The previous owner of my '85 Regal installed new Michelin XRV225-70-R195 tires on May 20, 1998. He even bought a brand new spare that has never been on the ground. He put about 15000 miles on the tires and they show very little wear. There is absolutely no sign of dry rot. The coach was in Arizona during this time, covers over the wheels when not in use, and not driven much from 2001 to 2005. I drove it back to NC in April of this year. I have read that you should replace tires ever 6 or 7 years no matter what. But these tires look very, very, good. I hate to spend $2000 for new tires if I don't have to, but will if necessary to be safe. Would appreciate any advice.

Yeah, It always galls me to replace tires that are not worn out or obviously bad.

Most people use the rule of thumb that 5 to 7 years is about it.

My own experience and observation indicates that tires that are driven often last a lot longer. Has to do with "blooming" of preservative and the sidewalls being flexed regularly instead of just one spot being bent. I wipe mine down with Goodrich Age Master once or twice a year, too. And I inspect for sidewall cracks with a lighted magnifier. A tire that sits with weight on it has a shorter life. The longer it goes between being driven, the shorter its life will be. Sitting is not good for tires. In fact, many manufacturers will tell you to unload the tires and deflate them to a lower pressure for winter storage.

Michelins should also be rubbed often with a bare hand on every sidewall to check for bulges. Your fingers will tell you things your eyes didn't see.

If the tires were taken on frequent, albeit short, trips they would be in better shape than if they had sat a lot between trips.

Without that information, I would not have an opinion on your tires. But it is a safety issue, and you are over the seven year point, so perhaps new tires are a good idea.

However, despite all care taken, there are always more blowouts in older tires than younger ones.

To be on the safe side, I use Tyron bands on front for blowout safety. And Steer Safe. And a Bilstein damper.

And, of course, tire pressure and road speed affect tire heat, which is part of avoiding failures. Each corner of your coach should be weighed and the manufacturer's charts used for proper pressure.

I just replaced all six tires on my 92 Breakaway for $1240.33 Included balancing and front end alignment. I went with Kelly 8R 195F CSR 1K2118's. I didn't go with the pricier Good Years or Michelins because I'll be replacing these tires in five years regardless of wear or useage. It's all about safety for me.

Actually Kelly's are made by Good Year anyway...

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Larry and Heidi from CA