Are my tyres legal?

[s_ward1]

I have 2 michelin tyres on the rear of my saxo 1.1....and they have both started to slightly carck on the sidewall? and very slightly on the tread. The tread however is fine.

Just wondering if these are still legal or would i need to change them soon?

Thanks

[Tontsy]

depending on levels of crack / perishing...

legal / advise.

[s_ward1]

There very minor can't really see it from a distance, you have to get up close to the tyre(s)

[Tontsy]

unless the chords are on show, there is "eggs" in the tyre, and the tread is 1.6 or above, within the 3/4 central width!...the tyre is legal.

[s_ward1]

ok....Yeah i think i've had a couple of michelin before like that....so must be common on them.

[Tontsy]

whats the age of the tyres?
check the DOT code on the side...

[s_ward1]

I'm not to sure on the age....only had the car a couple of weeks, however it had just past an MOT in febuary....so can't be to bad just want to be sure...the DOT coe? what does that stand for?

[Gordon]

You're unlikely to be done for them unless the cracks are bad and could possibly lead to the tyre failing. I'd say if you're in doubt, take it to a tyre garage and ask but they'll obviously say they need replacing wether they do or not.

General rule of thumb though is that you shouldn't run tyres that are more than 6 years old as the light and oxygen in the air perishes them over time and the rubber begins to go crusty. The date is on the sidewall. Two numbers depict the week of manufacture and the second two, the year, so if they say 0903, thats the 9th week in 2003.
So, if they say anything older than 1604 they're probably begining to become crispy.

[s_ward1]

OK that's great....thanks for that, Yeah i agree the tyre garage will just want to stick new one's on!!!

[piranhamatt]

So, if they say anything older than 1604 they're probably begining to become crispy.

haha i had a 2000 tyre on my car with loadsa cracks.
It was my spare wheel, and didn't look to be touched for 10 years at least

[davidharvey]

If in doubt change them. You only need to look at some of the crashed saxo pics on here to see why

[hawkonater]

it depends on how deep the cracks r. has the car been sat around alot. garages might jus say change them so they can make money out of u. but if you are unsure about them then go and get some new tyres on. better to be safe than sorry mate.

[Tontsy]

thing is, i work for kwik fit... so i see it everyday
i had a bloke come in the outher day in his Audi and spent 1k on 4 new tyres!
it was the only tyre i had on the shelf, but he didnt bat an eye lid and turned around and said to me "im an undertaker, when we have to read reports from car crashes and you see the state of their tyres or how crap they actually were, you know to pay out and be safe!"

he still had a few miles left in the tyres, but wanted to be extra safe!
if in doubt, change.