Replace Tires ?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 611
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From: Girard Ill
Replace Tires ?
I have a 2003 50th Anniversary vette with under 13000 miles and original tires ! Always stored inside on a ramp and still plenty of tread . Tire rubber has no cracks or dry rot ! I have had this car going on 16 years . Still safe to drive or should I look for new tires ?
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they "look good" is not an indicator......most manufacturers say 6 years max regardless of mileage...
they "look good" is not an indicator......most manufacturers say 6 years max regardless of mileage...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Wisconsin
I have a 2003 50th Anniversary vette with under 13000 miles and original tires ! Always stored inside on a ramp and still plenty of tread . Tire rubber has no cracks or dry rot ! I have had this car going on 16 years . Still safe to drive or should I look for new tires ?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,496
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From: Little Rock Arkansas
Tire should be replaced every five to six years regardless of mileage or "how they look." It's not some manufacturer's scheme to coax you into buying new tires; it's for your safety. You could have a devastating blow-out that at the least may damage or rip out body work and at the worst could cause a serious accident. If people are upset with having to spend money on tires they should drive their cars more and put some miles on them. OEM tires will never be worth anything and we're looking at years and years into the future before C5s are going to seriously be worth anything.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 76
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From: Galesburg MI
Time for the originals to go. If I was you, on the way to the tire shop I would find a back road or abandon parking lot and have a little fun with the tires before you have them changed.
Last edited by Principal Lewis; May 1, 2018 at 02:59 PM.
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Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 265
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From: Houston Texas
I picked up my 50th AE almost 3 years ago with about 5400 miles on the odometer and stock rubber from the showroom floor. I sat on it for a bit thinking "will changing the tires hurt the value?". It was silly in retrospect. I literally couldn't touch the throttle in a turn without the backend coming around because of how the rubber had degraded over time.
As everyone else is advising, 6 years since date of production is the max time to keep a tire. Anything longer and you are just taking unnecessary risk. My own two cents, switch over to a performance tire (non-runflat) and prepare to be amazed at how differently she will ride. I found that not only did I get so much more grip, but she actually rides better as well now that I don't have to deal with a run flat side wall.
Personally I went with the Bridgestone RE-11 since I don't daily her and I wanted a performance bump in the handling department. That said, there are many good options out there at a variety of price points.
Best of Luck!
As everyone else is advising, 6 years since date of production is the max time to keep a tire. Anything longer and you are just taking unnecessary risk. My own two cents, switch over to a performance tire (non-runflat) and prepare to be amazed at how differently she will ride. I found that not only did I get so much more grip, but she actually rides better as well now that I don't have to deal with a run flat side wall.
Personally I went with the Bridgestone RE-11 since I don't daily her and I wanted a performance bump in the handling department. That said, there are many good options out there at a variety of price points.
Best of Luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Wisconsin
With as little as you drive it would make no sense to throw perfectly good expensive tires away in 6 years. Get some cheap summer tires like Hankook or Firestone Indy 500. They will work great for you.
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If it were me, I would most definitely get a new set of tires. No way would I drive around on 15 year old tires. 
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 611
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From: Girard Ill
Will the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires work on my 50th Anniversary vette with the tire pressure sensor ? I have been told no by one tire dealer and yes from another !!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Wisconsin
Tire brand/model has nothing to do with whether the TPMS will work correctly or not. Who ever told you NO doesn't know what they are talking about or are trying to sell you something more expensive for their own gain. 
Given your car has the original tires and therefore most likely the original TPMS, I would certainly consider replacing the TPMS when you replace the tires. Life expectancy of the batteries in a TPMS is 8 to 10 years. Yours are at least as old as the tires and one might well expect them to give up the ghost any day.
Given your car has the original tires and therefore most likely the original TPMS, I would certainly consider replacing the TPMS when you replace the tires. Life expectancy of the batteries in a TPMS is 8 to 10 years. Yours are at least as old as the tires and one might well expect them to give up the ghost any day.
Knows what he is talking about.
Last edited by JR-01; May 3, 2018 at 09:09 AM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 400
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From: St. Paul (smokey!) MN
I replaced the original tires on my 98 last year with Continental extreme contact sport, non run flats. I like them.
The old tires definitely rode harder and had much less grip than new, especially in the wet. Dangerously so? I think that tends to be exaggerated here. I put several 1000 miles on mine, from years 16-19 and never had any problems. I should have replaced them earlier, just to get the much better ride though. I much more enjoy driving it now.
Sensors still worked, but replaced them too. The manual says they are good for 10 years, I figured they were due.
The old tires definitely rode harder and had much less grip than new, especially in the wet. Dangerously so? I think that tends to be exaggerated here. I put several 1000 miles on mine, from years 16-19 and never had any problems. I should have replaced them earlier, just to get the much better ride though. I much more enjoy driving it now.
Sensors still worked, but replaced them too. The manual says they are good for 10 years, I figured they were due.
Burning Brakes
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