Tires should start off with a direction of rotation arrow when new. Thing is you can buy used tires fairly cheap, the problem is with radial tires after a couple years rolling in one direction the cords get "set" to that direction. When a shop replaces them with new tires the "good" used ones go to the used tire shops with no data on tire rotation passed along. So you end up after a while with tires that still have good tread depth but shred themselves apart from being mounted in the opposite direction of original installation. This is mainly why used tire shops never give any warranty on used tires. And also why two of the tires on my old Falcon were shredded. 

It's been parked in my back yard since 2006, and I bought new "used" tires for it today. I drove it out of my back yard yesterday (started right up! different battery and new gas of course) and it needed tires just so it could park on the street while I clean it up.

I never drove it fast but the direction of rotation doomed the tires it had on it previously and most likely will eventually doom the newer tires I bought today.

That's why I think tires should be manufactured with a specific direction of travel clearly marked on the tire.

The old rotate your tires from left to right front to back concept is simply a recipe for disaster with modern radials.

I've had fairly good luck with used tires ...
... I've got a great tire guy

The roads here are so fucking terrible that used tyres are a last resort, if you absolutely can't afford new ones. Not because they wouldn't last, so much as there are very few used tyres available that aren't completely destroyed already.

Yeah, I can see that from some of the pics I've seen of there ...

Knowing the roads here means not only knowing the twists and turns, but where the big potholes are and how to best avoid them. And every time it rains heavily (like today, as it happens), everything changes slightly.

The only way I can see tires wearing out faster due to mud holes and such is if you also have a lot of sharp rocks, possibly volcanic. You got volcanoes on your Island?

More importantly, since that's how (most) islands are formed, have you seen one blow up, possibly on your way to work, lately?

I haven't seen an actual blow out in over a decade.

Antigua is half volcanic and half limestone. We have no active volcanoes, but less than 30 miles away is the island of Montserrat, which has one of the world's most active volcanoes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montserrat#Volcano.2C_exclusion_zone.2C_and_transport

And Tru, I'm not quite understanding your reasoning here. Potholes and shitty roads in general aren't harder on tyres than smooth, well-paved roads?

More importantly, since that's how (most) islands are formed, have you seen one blow up, possibly on your way to work, lately?

My way to work consists of going down some steps, across my yard, through two gates, across the office's yard, and into my office. So... no. Not lately.

Well is sounded like you were driving on dirt roads.

Nah, mostly paved, just poorly paved. When there are problems they just spot-patch them, so even the "fixed" parts end up lumpy and uneven.

I bought one used tire, it got me back to Fort Myers, and then a round trip from FM to Jax and back (360 miles each way). I rebuilt a pool pump and in trade I got two new radials installed and balanced. Two more will cost me $148. So fuck any more used tires. When I get back she gets the other ball joint and tie rod end and both struts and she'll be good for another 50K.

I never used used tyres... no retreads either.

Mind you, the current rubber on the landyacht set me back 2 gorillas, so next time, I may be looking for substitute brand, probably some Chink brand full of PCB's and asbestos.

"2 gorillas"
hahahaha!

I cant decipher whether you are laughing at the price I paid (which I admit was savage), or my use of slang...

A gorilla is a dime, right? What kinda rubber you running? Gotta be some serious fucking width on that thing, yeah?

The slang ...
I'm assuming that it means a grand; right?

Acccording to urban dictionary it is.

Damn, and I have an app for that too ...

A gorilla is a dime, right? What kinda rubber you running? Gotta be some serious fucking width on that thing, yeah?

yeah, 245x45 on 18 inch rims... Bridgestone Potenza, AU$500 a tyre, not cheap. Good tyres though, not like Continentals I had on the previous Moshmobile. Never buying Continental's again.

They sound nice and grippy!

2 k ?...  they got spare bed in this ward.

that was the cheapest I found them... luxury cars, eh?

Ward ....

I had an uncle that worked for Michelin, so we always used to get coupons for family discounts. 

That's a handy uncle to have. Did you also get discounts on incredible restaurants, because that would also be cool!

Nope.  Only uncle with a worthwhile discount. 

My brother-in-law works for GM.  Shame I would never want a GM.