LUCKY DAVE

Dog **** new tires are worlds better than mega bitchin old tires.
BUY NEW ONES.

Auto_Werks 3.6

If the shop is right and there is visible cracking on the outside you shouldn't be running them on the street, and DEFINITELY shouldn't be on the track. I just had to throw away an 8 year old set of Michelin tires from my truck that still had good tread but cracking. I would run cracked tires on something light that didn't see much abuse, like my mazda 2... But not something that easily cruises over 90 or that I might use to haul a load. You are nearing the age that tire discounter tells me they are not even allowed to mount / dismount them. ie, if you are traveling somewhere and you get a flat you might find that no shops are willing to fix it if they notice the cracking. Just something to be aware of

seattle951

The driver's front tire had cracks. Both front tires were replaced with new Michelin Pilot Sports. The tires in question are the rear tires. The rears have no visible cracks and both my mechanic and the tire technician recommended against replacing them. This was after his statement about the rears starting to dry out. Both felt that were in good enough condition for the street.

When the car was in storage for 5 years, it was in a climate controlled facility so UV was not an issue.

My original question was about DE day. Good enough for the street is not necessarily good enough for the track. After your feedback, I am not willing to invest about $800 (fees, inspection, tires) for a single DE day. It is not worth it.

Now that my Mercedes has arrived from overseas, the 944 will only be driven a couple of times per month. If cracking appears or if my mechanic recommends replacing the tires, I will address the issue then.

Thanks for the input. It was all read and considered.

Auto_Werks 3.6

I'm in the minority probably... I don't really care how old they are, I'd probably track them if they have no signs of damage. Maybe take a session easy and look for abnormal wear. I thought they were actually cracking. It's certainly not a risk free situation, buy you can mitigate the situation by not taking undue risk on the track. It might not be the track day to see where the car tops out on the straight, but id probably roll out at 100 to 110 in a straight line without feeling too uneasy. Just me, I imagine others have a lower tolerance for risk than I do. I would definitely draw the line at any visible damage.

Paulyy

If you want cheap tyres that are good and you can tear the crap out of. Achillies 123s



http://www.achillesradial.com/en/tir...chilles-123s-3

333pg333

Throwing away a set of tyres now will seem like chump change should you bin your car into a wall because you totally lost traction. You will kick yourself ten times over should that happen.

CO951

It's a DE, not a race. Just test the traction limits, knowing they may not be as good as normal. If your goal for the event is to have fun and learn, you can do that very well with slightly reduced traction on the rear. If they are structurally sound (sounds like they are), safety is about knowing the limits of the car under a given circumstance (reduced rear traction).

I had a right rear tire go flat on the way to a DE before. The only tire I could get that would fit was a used tire that was a little hard. I knew I wasn't going to be super fast, just decided to have fun. Tight left turns were a challenge, but had a blast and learned more about my car's handling!

cretinx

Federal 595RSRs are a great budget tire.

But . . . . if tire affordability is an issue you may want to consider another hobby.

seattle951

Well spent money is not an issue. I am just not willing to invest another $400 to replace tires that I can continue to use for the next five years. A good day at the track is worth $500 to me. Any more than that provides negative ROI. If my tires are an issue, I will just sit this one out.

kent426

Are you talking about attending the Group 2 session in April at the Ridge? I normally run Pacific and was wondering based on the weather if it was going to not RAIN!!!!. I run Dunlop Direzza's or Continental DW extreme for lapping days. Let me know if you go, I am contemplating but we were thinking May would be a better start.

rlm328

A track weekend depending on where you are will run you anywhere from $1,000 to $1,250. This cost includes entry fee, wear and tear on your brakes and your tires, brake fluid, fuel, safety equipment, food and beverages for most drivers. $400 for 2 tires is cheap.

cretinx

Did I just read that you use the same set of tires for FIVE YEARS??

I can't tell if I'm getting trolled in this thread . . .

seattle951

Yes, I was interested in the April 12th event at Ridge in Shelton, WA. May would be the better month, but I will be out the country. In the past, I have done DE days at Pacific Raceways. It would be nice to try something different.

At this point, I am probably going to sit this one out. I will drop you a note if I end up going.

seattle951

I opened this post to discuss DE days and the impact of Max Performance summer tires on a cold, wet, track and the potential impact of older tires. The DE day related comments in this discussion verified my assumption. I should probably sit this one out.

I am not going to consider replacing these tires for street use. The tires were inspected by both my mechanic and a tire shop. Both agreed that the tires are fine and are not in need of replacement. The tread is 95% or more, there is no cracking, no balance issues. UV was not an issue since the car was stored in climate controlled storage. This type of storage probably reduced the amount of drying as well.

I have no idea how long the tires will last for. When my mechanic, a tire shop or if I find a problem, I will replace them. For now, the tires are fine.

seattle951

I have probably done 10 or more DE days over the last decade. I usually pay $125 for the tech inspection for the season and $265 for the track fees. There are some consumables (fuel, oil, wear and tear), but these are either sunk or minimal costs. I have a helmet, driving shoes and other safety equipment. I do not need to purchase anything. While I like DE days, I do not enjoy the experience enough to replace equipment that I do not need outside the track. It is just not worth it to me. I understand that others take this hobby much more seriously than I do.