when to replace tires

[wdlong1]

I have a 99 coupe with 26000 miles. It has the original cont tires.

When should these be replaced?

Is there a wear tread on them? I looked but was unsure what I was looking for.

[Hroussard]

Before you change your tires , contact the Guinness Book of Records. You should apply for the record... with rear tires that made 26,000 miles!!

Suggestion : Replace asap because your rubber ( pun intended ) is going to be as hard as a well...a brick and is not going to be pretty good in stopping and other things such as driving at speed or maneuvering.

Suggest to sign up for an Autocross and ruin those things once and for all , have some fun and replace them asap BEFORE the rain starts.

I get 8K - 10K miles out of my rear tires ( Conti's) and the double out of the front .

Cheers

HarryR

[joee]

If you still have tread you should be able to see the indicator in the grooves. You might also look for steel cord showing on the inside edges of the rears...

[toddel68]

Replace asap because your rubber ( pun intended ) is going to be as hard as a well...a brick and is not going to be pretty good in stopping and other things such as driving at speed or maneuvering.

Harry is right. Wear is not the only thing to consider. Your tires must be about 7 years old. Have a look at the DOT-number on the sidewall of the tire. It will tell you which week and year they were made. For example "228" would be 22 week in 1998. IMHO tires should be changed after 4-6 years.

Thorsten

[Izzy]

Replace asap because your rubber ( pun intended ) is going to be as hard as a well...a brick and is not going to be pretty good in stopping and other things such as driving at speed or maneuvering.

Harry is right. Wear is not the only thing to consider. Your tires must be about 7 years old. Have a look at the DOT-number on the sidewall of the tire. It will tell you which week and year they were made. For example "228" would be 22 week in 1998. IMHO tires should be changed after 4-6 years.

Thorsten

Don't wait until winter which can make it worse too. The elastomers in the compound will outgas over time and exposure to UV rays, making the tire more brittle. Cold temps can make the brittleness worse. So besides the mileage, age will affect a tire.

Here is something from this link

http://www.conti-nline.com/generator/www/u...ire_life_en.pdf

"The tire industry has long recognized the consumer’s role in the regular care and maintenance of their tires. The point at which a tire is replaced is a decision for which the owner of the tire is responsible. The tire owner should consider factors to include chronological age, service conditions, maintenance history, storage conditions, visual inspections, and dynamic performance. The consumer should consult a tire service professional with any questions about tire service life. The following information and recommendations are made to aid in assessing the point of maximum service life."

[Lizard1]

it may appear that your tires have plenty of tread left but i'd bet if you look on the inside of the rears that they are smooth. porsche's rear tires are notorious for fooling people because the predominance of the wear is on the inside, not the outer visible edge