Are second-hand tyres worth it?

Tyres · Posted by: Mobile Tyres 2 U · 1st October 2021

If you’re looking to save on car parts, you might have considered second-hand or part-worn tyres. While second-hand car parts can be a great money saver, when it comes to your tyres, we think it’s worth splashing out on a new set, and in this article we will be telling you exactly why!

Tyres are the key to unlocking your vehicle’s performance

You will have heard us talk about this before on our blog: tyres are the only part of your vehicle that are in contact with the road, meaning that every aspect of your vehicle’s performance, from acceleration to braking distance, is expressed through your tyres. This just means that, no matter how good your vehicle is at stopping, if you’ve got an old set of tyres on, you won’t be able to take advantage of that stopping distance.

With this in mind, if you are wanting to make the most out of your vehicle, we would recommend going for a new set of tyres, rather than a pre-used set.

Second-hand tyres might not be road legal for long

If you didn’t know, the legal minimum tread depth your tyres can have is 1.6mm. This means that, when you buy second-hand tyres, you are already limiting the amount of time you will actually be able to use those tyres before they fall below that minimum tread depth. And then you will have to buy a new set of tyres, which will leave your bank account worse off than before!

If you’re ever unsure about your tyres’ tread depth, the easiest thing to do is to do the 20p test. Just get a 20p coin and slot it in the tyre tread. Is the outer band of the coin completely obscured by the tread? If so, good, the tyres are road legal. If not, then the tread is below 1.6mm and you need to get a new set!

If they’re not good enough for them, why are they good enough for you?

If you’re considering buying part-worn tyres, you have to ask yourself this question: if the previous owner of the tyres didn’t deem them good or safe enough to be used on their vehicle, should you really use them on yours?

Even if the tyre tread is above the legal minimum and there’s no obvious damage to the exterior, it’s still going to be the case that the best years of the tyres are behind them. They are going to be less grippy in wet conditions, have less traction in corners, and just be less responsive in general. With this in mind, we think it’s always worth opting for a new set, for peace of mind more than anything.

If you’re based in Watford, High Wycombe or the surrounding areas and need a new set of tyres, turn to Mobile Tyres 2 U. We offer a completely mobile service, so whether you’re at the office, the side of the road or just at home, we can come and fit a new set for you. For more information, all you have to do is get in touch.