Could buying second hand tyres be the costliest thing you do?
You might think that second hand used or part worn tyres are an affordable and reliable option. But do they represent good value for money? Here we debunk some of the myths to see if second hand tyres are the best tyres for your vehicle.
Besides everything in this article the fact remains that the cost of new tyres has dropped so much that second hand tyres, retreads and any other form of non-new tyres, is a declining market. So consider the new alternative to your second hand before making a decision.
Where do part worn tyres come from?
Part worn tyres are second hand tyres. They could come from anywhere. When you buy them, there is no way of telling who previously owned them. You don’t even know what country they have been used. Nor do you know how they were driven.
Second hand tyres might be sourced from car wrecking services, vehicle recyclers, or even illegal tyre dumps. We’re not saying that second hand tyre shops sell poor products. One thing is sure, though: you simply won’t know the history of a second-hand tyre.
Are second-hand tyres the best tyres for the safety of your vehicle?
A study conducted in England in 2014 showed that 1.5 million drivers had bought illegal part worn tyres in the previous five years. In 2015, TyreSafe found that 98% of part worn tyres would not pass trading standards.
I don’t know about you, but those statistics put me off buying second-hand tyres for life.
When you buy second hand tyres, you should be told what amount of tread they have remaining. Some will be as high as 80% to 100%. Others are as low as 40%. Any wear on tread will affect your driving performance.
Age of tyres also affects them. A second hand tyre could be almost 100% tread grade, but it might be ten years old. It could have been on a car that was hardly ever driven. But it has been weathered by ten years of sun and rain, while it stood on the road mostly unused.
Is the saving worth the risk?
There’s no doubt that buying second hand tyres will save you money. But you have to weigh the financial saving with the risk you’re taking. You don’t know the history of the tyre. You won’t know if they pass all the legal requirements in Queensland.
If you buy a pet from a dog rescue home, you won’t know the dog’s history. You won’t know its full medical or mental state. When you take the dog home, you understand that there is risk involved.
If second hand tyres are called ‘risk-involved tyres’, would you buy them?
For the best deals in new tyres, get in touch with the team at Darra today. Give us a call on 3333 5510 – we’ll be happy to help.
Cheers,
Kevin Wood