Spare Tire /Wheel
 

I have a spare Tire/Wheel in my storage that I bought a few years ago as a spare to carry in my 09 Boxster on trips....The tire is dated 43 9, so 2009 ?
It has never been on the ground, and before I try to sell it is it safe to use?

You could sell it for the value of the rim and let the buyer decide.

If that tire was manufactured specifically for the US market, and needed to comply with DOT/FMVSS requirements, then that may actually be the date code. Which, if it is, should be 4309 - and would indicate the 43rd week of 2009.

Safe? Now that is a loaded question. Typical rule-of-thumb is about six years. This assumes 'normal' usage and environmental exposure.
You need to assess how much exposure to high heat, cold temps, ozone and UV this tire has endured in the last ten years. If it was stored in a cool dark place for much of that time - it may still be fine as a one-time use spare.

I probably wouldn't push it to the speeds the manual says are OK at that age, but to limp to the next town,, probably just fine..

It's perfectly fine for use. Just make sure the air pressure is where it should be.

I don't get why people make a big deal about older tirrs. Yes, rubber degrades over time but tires are constructed so well, they won't blow up. The traction will just not be optimal in extreme circumstances, like aggressive driving or in the rain and snow. In this case, it's just a temporary solution.

I agree that this is a case where age may not be a huge risk. If you've ever had a blow-out due to tread separation, you may have a different opinion on how big of a deal this is. I can inspect tires and have a lot of experience both as a driver and an engineer. Explaining what I would look for, will not translate well in the written word. Having said that: I would be very careful to inspect for cracking of tread or sidewall. If any exists - I would not use the tire.

The tire/wheel has been stored in my a/c storage since I bought it a few years ago..I only took it out on a trip once.
The person I bought if from did the same...tire and wheel look new...still has the white "dust" on it....I just don't need it anymore as my 996 has a tire (probably older than this one :D

How's the rubber look? I had a blowout about 6 weeks or so ago because I took a chance on old tires that had cracked sidewalls. I won't be taking that chance again....

I would not drive on old/cracked tires. 6 months ago when I bought my 996 (03 cab) it had front tires that were one brand (7 years old) and different brand tires on the rears.
One of the rears was a 1 year old Sumitomo, I replaced the 3,
Sumitomos on the front and a matching one on the rear....HUGE difference in "feel"
However I'm thinking that an unused spare would last a long time...and besides, you are only going to use it to get to a tire shop at low speeds...

The other way to look at taking a chance is this: the spare or backup should be more reliable than what it has replaced. E.g., the spare has to work. Like the secondary parachute that has a 1:100,000 failure rating compared to the first parachute that has a 1:10,000 failure rating.

Unless of course you are like me and removed the spare completely and plan to just flatbed the vehicle if there’s a flat.

Hey Murphy's...spare tire vs parachute ummmm.....:)

I know, it’s a terrible analogy. But a lot of times, folks put on a spare that has no air or is in bad shape. I would hate to go through the hassle of having to change a tire and then realize my spare doesn’t work.

The other end of the spectrum is this: Car and Driver did a track test decades with a Corvette with regular tires and repeated all tests with one tire as the small donut spare. Even though the donut looked like it would fare poorly and had a warning in the side “do not exceed 50mph,” the car overall performed pretty well and the tire held it own ok. So their point was, these little donut spare have some pretty good engineering in them and are safe enough to use.

In an EMERGENCY it'd be a lifesaver...A few weeks ago I saw a car on 4 donuts....(granted it was what I call a $50 car...but he was tooling along)
Actually I don't think I have the "ability" to change a tire anymore...I'd call AAA and have them do it....my head would say...YOU CAN DO THAT, but my body would say DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.
Sucks to get old.