[HotRodx10]

You've touched on some other points I didn't mention and yes, parked outside rain or shine.

1 - Daughters vehicle so a little more concerned.
2 - Drives 70 miles per day round trip for work which I would consider substantial.
3 - In NJ so weather can be an issue during winter months.

Thanks

I don't see anything that looks like dry rot or a structural issue, but based on what you've said here, I would replace them. I had a set of those that were on our minivan when we bought it. We got stuck in a couple inches of slush turning around on the test drive. I replaced them as soon as I got it home. Those tires, like many othre Michelin and Continental tires are made with 2 different rubber compounds in the tread. The outer half of the tread is a soft compound with good traction on ice and snow. The bottom half of the tread, where those are now, is a harder compound with better wear characteristics, but lousy ice & snow traction. Pretty much anytime you see tires that get good ratings for ice &snow traction and treadwear warranty over 60k, that's how they managed it. Rubber compounds soft enough to grip on ice in cold temperatures are just too soft to hold up for 80k miles in the summer heat.

 

[HotRodx10]

If you have snow in winter or heavy rains, I would run those tires all the way to next fall.
There is nothing as nice as having fresh skins when the weather turns sour, and you are likely past the worst of it.

That makes sense, if the worst of this winter in NJ is past. Out here in the Rockies, the worst snow and ice usually comes in March and April.

 

[HotRodx10]

Where in heck do you find any tires for $100 NEW?

There's a few around that price in the size the OP is looking for; the only one I (well, TireRack) would recommend, for areas with snow, in that price range, is the Laufenn G Fit AS. The rest of the ones with decent ice&snow traction are $130 and up.

 

[HotRodx10]

see below,

All those are either off brands without objective quality or performance ratings, or dedicated winter tires, which will have no tread left after driving on them at highway speeds for a summer.

I had kumho's on my 1 series BMW, they are very good,

Some of the Kumho's are very good - the Crugen HT51, in particular, is excellent on ice; others not so much. Seems like they all have their good ones and not so good ones, especially when it comes to ice&snow.

 

[HotRodx10]

The risk of a blowout goes up every year, but the risk is negligible well past 6 years, and very small even past 10 years, if the tires are maintained properly (proper tire pressure, avoiding physical damage, etc.). If the tires are periodically inspected carefully, that small risk can be reduced back to the point of being negligible again, since most defects that would lead to a blowout have visible signs.

 

[HotRodx10]

a lot of people get in there car and drive, they assume it is all ok as there mechanic has told them so,

Safety is about dealing/planning for the lowest common denominator, i.e the nut behind the wheel.

That's why the auto makers and tire makers make the recommendations they do. There's also the financial incentive for the tire makers, and avoidance of liability for the auto makers (and the fact that most car makers put crappy tires on as OE).

As I said, most structural damage is visible upon close inspection, so for those of us who pay attention to our tires, going beyond 6 years isn't a significant risk. Not that my tires ever last that long before the tread is too low to suit me.

 

[HotRodx10]

I just went through a similar exercise. Tires over 6 years old, good tread, no real sign of dry rot and then came to "and my son drives it". I replaced the tires and sleep well at night.

For me, the decision hinges not on who drives it, but whether I have the opportunity to regularly inspect the tires. So for my kids who don't live with me, I would 'encourage' them to change them at least every 6 years. For vehicles that are at my house, I'd let them go longer, and just keep an eye on them. As I said, I haven't had occasion to worry about that, since they all get enough miles to need replaced in about 4 years, anyway.