I still have my original RFT on my 2004 530i. I see quite a bit of cracking in/on/around the tread. Should I be worried about this? I know the RFT compound is a harder compound so maybe this is normal. I understand the tires are 6 years old and i don't like them at all, but, if i can get some more wear out of them (maybe this summer) i'd like to. The wear is still 1/2 or a little less. If y'all suggest i replace them, what is a good tire? And before everyone jumps on me for not doing my research on tirerack, bimmerforums, bimerfest, e60.net, bmwcca, and every other site, understand this...I have read tons of info and would like some comments about possible tires for those of you who live in the northern climates. Info on my driving: Daily driver. I run hard more than not, but, with that being said i would rather not replace tires every 2 years. I've heard good things about the Nexen, General, Yokohoma, and Michelins. It seems like all the reviews have run together and no one has made comments about living in the cooler climates. Thoughts? Thanks everyone. Jon
Tires, like everything else age. Chemicals are formulated into tires to keep the rubber soft and compliant, but over time these chemicals evaporate from the rubber and the rubber becomes hard and cracks. This typically takes around five years, so even if you do not wear the tires out, they still need to be replaced. I have to do this on my wife's car even though she only drives 5000 or less miles per year and her tires still have alot of tread left. When the rubber becomes hard, all kinds of nasty things can happen to the tires. It really is a safety issue.
Yes. Where you live (Lake Erie snowbelt), you need dedicated winter tires. Assuming you run those, your summer tires will work the same as everyone else's 'year round' tires. For that, I tend to favor Yokohamas, but that's just me. There are very few brands at Tire Rack that I won't consider, at the right price. For a good cheap tire you might have to replace every two years (but can afford to), I like Sumitomo HTRs.
