Is It Safe To Buy Used Tires?
Posted on: 29 May 2019
For many car owners, buying used spares has become an essential tactic for bringing down the cost of car maintenance. Maintaining a car can become a serious drain on your finances. This is particularly true for those with luxury cars or cars imported from Europe. Buying used parts instead of brand new parts is, therefore, the smart way to do things.
However, it's not always recommended that you buy used parts for any spares you need. Some parts are too critical to take a chance on. Should this level of caution be applied to tires as well?
Find the Right Dealer
Many car owners shy away from used tires because the reliability of such tires isn't guaranteed. However, smart car owners can buy used tires, save some money and still get relatively good performance from the tires.
The first thing you should do is to find the right dealer. A reliable dealer is very important when you're buying used auto parts since there is a limit to how well you can assess the quality if a used tire. In such instances, you need a dealer whose word you can rely on. This means they should have a reputation for providing quality used products.
Know What to Avoid
If you're buying a used tire, you'll want to avoid any tire that has undergone a lot of wear. You'll also want something that has signs of damage. Some of the things you should check include:
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Depth of the Treads: Perform the penny test to confirm that the tires are not too worn. You should also confirm whether the tires were retreaded.
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Exposed cords: If the cords underneath the treads are visible, don't buy the tire.
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Poor Repairs: A tire that was poorly repaired will be unreliable at the end of the day.
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Tire Identification Number: This number will tell you when a tire was manufactured. If the TIN has been removed, don't buy the tire.
Buying tires that have been patched may seem like a way to save money but, even if the repairs were done properly, the tire may still be unreliable.
Advantages of Buying Used Tires
If you need tires for specific, short-term application, it makes sense to buy used rather than spend a fortune for a product you'll barely use. This can also allow you to afford a separate set of tires that are better suited for certain driving conditions.
Fore more information about auto parts in general, reach out to a dealer near you, like Joy Automotive Products Inc.
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