9 Year Old Tires Contributed to Paul Walker's Death

[PastTense]

"The Porsche that Paul Walker was riding in when it crashed and burst into flames, killing the "Fast & Furious" actor and his friend behind the wheel, was on tires that were more than twice the recommended age for the high-performance car, investigators found. At least two of the tires were more than nine years old; Porsche recommends that tires be replaced after four years. As a result, CHP investigators wrote that "the driveability and handling characteristics" of the car "may have been compromised.""
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...outdated-tires-crash-20140326,0,2098052.story


Surprising.

"Repost" - This is already in the other Paul Walker thread. -Admin DrPizza

 

[KLin]

I blame the driver.

 

[phucheneh]

This is really not a huge deal. They were probably in better condition than a lot of tires under that four year mark that are currently rolling around on a road near you.

I see plenty of cars with 2010 or later manufacture dates that are so dry-rotted that chunks are coming out of them. It's because the cars are driven daily and constantly exposed to a non-climate-controlled environment. OTOH, this Porsche surely spent its entire life in a climate-controlled garage, was rarely driven, and was never driven in inclement weather (wet pavement = death...well...sooner...death).

 

[techs]

Wasn't he going 94 in a residential area?

Yeah, must have been the tires.

 

[Kaido]

Wasn't he going 94 in a residential area?

Yeah, must have been the tires.

This. So much this.

 

[KeithP]

The LA Times looking for anything on a popular story that justifies another article. Gotta keep those clicks coming.

There is plenty of evidence that suggests excessive speed was the reason for the crash and no evidence that a problem with the tires had anything to do with the crash. Correct?

-KeithP

 

[thescreensavers]

Wasn't he going 94 in a residential area?

Yeah, must have been the tires.

There is no way to know for sure, and this was probably not the first time he went that fast on that road. It was close to the shop and no experienced driver drives that fast on the streets without driving through there multiple times.

A good theory is that the tire possibly gave out which initiated the spin out.

Sure he was speeding but 9 year old tire under a high load and high temp its very possible. The loads from cornering the GT at that speed far surpass joe schmoes 12 year old tires driving down the highway.

 

[Printer Bandit]

Ban Porsche for selling murder machines.

 

[maziwanka]

i dont really buy that - the tires on my sports car are 10 years old, but i've only put 18k miles on them total. i also don't drive like a maniac

 

[kevman]

Roger Rodas Killed Paul Walker.

 

[Kelvrick]

i dont really buy that - the tires on my sports car are 10 years old, but i've only put 18k miles on them total. i also don't drive like a maniac

I'm not saying the tires are to blame, but how hard do you drive your tires and how is the car stored?

Rubber does deteriorate when exposed to sunlight and other things on the road like salt and chemicals, especially over years.

I wouldn't trust anything more than 4-5 years old on my track car or anything I drive "spiritedly." They usually don't last around that long anyway.