A recent investigation by Birmingham Trading Standards revealed 90% of part worn tyres failed to meet the minimum legal standard. Among the tyres which failed were problems such as embedded nails, illegal tread depth, exposed cords, inadequate sidewall markings and unbelievably one tyre which was 17 years old !
Birmingham Trading Standards regularly keep a close eye on part worn tyre dealers and 2010 was their 9th annual investigation which saw them buy 10 part worn tyres from across Birmingham. In this year’s survey 30 percent of tyres had structural failings including illegal tread depth and a nail embedded in the casing while 90 percent did not have the correct markings, required by law, which identify them as a part worn tyre.
The thing to remember with part worn tyres is that they have been removed from another vehicle for a reason - Maybe a puncture that someone else has deem unsafe to repair, removed from a vehicle written off in an accident, replaced due to signs of the ageing of the tyre or simply that someone wanted different tyres. The fact is with a part worn tyre there is no history or integrity that can be associated with it.
A recent customer was sent to our Manchester Depot, by a local part worn dealer in Manchester, to have her Tracking checked having spent £80.00 having 4 x part worn 155/70R13 tyres fitted to her VW Polo.
Of the 4 x tyres fitted, only the front wheels had been balanced, all the wheels still had the old balance weights attached, no new valves had been fitted, both rears were cracked showing signs of the age of the tyres (2002) and the OSF was a directional tyre fitted the wrong way round. This customer said she drives to Germany twice a year.
In the example above, the customer could have purchased 4 x brand new 155/70R13 tyres for £146.84 compared with the £80.00 she spent on the part worns. A new tyre comes with 8mm of tread compared to the 5mm on the part worn. The safe usable tread on the new tyres would be 6mm and 3mm on the part worns. The legal limit is 1.6mm and Event Tyres recommend changing tyres at 2mm or more.
So, the cost per usable mm of tread from a new tyre (6mm) would have been £6.12 compared to £6.67 for the part worn tyre (3mm) - With the new tyre having 50% more usable tread.
So before you dash down to your local part worn tyre dealer for a bargain, consider whether they will do the job to the standard you expect, whether you can trust the tyre being fitted is safe and whether what seems a good deal is really as good as you think.
Event Tyres do not supply Part Worn Tyres & do not recommend their use.
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