Alloys do age and go porous over time but generally providing they do not get knocked and are strait they are 100% OK. Magnesium wheels which are the reserve of exotica are different and age and deteriorate faster.
Tyre age much faster especially when exposed to sunlight but the atmoshere affects the rubber as well. The advice used to be that no tyre should be used when it was over 6 years old but the more sensible advice now is its fine to use up to 10 years old but after 6 years they should not be refitted to a wheel or have any punctures repaired.
There have a 4 number date code moulded into the side wall. For tyres made after 2000 it should read something like 2310 which translates as manufactured in week 23 of year 2010. Prior to 2000 it was only 3 digits, 237 could mean either week 23 of 1987 or 1997.
The wheels on my classic are date coded 1989, 25 years old and all are strait and do not leak. The tyres are date coded 4608 which means they are coming up 6 years old. In 4 years time I will change them even though they will still be road legal but in truth by then they will be near the end of their lives since the rubber will be geting rock hard.
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