When looking to replace the tyres on their car, a motorist may be tempted to save money by opting for part-worn tyres sold at a cheap price.
But are part-worn tyres a good idea? In this guide, we explain what you need to know about part-worn tyres.
Part-worn tyres are tyres which were previously used on another car but have since been removed from the vehicle they were originally attached to and are now being sold second hand.
How much are part-worn tyres?
The price of part-worn tyres can vary but they are usually much cheaper than a set of fresh new tyres which is what can make them so desirable to motorists.
Whereas a single new tyre can cost somewhere between roughly £60 and £80, a part-worn tyre can cost from just £10.
Where do part-worn tyres come from?
There are various possible reasons to explain why a set of part-worn tyres may have been removed from the car they were previously used for. One example is that the car they were originally attached to was scrapped and the tyres were removed just prior to this.
Alternatively, a car may have been written off in an accident but the tyres were considered still usable so they were removed and put back on sale.
How long do part-worn tyres last?
No matter how good a set of part-worn tyres may look, they will inevitably not be usable for as long as a fresh set of tyres.
Depending on how much information you have on a tyre’s background, it is difficult to predict just how long a part-worn tyre will last. One thing that could give you some insight is finding out what vehicle the tyre(s) originally belonged to and how many miles that car covered before the tyre(s) were removed from it.
It may be impossible to find out this information but if there happens to be an opportunity you should take it as it could prove very informative. For some guidance, a pair of front tyres on a front-wheel drive car should be able to cover at least 20,000 miles before they’ll need replacing, while the rear tyres should cover double that mileage.
Are part-worn tyres safe?
It is legal to sell part-worn tyres in Britain and such tyres are meant to follow rules set out by the Consumer Protection Act, specifically the part that covers Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations.
Under this same legislation, it is possible for a tyre that was previously punctured to be re-sold, provided it has been repaired in accordance with British Standards.
These regulations are there to ensure that part-worn tyres sold in markets meet legal safety requirements. However, these regulations can not 100 per cent guarantee that a set of part-worn tyres you may see for sale are in fact both safe and legal.
Even with all of these regulations in place, a part-worn tyre put on sale may have insufficient tread depth to be legal or effective and there may be some defects that are hard to spot from casual observation.
Should I buy part-worn tyres?
It’s understandable as to why some motorists find part-worn tyres alluring as they are cheap and easy to find since many retailers are willing to sell them. Those who are adamant about getting such tyres are best focusing their attention on well-established retailers with a decent reputation, since they’re the most likely to comply with tyre regulations.
However, while the initial cost of part-worn tyres may be far less than a new set of tyres, a new set of tyres is more likely to prove cost-effective in the long term.
A set of part-worn tyres may only be able to cover a relatively small amount of mileage before they need replacing again and if this becomes a habit you could end up spending quite a lot on numerous replacements.
Also, while part-worn tyres are meant to follow a series of regulations to make them legal and safe when they are sold, this is not a bullet-proof guarantee. The regulations do not mean the tyres are examined in intensely close details and hidden dangers could ultimately lurk within.
If a part worn tyre has any problems lurking within it, these could be easily missed until you find out the hard way while using it. Unlike with a fresh new tyre, you can never truly know the history of a part-worn tyre and what things may have happened to it that may have caused invisible, irreparable damage.
