Pre-Winter checks...are you ready?

[Niall]

Also, if I was to buy a set of rubbers and left them in a shed for the rest of the year, do they perish or are they good for the following winters also?

Tyres will perish over time but at no where near the same rate as if they are on the car. Biggest killer of tyres (other than booting it of course ) is UV so if you're storing some tyres, stick them in the shed and make sure they are covered up so they don't get wet if the shed leaks.

and any tell tell signs of perished tyes; im just thinking if i buy a set of 4 winter tyres to go on my spare clones, then i want to get my moneys worth and now have to buy a new set every year or so

The biggest sign of perished tyres is cracking in the side walls. The rubber can also look dry (if that makes sense) and start to become lighter in colour.