Owning and running a car is an expensive business nowadays and tyres can be one of the biggest expenses. However, if you are on a limited budget and don’t fancy paying hundreds of pounds for the latest tyres there is the option of going for a budget tyre or even a part-worn tyre. And usually there is very little difference in price in the case of good part-worns and new budget tyres. But there are several issues to consider when making your decision, not least the safety aspect.
Tyre regulations for part-worn tyres
The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994 lays down strict rules regarding part-worn tyres including;
A part-worn tyre must not have cuts longer than 25mm (or 10% of the section width of the tyre) and the original grooves must be to a depth of at least 2mm across the full breadth of the tread.
It should have no lumps, bulges or tears both internally and externally and no cords or piles should be exposed.
It must still show all the original markings including speed ratings and feature the words ‘PART-WORN’ in 4mm high letters.
What to consider
Consider these points: do you know where the tyre has come from? Has the tyre been previously punctured and repaired? Tyre wear is unique to each vehicle and a part-worn tyre will have ‘moulded’ to the vehicle it was originally fitted to so this may potentially cause steering or wear anomalies which may require tracking correction or even, in the worst cases, may affect your car’s suspension. A brand new tyre comes with a tread depth of 8mm whereas a part-worn tyre can legally be sold with as little as 3mm of tread depth so, considering the legal minimum is 1.6mm then it is obvious that a part-worn tyre will have a limited lifespan on your car. It may also have less grip on the road, especially in adverse weather conditions. So, although a part-worn tyre may be suitable as a short-term solution it could prove to be a false economy.
A new ‘budget’ tyre, on the other hand, comes with a manufacturers guarantee for peace of mind. From brand new it will adjust to your car and your driving style and because it will already have more tread depth it will obviously last longer and will have better grip on the road surface; more reassuring from a safety point of view.
There are so many tyres to choose from so to get some expert advice on which one best suits your needs and budget click on www.tyrequote.com.