Tires: Great cars, unreliable tires, cold climates, fine cars

Question
Dear Mr. Smith: Over the years, I've owned several fine cars & tend to keep a car for several years. But no matter whether I purchase a car new or used, foreign or American made, I always have tire problems despite checking pressure regularly & having tires rotated & balanced as often as recommended. The latest problem was a faulty stem - while running errands, I suddenly lost all the air in an otherwise good tire & couldn't change it because a couple of bolts had been over-tightened, so I wasted precious hours waiting for a wrecker service. Afterward, I considered replacing all 4 tires but was assured that they are in good condition with plenty of tread. I don't drive too much (c. 6,000 miles/yr) & reside in a hot climate. My car sits off the road in a carport open to the weather. I usually drive alone & don't carry heavy loads. When I purchase tires, I always get 4 at one time. I buy either top priced name brands or mid-range tires with good warranties (40K+), but no matter what, I can always count on having tire problems. Oddly enough, when my tires fail it is NOT because of damage from nails or other road hazards. Can you shed light on my recurring headache?

Answer
Carmella,

If I am doing the math right, 40K tires and 6K per year means the tires are wearing out in about 6 1/2 years.

In hot climates, the rubber in the tires ages much more quickly - and somewhere about 6 years seems to be the limit for hot climates, while 10 years seems to be the limit for cold climates.

So I'd recommend you replace your tires more often.