Miata Mailing List: February 1994, Message #1
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   From: Will Zehring 
Subject: "old" tires
   Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 08:04:47 -0500

Fellow fiends:

First off, perhaps to put the England v. Japan argument to bed, BMW has
just purchased 80% of Rover, so... soon enough you might not have any
*new* British cars to kick around either.  There were rumors of a new MG, but
only BMW knows if it will be produced now.  Saddly, almost the entire
industry is gone from Britain now.  So, don't be cruel.

Anyway, on to my question (if I may...)   I was minding my own business
last night writting a check to the Miata Club of America when I read a recent
copy of "Points to Ponder" inwhich they said that "old" tires (over 18 months
old) have hardened and I shouldn't expect much out of them.  Does that mean
that the original tires (that were great on dry pavement, bad on wet, and
down right lethal on snow/ice) that I put in the rafters 24 months ago
are no good?  What about the tires on the car (they've been there for 24 months
too and seem just fine)?  Are they saying that the tires age faster if they
are *not* used?

I ain't no tire expert, and I ain't no polymer chemist, and I ain't no
rubber baron, but this *just doesn't make any sense to me*.  I figure more
than a few of us keep two sets of tires (autox/commuting) so does anyone
have any comments on the age rate of unused or rarely used tires?

Along that line, there has been a lot of talk about aftermarket (cheep)
wheels.  If anyone has a set that they would like to unload, please contact
me as I would like to buy four.   Look at it this way: sell them to me and
in a year I'll tell you if my tires are no good.

Many thanks,
Will Zehring (aka wzehrin@cms.cc.wayne.edu)