Investing in New Tyres and Wheels

If you're replacing the tyres on your vehicle, you can sometimes save money by purchasing used tyres. However, you need to be cautious about this type of transaction. To be on the safe side, take a look at these tips. 

1. Never Buy Tyres With Low Treads

First and foremost, take a look at the treads on the tyre. If they are worn out, do not buy those tyres. Tyres need treads, and without them, they have no traction on the road. In some cases, you can even get a ticket for driving tyres with no tread.

If you see tread but you're not sure if it's enough, grab a coin from your pocket. If you wedge a 10 cent coin into the tread and it hides the outer ring of the coin, that's enough tread to be legally compliant. To be on the safe side, however, you may want about twice as much tread as that. Three centimetres is helpful for stopping quickly.

2. Look for Patches

Once you've established that the tyre has tread, look it over for other types of damage. Look both inside and outside the tyre of signs of patching. Also, ask the seller if the tyre has been repaired in the past.

Patched tyres can work, but they also have a much lower life expectancy than tyres that haven't been damaged in the past. Also, if you do any racing or amatuer track driving, patches and plugs are not ideal for high speeds.

3. Check for Recalls

You should also make sure that the tyres haven't been recalled. Recalls happen when there are manufacturer defects, and if the tyre was recalled, the original owner should have returned the tyre for a refund or replacement. However, in case the owner missed the notification, you should do your due diligence before making the purchase.

Luckily, it's fairly easy to learn about recalls. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions runs a website for Product Safety Australia. That site posts updates about recalled products, and you can search for recalled tyres based on the make and model.

4. Work With a Professional

To ensure you get the best used tyres possible, you may want to work with a professional, rather than buying the tyres from an individual. Many tyre specialists sell old and used tyres, and they can direct you to the safest option for your vehicle and your budget.