[Lowknob19]

Our 2006, purchased Jan. 2018, came with a brand new spare and two not-quite-matching off brand (Chinese, of course) tires with 2012 date codes.

We replaced them a month or so ago with new tires and wheels from etrailer.com: Provider ST215/75R14, load range D, $118.67 ea. (tires and wheels), free shipping & 1-year roadside assistance.

We haven't had the TM out of the driveway so far, but the tires & wheels look just fine. I know a little bit about the tire trade, and my hunch is that the Provider brand may well be from the same factory that produces famous-brand tires, but these are rebranded with different side mold dies. Kind of like Adidas & Nike shoes coming off the same line, just on different days. etrailer also has more expensive brands.

They came with 2016 date codes; disappointing, but not a major concern, since the aging takes place on the road, from sun and weather, potholes, etc., not in the warehouse. They'll be changed again in 2-3 years, and I expect they'll be just fine for our occasional trips.

The other point with load range D tires is to use steel valve stems, which are rated up to 100psi. The snap-in rubber stems are only rated to 65psi, and the 8-ply D range tires' recommended inflation is 65psi. Worth a few extra dollars, if only for peace of mind. etrailer didn't install the steel valve stems, but my local tire shop did that for free when they balanced the wheels. Got shiny new lug nuts, too; I think the TM is smiling at her new shoes.