Do I Need to Replace Tires After 5 Years and 30,000 Kilometers?
3 Answers
According to the mileage, tires do not need to be replaced at 30,000 kilometers. Below is relevant information about tires: 1. Tire Introduction: Tires are the only components of a car that come into contact with the ground. Some car owners only replace the tires on the drive wheels when changing tires. For example, some front-wheel-drive car owners only replace the two front tires, while some rear-wheel-drive car owners only replace the two rear tires. In fact, this practice is acceptable. 2. Tire Aging: Tires are rubber products and will age over time. It is recommended that car owners replace their tires every four years, even if the mileage within those four years is relatively low. This is because tires can also age when left unused for extended periods, so it is important to check the production date when purchasing tires.
Having driven for over twenty years, I can tell you that tire replacement shouldn't solely depend on mileage. Five years is already considered a long time for tires, as the rubber naturally ages and hardens. Last week, I checked a neighbor's car that was five years old with only 30,000 kilometers on it. The tread depth was about 3mm, but the sidewalls were full of fine cracks, and braking was noticeably slippery in the rain. It might be passable for daily commuting, but if you frequently drive on highways or carry your family, such tires could blow out at any moment. Before replacing tires, I recommend checking the production date of all four tires (the last four digits of the DOT code). If they're over six years old, don't hesitate to replace them. You can also use a coin to check tread depth—if you can see the entire head of the queen, the depth is less than 1.6mm, and grip will be significantly worse. When it comes to safety, it's better to be strict than lax.
From the perspective of maintenance costs, tires that have been used for five years and 30,000 kilometers are indeed worth evaluating. The lifespan marked by tire manufacturers is typically five years or 80,000 kilometers, but actual conditions depend on usage habits. For someone like me who often drives at low speeds in urban areas, tire wear isn't actually severe. However, after five years, rubber oxidation leads to increased tire noise and about a 10% rise in rolling resistance. In the long run, this actually costs more in fuel consumption. Last year, I did a comparison: continuing to use old tires would cost an extra 500 yuan annually in fuel, not to mention the risk of blowouts; replacing four new tires costs 2,000 yuan and can last four years, averaging out to be more cost-effective. By the way, selling old tires second-hand only fetches a few dozen yuan, so it's better to replace them early for peace of mind.
