15 May 2014
A rising number of cash strapped UK motorists are opting to buy part worn tyres as oppose to buying new tyres. Due to their lower price being a little easier on the pocket, the number of part worn tyres sold in the UK is soaring rapidly. However, it has been revealed by recent studies that this is resulting in many motorists driving with dangerous and unsafe tyres.
Will you save money?
Before hitting the nitty gritty of the potential dangers of buying part worn tyres – just take a look at the comparable value for money; an investigation from Tyresafe found that the average cost per millimetre of usable tread on a part worn tyre was around £6.33, whereas the comparable cost of an equivalent new tyre was £5.32. So despite high fuel, insurance and vehicle running costs, saving a few pounds on your tyres in the short term can really throw you out of pocket in the long run! By law a part worn tyre must have a tread depth of 2mm around the whole tyre. Once the tread depth reaches 1.6mm the tyre will need changing. So a part worn tyre that might cost you half the price of a new one, is likely to last only a quarter of the time or mileage of a new one.
What does the law say?
The Motor Vehicle Tyres [safety] Regulations Act 1994 was introduced to prevent the sales of substandard tyres. This act outlines the standards that used tyres must adhere to before they are sold officially as part worn. Despite this law, recent research by Trading Standards found in one area of the UK 9/10 part worn tyres on sale, did not adhere to the legal guidelines.
Most customers are unaware of the ‘retailers’ obligations and responsibilities when selling part worn tyres to them. When on sale, part worn tyres must be permanently marked as being 'PART-WORN' in upper case letters at least 4mm high. If they have been repaired or reconditioned the details of the repairer should also be evident. The grooves in the tyre should be clear and the minimum tread depth at time of purchase is 2mm. For the tyres to be legally sold, part worns should not have any cut over 25mm or 10% of the section width of the tyre (whichever is the greater) on the outside of the tyre,any internal or external lumps, bulges or tears, any ply or cord exposed internally or externally or penetration damage that has not been repaired. Part worn tyres are not required to be examined by x-ray so it can be impossible to determine internal damage.
"Although guidelines do exist about the condition of tyres being sold as part worns, they are clearly not being adhered to by all traders. The types of faults found are extremely dangerous and if fitted to a vehicle, could have caused serious accident and injury. This serves as a warning to drivers and we would reiterate our position that we would always recommend fitting brand new tyres." Stuart Jackson, Chairman, TyreSafe.
So how are part worn Tyres dangerous?
Not knowing where a tyre has come from, how old it is, or what it’s experienced is a huge factor to consider when it’s the only part of the vehicle in direct contact with the road. It’s always possible part worn tyres have hidden faults. A tyre is a high tech piece of equipment with 30 different components which must ALL be in good condition to guarantee safety for drivers, passengers and other road users.
Reduced or uneven tread depth on part worn tyres can seriously affect grip and stopping distances. The grooves in a tyre remove water from the contact patch between the tyre and the road. The science behind a tyres design helps give full control when accelerating, cornering and braking. Compromising on the quality of the tyres you buy will inevitably affect your driving and your vehicles performance.
Here at Setyres we offer a wide range of quality budget tyres, as well as mid range and premium brand tyres at competitive prices. Don’t compromise your safety or the safety of others! Find your new tyres on line here and arrange a time and place convenient to you to have the new tyres fitted. If you have any questions our expert staff will be happy to help out – find your nearest centre here and give us a call today.