Is It Profitable to Buy Used Tires?
Anyone who has ever experienced the shock of changing a car tire (or worse, all tires) has probably wondered if they could just opt for a used tire instead. Well, you can , but you probably shouldn’t. As Consumer Reports writes: “We say, ‘No, no.’ Don’t buy used tires: you don’t know where they’ve been or how they’ve been used.”
Their biggest concern is safety: according to Consumer Reports, there’s no way to tell how unsafe a tire will be, and it’s probably something you shouldn’t bother with. On the other hand, while new tires are superior to used tires in many ways, there is one major factor in favor of buying used tires: new tires are expensive . If you’re considering fitting a used tire to your car, here are a few things to think about before shelling out.
Pros and cons of new tires
pros
- They’re safer: According to an AAA study , riding relatively worn tires at high speeds in wet conditions can “increase average stopping distance by a staggering 43%, or another 87 feet.”
- They will last longer.
- You know exactly what you are getting.
- It is usually easier to find the right tires.
- The steps are even.
- They usually come with a warranty .
Minuses
- They’re Expensive : Due to supply chain issues, inflation (get it? because they’re tires?), unrest among workers, and the cost of raw materials, tire prices have risen throughout 2021 and are expected to continue rising in 2022 .
Pros and cons of used tires
pros
- They are much cheaper – up to 50% cheaper.
- Environmental Issues: Rubber waste is a major environmental issue, but I’m assuming you’re going to recycle your old tires rather than dump them on the side of the road. However, there is an argument that using any tires, as long as it is safe, is the best choice for the environment.
Minuses
- Lifespan: If it has never been ridden, the treads on a used tire wear out and the rubber ages, so it probably won’t last as long as a new tire of the same quality.
- Recall: If a used tire is recalled, no one will tell you about it.
- Unknown: Even if you check the treads and tires very carefully for wear and damage, you wo n’t be able to know for sure about all the stress that the tire was subjected to from the previous owner.
- Limited (or no) warranty: While some dealers offer warranties on used used tires, they will be much shorter than the four, five, or six year warranties you can get on new tyres.
What to look for when buying used tires
How long any car tire will last depends on so many factors: how the car is driven and maintained, the age and quality of the tires, the road and weather conditions the car has been driven on, whether you made donuts to impress his punk friends, etc. – that it is impossible to reliably determine when it makes sense to buy a new tire versus a used one. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get a good deal.
Ask where the tire came from
There are reliable and inexpensive used tires. Many cars with perfectly serviceable tires are scrapped and sold for parts – just ask anyone who works at a junkyard.
Check tread depth
Tread depth is the first thing to look for when choosing a used tire. Tread depth is measured in 32 inches, and new tires in the US are typically 10/32 to 11/32 inches. While you can check tread depth with a coin , a tire tread depth indicator costs less than four dollars and will give you an accurate measurement. For an idea of how low is too low, dealerships consider anything below 4/32 to be too low to sell the car without installing new tires. Anything lower than that and things get dangerous.
Check tire age
Even if the treads are deep, buying an old tire is a bad idea. Rubber dries and weakens over time, even if you hardly ride at all. While there is no fixed tire life, Chrysler, Ford General Motors and European car manufacturers estimate tire life at six years .
Do not take the seller’s word about the age of the tire. Tires have identification numbers on the sidewall. They start with “DOT” for “Department of Transportation” and end with four digits. The first two are a week, the second are a year. So, the tire marked DOT U2LL LMLR 1217 was produced in the 12th week of 2017. (Here’s what the rest of , in case you’re wondering.)
Damage
Inspect the tire carefully. Check the seams for tears. Check for signs of patches or repairs. Check for cracks. Check for bubbles on the side wall. Check for dents, missing pieces, and flat spots. Check for uneven wear: if the last driver had bad wheel alignment or over- or under-inflation tires, don’t buy them. This YouTube video provides an additional detailed overview of tire inspection with helpful visuals so you know what to look out for. But understand: you may not notice a tire defect at all.
Price
Make sure you check the price of a new tire before buying a used one to see if the savings are worth it.
Check UTQG Rank
If you’re buying any tire, new or used, it’s helpful to have an understanding of the Department of Transportation’s Tire Grading System . Tire manufacturers report these numbers themselves, so they’re not perfect, but a lot depends on how good the tires are.
Once is always a good idea to buy used tires
If you rent a car, you must usually return it with 4/32 tires or better. If your tires are below this level or otherwise damaged, put on used tires instead of new ones right before your lease expires – dealers charge a ton for replacement tires after the fact. Just make sure the used tires are the same size and specifications as the original equipment and check the lease for other details or restrictions – some leases require certain brands of tires, while others do not .