I ordered a set of Continental ContiExtremeContact P245/45ZR17 tires from The Tire Rack about a week ago. If I am reading the date of manufacture on the tires correctly, they were made in 2005. I believe the tire in the image located at the URL below was produced during the seventeenth week of 2005. The forum refused to let me post a hyperlink, so please paste the following link into your browser's address bar.

tinyurl.com/3x4x2l

Can anyone confirm that I am reading the date correctly? If I am, that makes this tire nearly two and a half years old. The tire in the picture is the one I think is the oldest in the set, but they all appear to me to be from 2005.

Would that be a typical age of a new tire? Two and a half years seems old to me. I have read that tires should be replaced after about six years from manufacture regardless of wear, which would mean these tires have already reached about 40% of their lifetime.

I appreciate any information or comments.

Yes that tire was made the 17th week of 2005. It all depends on demand for the tire. Continentals usually aren't in high demand so they tend to sit on shelves for a while normally. It shouldn't make too much of a difference sine it was likely stored indoors. If it had been outside or in the elements for the last 2 years then I would be a little concerned. Most tires are good for 5-6 years. In my experience, most tires are 6-12 months old when they are put on a car.

If it were me, all call TireRack and ask to exchange them, at their cost, for newer tires.
Let them sell those rocks to someone who doesn't care ...