The Advantage of New Tyres Over Used Ones - a Guide for a Responsible Driver

It's time to replace the tyres on your car. Therefore, the old dilemma comes around again: new or used? Ads posted on bidding websites are tempting. Everyone offers real bargains or last items that must go. And the honest sellers are praising the used tyres stating that they are "like new". You think it would be unforgivable not to get them as the bidding ends in an hour! Indeed, the choice is yours but by saving money, do you take your safety into consideration? If you think there is no alternative to saving money when buying tyres, then think again! We have prepared a guide that may be able to help you make the right decision. You will find out that new tyres are NOT ALWAYS very expensive, and used ones DO NOT have the same benefits!

Time to change, so when the tyre is worn out?

When winter ends, you put on the summer tyres, and you return to the winter tyres when the high temperatures end. But the fact, is, the necessity of replacement should depend on the degree of wear on the tyre. You are not always able to ride the whole season on one set.

What should make you change your tyres? You should pay attention to any irregularities, blisters or cuts on the rubber which occurs during use. It can also be a consequence of improper fitting or mismatching of a tyre to the car model. Such changes are a sign of damage to the rubber structure and require a change for safety reasons. Sometimes, these abnormalities come out during driving: the feeling of the car pulling from the road or a vibration noticeable on the steering wheel. To prevent this, review the condition of your tyres regularly to ensure that you and your passengers travel safely.

Just imagine an explosion of such a tyre at a speed over 60 mph.
 

This is a tyre that is not suitable for further use. The bulge is small, but it can suggest serious damage inside the model.

 

All micro cuts and dry rot are warning signs. They do not cause tyre pressure loss, however they do not guarantee safety either. This type of damage usually arises as a result of improper storage of the tyres, or due to aging.

 Manufacturers recommend tyre replacement after 5-6 years from the date of manufacture, even if the tread is higher than 1.6 mm. When you see any cracks on tyres on your car, do not delay to change them. Rubber with such damage, loses its properties. Grip on wet surfaces and during cornering is adversely affected.

When the tread on your tyre comes off, or has visible rubber losses, you need to think about changing tyres immediately. 

When the tread on your tyre comes off, or has visible rubber losses, you need to think about changing tyres immediately. Such wear cannot be repaired. An even bigger risk would be further exploitation.

Another warning sign is uneven tread wear on the tyre. Depending on the degree of damage, it informs drivers about incorrect balancing or inadequate pressure inside the tyre.

Tread is also responsible for excellent performance, grip and protection against aquaplaning. What if you lose one of these properties by neglect?
These are just some of the defects that should awaken your vigilance. To meet your needs, we have created a short instructional video that will help you make the right decision to change tyres:

Key Word - Price

When we are deciding to change a set of tyres, we begin to investigate the market. The promotions, good prices and real bargains seem to be our main target. Dealers tempt drivers with different offers that work on imagination and suggest huge benefits. The key word is the price and that can work wonders. The benefits come to mind almost immediately: a set of used tyres can be bought for a price of one brand new premium tyre. Ready-made comparisons suggesting the benefits of buying second-hand tyres make you often a victim of the promotion. Suddenly it turns out that the seller's  most prised model slips in the rain, and the emergency braking distance has increased enough to fill you with a cold sweat. This time you managed to avoid an accident, but can you afford to risk that?

The list of things to check when buying tyres from the second-hand market is quite long. It is best to ask the opinion of a professional who is able to see defects hidden to the amateur.

When buying used tyres, you need to check:

Age

 Every tyre will show you  

its age by signs present on its sidewall. This way you can find out if it has not lost its properties and see when it was produced. Tyre life with full properties is estimated at 5-6 years. So, when you find a perfect model with an untouched tread, look at the age of the tyre. You may find that it is not all about the look, and the details are what matters. In the old tyre, which exceeds the recommended shelf-life, the rubber mixture loses its properties. Belittling this determinant can influence the loss of safety on the road.
 

The date of when the tyre was manufactured is placed on its sidewall, will tell you the model’s age

Tread wear 

By law, the minimum tread height is determined by the TWI (tyre wear indicator). If you do not have it, then you should stay with the recommended 1.6 mm height. However, the law-approved tyre may not be able to cope with difficult road conditions (snow, mud, puddles).

TWI indicator on the tyre

When using winter tyres, the tread depth should be no less than 4 mm. This is a requirement, for the vehicle not to lose control on snow or ice. Also, you need to pay attention to the sipes. Good second-hand winter tyres are soft. When it comes to used summer tyres, it is important that the tread design efficiently drains the water. This is necessary for rainy days when the risk of aquaplaning increases. To prevent this, make sure the tread is no less than 3 mm deep and does not flex under the pressure of your finger.
 

These values ​​are acceptable, but they should not weaken the drivers’ vigilance if they want to drive safely. Investing in new tyres guarantees better grip and control of the vehicle in wet conditions.
Usage time. In this case, using the word "new" to describe such used tyres sounds like a bad joke. But sellers have their ways to sell such sensations. These are usually relatively young tyres, with acceptable tread depth. The driving style of each driver varies, which is most often reflected on the tyres. It can lead to problems such as feathering - uneven wear of the tread ribs. In this case, the purchase of such second-hand tyres will provide us with an additional "attraction" in the form of vibration and noise. To avoid such surprises with used tyres , it is best to look at them and touch before buying or not entertain  the idea of buying them and get a new set of economic tyres instead.
What tyres make up a set. It is recommended that tyres on an axle to be matching, meaning - brand, tread condition, size and type of tyres. This is a basic rule, which is responsible for road safety. You may find that the occasionally purchased set of used tyres consists of other cars’ spares. Although it may be surprising, but in fact sellers of used tyres often sell such sets, hiding their disadvantages under the word promotion.
They look like new, but... Sometimes, dishonest sellers try to cash in on tyres which are not suitable for use. They are trying to sell factory rejects or post-accidental tyres that look like new. The faults of these are hard to notice with the naked eye but have a significant influence on driving. It may turn out that the promotional set bought is to be thrown away, because the tyre fitter will find a hidden defect.

The car from this accident will probably go for scrap, but who knows what will happen to the tyres...

Favourable price, guarantee, confidence - new economic tyres

Perhaps your purchase of tyres depends on the characteristics of the models, or you are led by a price. Your type is a tyre with a modern tread pattern, excellent performance on wet surfaces and shorter braking distance. What is more, they must be not too expensive. This is possible only in the case of new tyres. If you manage to find ones like this second-hand, it’s only down to luck. Therefore, you have to ask yourself what a tyre on your car means to you? It is up to you whether you are in the group of people who value the savings, or you prefer what's new. The alternative between these two possibilities is to the brands which offer brand new economy tyres. Then you will be able to check out all the parameters promised by the manufacturer. You will also receive a warranty which will protect you from unnecessarily losing your money.
If, despite this, you think there are more pros than cons when buying used tyres, see if you have missed anything:
BUYING USED TYRES - BALANCE OF PROFITS AND LOSS

Remember that with a good tyre, it's like a comfortable boot - the better it fits, the further you go in it! Change tyres for the better ones and trust the professionals in this industry!