"Ain't no need to replace 10yr old tires"

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bill dane

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Went with a friend to look at a 02 DP.  While he was inside looking it over, I went to look at the tires, they were made in 02 so probably came omn the coach new.  Went back in and told him of the DOT date.  He told the salesman that they would have to be replaced if he was to buy it.  The salesman said that the tires still had 3\4 of the tread left so there would be no need to replace, as that was the tire companies way just to sell more tired.  Now we all know that if a RV salesman says it, it must be true!!!!!!!!!!!  { by the way, we walked away instead to running just to be polite.]

Bill Dane    99 CC  Allure


 
llib enad said:
The salesman said that the tires still had 3\4 of the tread left so there would be no need to replace, as that was the tire companies way just to sell more tired.
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You should have asked the salesman to give you a written statement that the tires are O.K. and also state for how long they would be O.K. I'm betting he wouldn't set pen to paper.

Richard
 
path said:
First clue the salesman is just trying to seperate you from your $$$.
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And also obviously knows nothing about RV's either.  What happened to the day when a salesperson had to be an expert in whatever they were selling? 
 
What happened to the day when a salesperson had to be an expert in whatever they were selling?
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I suspect those days are long gone.  A few years back we were looking for a new 4WD and at one dealership we asked the salesperson about the transfer case.  He had no clue what we were talking about so we left.  At least he said he didn't know what it was rather than lie about it!  ::)

ArdraF
 
scottydl said:
And also obviously knows nothing about RV's either.  What happened to the day when a salesperson had to be an expert in whatever they were selling?
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Same thing as real, honest to goodness manuals. Apparently it's too expensive to have people around who know what they're doing, who can actually answer anything besides the most basic questions. In most fields I find that I'm more knowledgeable about something I'm shopping for than the sales people who (in my view, anyway) should know and be able to answer my questions. As Ardra says above, it seems those days are gone. Hype is king.
 
Can't speak for other dealerships, but every morning at Lazy Days is an hour of training, from specific coaches, to transmission, to tires etc.  This happens 6 days a week. 

Tires are also included, from how to read DOT, tocracking sidewalls etc.  They are not perfect, but they would never tell us to tell someone a tire at 10 years old does not need to be replaced.  It is also one of the items we checked on trade ins. 

 
Larry N. said:
Same thing as real, honest to goodness manuals. Apparently it's too expensive to have people around who know what they're doing, who can actually answer anything besides the most basic questions. In most fields I find that I'm more knowledgeable about something I'm shopping for than the sales people who (in my view, anyway) should know and be able to answer my questions. As Ardra says above, it seems those days are gone. Hype is king.
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Investing in education for a sales staff is expensive. "Bean counters" don't see that as a tangible cost. When you demand a higher knowledge for a position in a company it means the person applying for same will be in a better position to ask for higher pay. That cuts into profits and is to be avoided. Sales that are lost are attributed to poor salesmanship of the salesman and not to the sales manager. It's a vicious cycle repeted in American business each and every day. "Bean counters" run the jobs.. 
 
I had the same problem. My wife?s car is seldom driven. It is a 2005 Chevy with less than 14000 miles on it. I had a continuous problem with the loss of tire pressure. When I took it to the local tire folks at NTW, I was told that DOT specifications and tire manufacturers recommend that tires be replaced between 4 and 5 years because the tires break down due to ultraviolet radiation (same thing that causes sunburn) and chemical reaction in the tire material. This causes the tire to leak and can result tread separation.
 
so if ultraviolet radiation caused the tires to go bad.  Was this car garaged?  if so how did the ultra violet radiation get in there?  Also if a motor home is kept indoors do you still have the time problem?  Mine is kept wheels up (on the leveling jacks) and indoors in a non heated cement floored pole barn.  Do i need to change tires that are 6 years old with 90% of the tread left?
 
mphy98 said:
  Do i need to change tires that are 6 years old with 90% of the tread left?
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I sure would. Have you ever seen the damage a blowout can do to a motorhome?
 
sunwalker said:
When I took it to the local tire folks at NTW, I was told that DOT specifications and tire manufacturers recommend that tires be replaced between 4 and 5 years because the tires break down due to ultraviolet radiation (same thing that causes sunburn) and chemical reaction in the tire material. This causes the tire to leak and can result tread separation.
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Now THAT sounds more like they were leaning toward the "we're going to sell you a new set of tires" idea.  4-5 years is a bit soon, especially for car tires... the RV tire-change interval we often talk about here (7-10 years but closer to 7 is better) is not necessarily universal for every rolling conveyance.  RV tires carry an incredible amount of weight, pushed to their maximum capacities nearly all the time.  Car tires are not necessarily that way.  If the car is garaged, the ultraviolet radiation argument doesn't work.
 
JMHO, and no facts to back it up, but personal experience indicates to me that just using tires instead of sitting in one place helps tires to last longer. Maybe it has something to do with keeping them flexible.....I know I get stiff when I sit around too long  ;)
 
Water Dog said:
no facts to back it up, but personal experience indicates to me that just using tires instead of sitting in one place helps tires to last longer.
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Lucky for you, there ARE facts to back up that theory!  ;)  Tires are made of rubber compounds that move around when the tires roll.  The material will keep its maximum flexibility if those compounds are kept in circulation regularly.  I drive my RV to full operating speed/temperature at least once a month for this purpose (weather allowing) even during the off-season.  It helps other systems as well that run based on warmed fluids and rubber parts.
 
If I were to drive that rig off the lot with those tires I'd want a signed statement that the tires are good and knowledge of the insurance company that covers that salesman.

Though, that said. I have pulled light trailers with 10 year plus tires and not had an issue,, but the trailers were under 2,000 pounds fully loaded and yes, I did blow one on the way to trade it in.  Arrived at the dealer with the spare on the trailer.. Drove home with six brand new Mitchlin 22.5's under my ...... Motor Home.
 
seilerbird said:
I sure would. Have you ever seen the damage a blowout can do to a motorhome?
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I've got pictures around here somewhere, but I can tell you that the wheel well, floor, water lines, closet drawer frame, and my wallet took quite a beating when we lost the inside left rear dual on I-95 just north of Daytona.

Not an experience I would recommend for anyone.
 
I guess in the end I would follow whatever the tire manf. told me to do based on there wear and use data. I havent pulled a trailer or RV yet, (next week we pick up our first RV) but the thought of taking out my whell well and underside make tire cost a set of tires a no brainer. 
 
I bought a75 International Scout 2 years ago in Flagstaff and drove it home to Tempe.  The tires looked a bit checkered and I looked at the date code and thought the tires were 10 years old so drove to Discout Tire and bought a new set.  I told the guy behind the counter that I thought the tires were 10 years old.  He looked at the codes and told me they were 20 years old.  Heck, I wouldn't have driven them from Flagstaff if had known they were 10 years old let alone 20.  :-X  My lucky day!
 
Having been another LUCKY survivor of a front blow-out at 50+mph and getting to my destination safe w/the spare..than after replacing both front tires and continuing on thru Maryland and blowing a inside rear has taught me that my luck is only so good.The two left rears are not as old as the Bridgestones I was told were '09 tires, when in fact, they were '99 tires so I'll have them pulled and inspected very closely. I never want to have a third blow-out ever again. I'm a 7 year believer RV-er.
 
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