HJ reports the Tyresafe/Autop Express investigation as:

Fifty part-worn tyres were inspected by an independent expert who found that 98% had been sold with illegal tread depth.

Whereas Auto Express report:

Most had glossy black rubber and healthy tread patterns; all our tyres had at least the legal minimum 1.6mm of tread.

So what about the 98% of part worn tyres being illegal?

Part-worns must also be ink stamped ‘part worn’ on the sidewall to show the tyre has been checked and meets all of these legal requirements. Only one of our 50 tyres bore that seal of approval

So the illegality actually refers to labelling (or lack therof) rather than to the structural integrity of the tyres. The facts have been grossly twisted to try to support the reporters' preconceived opinion. The story is as disgrace.

Edited by unthrottled on 22/08/2012 at 13:26

Part worn tyres can be very useful when replacing one broken tyre on a vehicle which requires all four tyres to be within a margin of each other.

>>The moral of the experiences to me is that tyres are the most important parts of a car. Personally I would never fit anything other than a new tyre from a well known and respected manufacturer. Life is short enough as it is there is no point in making it shorter for the sake of a few pounds.

I assume therefore that whenever you buy a used vehicle you immediately replace all tyres, including the spare, irrespective of their perceived condition?

What about rentals and replacement vehicles?

If unscrupulous shops are selling worn-out part-worns, I'd be more worried about the mugs buying them then the people selling them. It's the drivers' responsibility to check the condition of their tyres.

Don't think it's so much unscrupulous dealers anyway.

There will be a type of customer who wants a nearly-new, high quality tyre, probably in pairs. There will be a rack for them.

Then there will be another who want something legal for a tenner. For these, the 3mm tread Linglongs out the back will be brought out.

Supply and demand.

The buyer of the cheap tyre can't then complain when three months later his tyres are borderline illegal.

I'm not averse to buying matched single budget(ish) second-hand tyres on ebay locally for the second car. Can often pick up single 195/55/15 tyres with 7mm of tread for well under ten quid; I will go over and thoroughly check them before passing to my mechanic on service day (having bought another similar one of the same type in the meantime).

I know it's not ideal but on a runabout, as long as I'm happy the tyres are OK I don't see the problem. There's one local bloke in particular whom I know who has a little sideline buying in scruffy alloys, cleaning them up, putting new tyres on and reselling. Most of his tyres are useless with 2mm of tread, but the occasional 7mm one comes in.

The last lot was one Arrowspeed which was pretty much brand-new (and I knew where it came from -- a workmate bought it then the engine went on his car -- I offered to buy the single tyre but he said I could have it, and dumped the spare on it before taking it to the scrap man -- I gave him £10 (plus more in beer) for his trouble as I didn't think that was fair). Then I got an identical tyre with 7mm but under the Nexen brand-name (same tyre, different brand, both CP641s) from this guy for £8.50. Can't really grumble, the tyres are fine and grip pretty well.

That's the way you do the part-worn thing, not buying 4mm tyres for £30 each as some mugs do.

Edited by primeradriver on 22/08/2012 at 17:44

Buyer beware.

It can't be beyond the wit of anyone to do some reasearch before they buy a flashy car, can it?

Insurance, VED, search online for regular faults, running costs, servicing costs, likely regular replacement parts costs...and last but not least, how much will a new tyre cost.

If you can't afford burgers you don't buy fillet steak.

..(son is about to buy a BMW: have told him I am too old to repair and service it:-)

It'll be fine :)

Bit of a jump from a Yaris though. As long as it's a good one, no problem.

As I'm sure you know.

Edited by corax on 22/08/2012 at 20:46

>>Quite. But of course this is HJ's business....

Damn, you're boring.

Edited by No FM2R II on 22/08/2012 at 18:57