Tires: tires, vehicle manufacturers, spare tire

Question
Hi Barry, my car has a unused spare tire which I never put on the car because the rim is different. I now need a new set of tires. Should I buy 3 new tires and use this one as a 4th or should I just keep this one as a spare? The tires are 3yrs old.
                      Thank you,  BJS

Answer
Bernard,

The latest thinking in the area of tires revolves around tire age.  Some vehicle manufacturers have recommended that tires older than 6 years old be replaced, even if they haven't been used.

So I would base my decision on how long the next set of tires is expected to last.  I'd also consider that it is always safest to have 4 identical tires, rather than a mix.

Hope this helps.