Public service message for the Brotherhood - check your tires

I stopped reading after the first sentence.

 

Robb

Good post
My shilling's worth....

After 5 years maximum regardless of mileage or condition of tyres I change all tyres on my 355....and notice a huge difference...Michelin Pilots.

If you are running tyres 10 years old and you say the grip is fine then you are not pushing the car.

After 4-5 years with my 355 grip is lost....the rubber outgases its stickiness over time especially in hot climates.

Check the date codes on the wall of your tyres, guys..it's there for a reason...and with a 355 smooth throttle inputs....no flooring the pedal in 2nd just as you come out of a bend...she's a powerful beast.

 

Robb we'll said!!! Mine looked perfect last year so I checked the date codes and to my surprise WT----!!! 1997!!! So glad I looked!! You have brought up a great point that many of us take for granted . Thank you brother Robb

 

A good post! A quick story: I purchased my 360 in 2009. All the tires looked great as far a tread depth and no visable cracking...I drove her at high speeds on the highway for a couple of weeks and pushed the car a little as I got comfortable, then came out to the garage one Saturday morning and a front tire was completely flat. I checked the date codes- both fronts were original to the car from new- ~10 years old at that point! I wouldn't have drivien like that if I had known the age/thought about it!

When I went to replace them the front tire size was no longer made in that brand, which is probably why the prior owner didn't replace them (or it was simply because the rears wore quicker). I could see some cracks when I looked closer (and the tire was completely deflated). Since I couldn't match the fronts to the rears, I put the spare on (yes my 360 had the rare factory spare option- I even posted a picture of it on the car here on f-chat years ago), and drove to my tire guru for 4 new tires.

The fronts on my 355 are a little older than the rears, but they all look good. I may replace all 4 just to be good to go (some people on f-chat have reported funny handling if you only replace fronts or rears on a 355) either this year, or in 2016...the fronts aren't 10 years old, but were maybe 6 or so years old- I'll have to check.

 

Just started looking into that myself. 6 years on the date codes here.

Shopping for four wheel alignment. Anywhere form $150 - $400 around here.

 

Too old
New rubber every 5 years maximum.
Check the date codes on the new tyres.
You want them as newly made as possible...reject if more than 4 months old.
Best 1000 you can spend

Plenty of info on the interweb.
Rubber loses its inherent stickiness after 4-5 years especially in hotter climates.
Chemical reaction reacting with the air.

Be careful out there

 

Another thing, check your date codes on new tires you buy as well.

I have bought brand new tires from Sears & Tire Rack in the past with two year old date codes. They were technically, already out of warranty!

 

I replaced the tires on my F355 shortly after buying it. The fronts were 6 years old and cracking between the tread!

5 years max on tires for me. It isn't worth the risk plus performance of the tires can transform how the car drives. Old tires suck.

 

Read here....

How Old - and Dangerous - Are Your Tires?

 

+355

 

When I took delivery in Nov last year the car had all original tires dated 1995! All about half worn out and still looking good. I decided I wanted to drive the car, not show it, so they were all replaced with late 2014 production Bridgestones.

I kept the original delivery tires in case someone ever wanted to show it someday in the future, but the shop I was using said they are not allowed to re-mount any tire over 10 years old. ----------------- J.R.

 

Do you know how to tell the difference between 1997 and 2007 DOT codes?

The warranty period runs from date of purchase, not manufacture unless you don't have your receipt.

Check your pressures while you are it.

 

Why is it that every freaking time I come on f-chat you guys spend another big chunk of my money?

Already my to-do list has grown- in the past month I've been roped into either doing or "now needing to do": heat sheilds by CV joints, change pop buttons on the convertible boot (ordered all 9 and just re-did them last night), sticky no more repairs, metal fender shields (on the car within 1 hour after the car arrived), spare remote clickers, find a good aftermarket exhaust, and now new tires. And let's not forget the side "impluse buys" like new yellow center caps from ricambi, a new OEM shift knob and floor mats. All this and I haven't even driven my car yet (and more snow/salt coming). I believe I've had it with the whole lot of you! (but keep the posts/suggestions of worthwhile 355 maint/upgrades coming )

 

Haha SOund precisely like my first three months which were soon followed by new headers and various other "wants".

Do you want a pic of my painted calipers???

 

Does your convertable top work

 

No- Stop it! One of the cars I looked at was yellow with yellow calipers and my wife commented on how nice they looked (plus my 360 had red calipers to go with the red color). No pictures. Or if you do post anyway, only one small picture.

 

It works but kind of slow- I'm not going to try it again until it's warm out. Maybe if it breaks I'll permanently put it down and use the $ I would have spent fixing it on all the junk you guys have tempted me with (I'll include the tires the OP brought up in the term "junk"). Who needs to drive with the top up anyway?

 

Calm down there.
Pacify yourself in knowing..

1. The 355 is in the top 10 of most gorgeous car designs ever
2. The 355 is in the top 10 of the best sports cars to drive ever manufactured
3. She is rare
4. Her value if cared for will surely rise as time flies by
5. The 355 is the best sounding factory car ever produced bar none

 

Tires are actually on my list. Given the tire size, I'm finding that the tires for the F355 are far cheaper than the tires I have on my 4dr Jeep ($450 each)...

What tires do you recommend?

FYI - I live in GA = Hot, HUMID, summers! Winters can get down in the teens, but probably won't be driving the 355 much when the weather is below 50 F...

Thanks!

 

Ahhhh.... Sorting. The more intimate one becomes with their F355 the more obvious the potential reasons one F355 could be worth $40k and another one could be worth $80k.

Think of these as investing in your life long enjoyment of your F355 and it doesn't sting as bad when dropping the cash.

 

OK- I calmed down a little Lotusk- ha! Steve- I agree...it's a matter of getting the car all sorted out the way you like (I went through this with every sports car and even non-sports car I've owned when it's newly acquired..)

I just checked out tire rack- several options for matched sets...I know when I bought the tires for my 360 a few years ago everyone on f-chat in the 360/430 section raved about the RE-11 so that's what I got...is that what folks generally like the best for the 355 (for summer non/track non/rain use?) or do people like others?

 

Some swear by the Super Sports but the majority of owners are happy with some normal mid range summer tires in the 280-300 wear rating area. I believe the Super Sports are 140 wear rating.