Are Used Car Tyres Safe?

It is no secret, brand new car tyres can be very costly, this is why many car owners opt for used tyres because they seem like the ideal way to save some good cash on car maintenance.

However, there is more to buying car tyres than just getting a set with a lot of tread and for a cheap price. What many car owners fail to notice is that using used car tyres poses some safety risks that might not be evident then, but will be later.

Car tyres are made out of rubber compounds that are known to age as time goes whether used frequently, barely used or completely unused. However, it is really not clear how long the tyres can serve the car by providing the owner safe transportation until deterioration occurs to the point where they fail to serve their purpose.

When To Change Your Tyres

Tyre manufacturers recommend tyre replacement between 5-10 years regardless of wear and of course depending on the conditions. If the tyres are frequently exposed to humidity, heat, direct sunlight, salt air and other factors that can lead to quicker breakdown of the rubber compounds, then they should be replaced after a few years.

Buying used car tyres should not be an option, it doesn't matter if you are saving on cash or are trying to be environment conscious by preserving the natural resources by use of used tyres. Either way you are reducing your road safety conditions by driving around in used tyres and further outlined below are reasons why.

You Have No History Of The Tyre

It is easy to find the right size of a used car tyre for your vehicle but there is no way you can tell if the tyre was in a vehicle that was frequently overloaded, or was driven at very high speeds.

Such facts can affect the tyre's functionality in a way that might not be initially noticeable but might lead to failure in the near future. The tyres might also have been wrongly repaired, unnoticeably damaged, exposed to harsh elements or simply mishandled which can later affect transportation.

You Can Miss A Recall

With all new tyres being the registered to the car owner buying it, in case of a recall for any reason, the buyer can be contacted easily. However, with used tyres the link between the manufacturer and the buyer is no more and the buyer of used tyres may never know if the tyres have been recalled because of a safety issue. This might be very dangerous for you because you may end up baring the consequences as the buyer of the recalled used tyre.

Will fail When You Desperately Need Them

With used tyres, you can never be sure. Since you have no record of their history and are accepting them because they have plenty of tread and are sold at a great price, you are never quite sure when they will fail. There are common cases where the used tyres failed when the car owners had to rush to work while late, an important meeting, when tending to an emergency and so on.

If You have To Buy

If you are buying used tyres, then let it be only when you are buying a used car because a used car will obviously have used tyres. This way you can see the vehicle the tyres are from and can tell the mileage and overall condition.

You can also get maintenance records of the car to further help you tell the actual state of the tyres. You will not know the complete history of those used tyres in the second-hand vehicle, but you can tell if they are in good condition by looking at the vehicle.

If the vehicle looks neglected, then there are high chances the tyres are too. In this case you will have no other option but get brand new tyres. This is because the safety of you as a car owner and any occupants in your car will depend on the condition of the four tyres that you are riding on.

The Bottom Line

Buying a new set of tyres is no doubt a worthwhile practice because you are wisely preventing the danger posed by the unknown condition of the tyres. Used car tyres will save you some good amount, but they are not really worth the huge risk they pose. Their disadvantages far outweigh the advantages.

If you are in need of changing your tyres then an expert tyre fitting company like http://www.gilnahirktyres.co.uk/cheap-tyres-belfast can help you out.

By Tyler Higgins