Tyre Date Code

[cre8toruk]

Hi Hopefully a really quick and easy one this...

Two of my tyres on my 111s Elise - one front and one back have date codes 3612 and 3512 respectively.
The other two (on the other side of the car) have what looks like a barcode (in rubber) where the date code should be.

Is it safe to assume that on a pair of tyres one tyre has a barcode and the other doesn't i.e. they're sold in pairs?

So I can be assured the date code on one tyre back tyre is the date code of the other rear tyre and the same for the fronts?

thanks in advance.

[djroadboy]

No,

The date code is only shown on one side of the tyre and if there are directional then on the other side of the car they will be on the inside sidewall. Take the wheels off and you'll see the date code on the other two.

No way they could be matched pairs. That would be a logistical/sales nightmare.

Dan

[kambites]

djroadboy said:

The date code is only shown on one side of the tyre and if there are directional then on the other side of the car they will be on the inside sidewall.

[cre8toruk]

thanks for the info.... makes life a bit difficult if you're buying a new car then... can't very well ask the garage to take two of the tyres off so I can check the date codes.

I only say that because when I bought my elise it had front tyres that were over 10 years old on it, I didn't check the date codes and that resulted in a crash that cost the insurance company over £6,000.00. I'd checked the tyres for tread but hadn't really thought about the age of the tyre...

still if you can't you can't.

[kambites]

If you're willing to crawl around on the floor with a torch, you can probably see with them on the car.