the spare so that when it was time to replace due to wear, all five tires got replaced. My experience with older cars is that tires kept inside, out of sunlight and city ozone, will last longer than the six years the tire makers have been frightened into recommending. The six year stuff is a double win for tire makers--it covers their asses against lawsuits, and it increases sales.

[–] • 0 pt

My experience with older cars is that tires kept inside, out of sunlight and city ozone, will last longer than the six years

Great idea, I'm going to take my spare tire into the house right now. Oh, wait...

[–] • 0 pt

In da litl car hous, dummy. Older cars--antiques. Your commuter car sits out in sunlight and/or bad air a lot and there's nothing to do about it.

[–] • 0 pt

Need to have a full size spare for that. But to be green they made donuts.

[–] • 0 pt (edited )

Also them being cheap. They don't include spare tires at all any more. Super cheap and super green, I guess.

If you're not driving a SUV, I don't see where you'd put it though. A full size spare would seriously impede my trunk, and I drive a sedan not a compact.

[–] • 0 pt

Not sure that the tire companies care about them Do they even sell replacements? Trunk is a lot less exposed to the elements and I wonder if this isn't a little bit of clickbait bullshit.

[–] • 1 pt

Meh, I'll take my risks. I'm unlikely to use it, and if I do, I can drive slowly. It's better than driving on the rims or paying hundreds of dollars for a tow.

[–] • 0 pt

I could stand to lose a pound or two.

[–] • 0 pt

the spare tire around your belly is more dangerous

[–] • 0 pt

Can you even get new donuts easily?

[–] • 0 pt

Keep a full size spare of the same type and manufacture as the rest, and have it rotated with the other four at every oil change.

I do this and haven't rode a donut or questionably old spare in 10 years.

If your mechanic won't do this for you, ditch them, it indicates their level of concern for your safety and ease of use in the vehicle they have taken partial responsibility for the maintenance of. It means they don't care and are in it for fast jobs at the expense of quality.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

just a quick question, radials don't work that way? Once the belt sets if you reverse it, won't it damage the tire?

[–] • 0 pt

You just add an extra tire to the rotation, while following the normal cycle, they all still go on the hub the same way and spin the same direction. One just rides as the spare until it goes back in rotation on the next oil change. I haven't had any issues.

[–] • 0 pt

My car didn't come with a spare tire. It has this little air compressor under the seat though. Works decent, actually. Let me keep a flat aired up long enough to get to the tire place.

[–] • 0 pt

Unless your spare is hanging outside in the uv, it will last decades.