Burned Tire Buyer

[druud]

I've just finished filing a Better Business Bureau complaint against the tire dealership who sold me the old tires. The website is: Untitled. If I don't get satisfaction, I'll consider taking the unscrupulous business owner to small claims court. These snakes have probably done this to many others.

Since Michelin Customer service offered me 25% of my original purchase price on the MXV4's, I'm asking the fraudulent tire dealership to pay for 75% of the purchase price. I'll still stick with Michelins, and am considering getting Destiny tires. Signed, Burned Tire Buyer

[okiebutnotfrommuskogee]

Is that date code typically found on the outside (front) or inside (back) of the tire?

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by okiebutnotfrommuskogee

Is that date code typically found on the outside (front) or inside (back) of the tire?

It depends on how the tire is mounted. The DOT code is always stamped into one side of the tire, but it could be the inside or the outside depending on how the tire is mounted.

On my Prius, all 4 of the codes are readable from the outside, but on my GF's motorhome, only two are readable from the outside, two others are mounted on the inside, and for the inside duals I can't tell.

[rfruth]

So buyer beware

[galaxee]

i also have to stop by a michelin dealer for an inspection. couldn't make it before closing today, so it's on the to-do list for tomorrow. so far so good on the customer service.

[Shawn Clark]

I know this might not be all that helpful to the unfortunate situations above, but one of the reasons I order online from Tirerack is that they tend to have fresher tires than local dealers. Other reasons are:
1. Shipping is offset by lack of sales tax in passenger tires (but not in trucks which have twice the shipping expense.)
2. Local shops can't beat Tirerack's price or even come close, and tell me to order it and that they will mount it.
3. Tirerack has a selection of performance tires that the locals can't touch.

On the other hand...despite getting fresh tires I did have a brand spanking new Bridgestone Potenza fail (properly inflated, I had just checked it within the past 24 hours) and cause a rollover. Looked like bad rubber to me as the sidewall separated from the tread, with no indication of rubbing from running low. (I used to change a lot of tires at work a few decades ago and can tell the difference.) There was a loud bang when it exploded. Sucks when this happens on a curve at interstate with an 18 wheeler in the other lane. I've done okay with Bridgestone full size truck tires, but will never run one of their passenger tires again in my lifetime.

[galaxee]

i got the 25% discount from michelin, too. i guess i'm on my own for the damage from the defective valve stem [assholes] so i'm buying 4 replacements.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by dogfriend

It is actually really easy to check - the date code is 4 digits - the first 2 are the week of manufacture, the second two are the year. So 1105 is made in the 11th week (March) of 2005. We use similar codes on the electronic components we manufacture where I work except ours would be reversed 0511 (2005, 11th week).

My Integrity(s) are 4906 (Dec 2006) and the Destiny(s) are 3807 (Sept 2007).

dogfriend,

Thanks for this very useful info. I never knew this before.

I just got back from looking at my Goodyear TripleTreds' date code for their week of manufacture. I was pleased to find that the date code says "2207", i.e., they were manufactured in May 2007 -- just two months prior to my ordering them from TireRack.com.

Chalk up another plus for TireRack. I'm not certain, but I would guess that one is more likely to get recently manufactured tires if one were to buy from a high volume, online seller like TireRack.com, rather than from a brick and mortar tire shop.

[galaxee]

i'm planning on using discount tire. they can order from tire rack for me and give me the 25% discount off the top so i don't have to apply for reimbursement. i was really burned by the whole reimbursement business elsewhere today, so this is a plus.

[richard schumacher]

This may be a reason to keep buying the Integrities that get bad-mouthed so much: they're a common OEM tire and so are unlikely to sit on a shelf for very long. My four replacement Integrities were all made a few weeks before I bought them.