Tires are the only contact between your car and the asphalt. That's why many people say it's crazy to buy used tires, for which you don't know what condition they are in and how many kilometers they have traveled. Others claim that they are completely safe and that, considering our standard and quality of roads, they are a logical choice.
Tires are the only contact between your car and the asphalt. That's why many say it's crazy to buy used tires, for which you don't know what condition they are in and how many kilometers they have traveled. Others claim that they are completely safe and that, considering our standard and quality of roads, they are a logical choice.
Let's look at the arguments of both sides, and draw your own conclusion.
Safety
We must first point out the safety aspect of the whole story, without the intention of convincing you not to buy used tires.
The main problem is that used tires can have hidden defects that cannot be seen with the naked eye, not even during installation and balancing.
There is a possibility that their internal supporting structure, or carcass (multiple layers of "cloth" made of metal fibers and other materials), is damaged. For example, damage can occur due to an impact or climbing a curb too quickly. We cannot see microcracks and other very small damages.
Also, over time, the characteristics of the material from which the tire is made change due to various influences, so it "holds" the asphalt worse when braking or turning. Modern tires, at least those of higher quality brands, are made of a compound that is quite resistant to "aging", but it is still present. At the same time, the symptoms of tire aging are usually not noticeable.
How many kilometers have they traveled? The depth of the tread is not an indicator of the mileage traveled. The tire tread wears out at different speeds depending on the style and conditions of driving, the weight of the vehicle, engine power, weather conditions, the quality of the asphalt...
It is not advisable to estimate the mileage based on the age of the tire either. We know that in the West people drive a little more than here...
So, when buying a used tire, you can do well, or you can be seriously mistaken. The same as when buying other used things, the only thing is that in this case the word dangerous should be taken literally.
Warranty?
New tires come with a two- or three-year warranty, but in practice, accepting a complaint can be very problematic. There are various conditions and limitations, so be sure to inform yourself when buying so that you don't waste your time and money if, for example, a cap ("egg") appears on the sidewall of the tire after a year.
Used tire sellers also provide an unofficial warranty. For example, if you notice a problem within 10 days, you can get other tires or get your money back. Of course, not everything works the same with every seller, but the principle is similar.
However, we must not forget that there are installation and balancing costs, and that a problem may only become apparent at higher speeds, e.g. on the highway.
With some sellers, you also get free installation and balancing when you buy a used tire, so you are exempt from this cost. The downside is that you are also denied the opportunity to have the tire checked by a tire repairer who is not affiliated with the seller.
On the "third" side, if there are any problems, the seller will not be able to blame the tire repairer, or poor assembly or balancing.
When buying from individuals, everything again depends on each case - maybe if a problem arises, the seller will be fair and refund your money, or you may practically be a victim of fraud.
Are used tires really that cheap?
It depends on who you buy from, what size, how many pieces and what condition they are in. They can cost 10 euros, 15, 20, 25, 40, 50 euros...
So, it is difficult to generalize anything. It is especially difficult to make a fair and useful comparison with the prices of new tires for the average driver. The main problem is that many people only consider the prices of high-end brands such as Michelin, Goodyear and Pirelli when buying new tires. When comparing their prices (e.g. 150 euros) with the price of the same used ones (e.g. 25 euros), a driver who is not very rich will easily make a decision.
But here we come to the question – what kind of tire costs 150 euros?!
Many cost that much, or even significantly more. It doesn't even have to be a "dangerous" size. For example, 225/55 R17 can be purchased for only 7,000 dinars (Tigar), for 15,000 (Bridgestone), but also for 19,000-20,000 dinars (Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli). You can check the prices on the Internet Prodaja Guma website.
So should I put Tigar tires on my 2013 Audi A6 2.0 TFSI?!
In general, the problem in our country is that people buy cars whose maintenance they cannot financially support, including the purchase of tires.
For example, a second-generation BMW X5 can be purchased for 12,000-13,000 euros, or even less, and it goes with tires of size 255/55 R18. New summer Tigar tires in this size can be purchased for 10,000 dinars, and there are cheaper ones (e.g. Taurus, Orium).
However, if you want Goodyear, Bridgestone, Fulda or Hankook, you have to pay around 17,000 and up, while Michelin or Pirelli, for example, are around 19,000 and up. Each of the above brands has various tire models in this size, and the prices of models of the same brand can differ significantly. You can see the prices for this size here.
We often have a situation where The owner of an X5 does not want to spend 70,000-80,000 dinars (600-700 euros) on four new tires from a higher-end brand, nor does he want new Tigar tires or any other tires of similar price and class, but finds four used ones for 100 euros, or 25 euros each together. And then he parks the same X5 in front of a cafe and spends 50 euros for the evening...
Used higher-end or new lower-end tires?
In many cases, drivers opt for used tires precisely because they trust used Michelin or Pirelli tires more than, for example, a new Tigar. Especially if the price of used tires is 25 euros, and Tigar is three and a half times more expensive.
This brings us to the endless discussion - how good are lower-end tires, or from the so-called "budget" class?
When you read experiences on forums, take everything with a big grain of salt. People have different criteria when assessing the quality of tires. For some, the main criterion is longevity, or the speed of wear; others subjectively assess braking and cornering behavior with new tires compared to the old worn-out ones that were previously on the car; others damage the tire by driving over a pothole and conclude that they are too sensitive...
At the same time, a large number of drivers do not keep the tires at the prescribed pressure, and underinflated tires brake worse, wear out faster, and are more susceptible to damage when driving over potholes or climbing curbs.
A good source of information are tests from specialized magazines or organizations (e.g. ADAC), but unfortunately, these tests rarely include the brands that are most interesting to domestic drivers.
I don't race, so I need new tires
You may not officially race, but everyday traffic situations often resemble those on the racetrack. Almost no one here keeps a safe distance from the vehicle in front, suddenly brakes and turns without signaling, drives into a hairpin bend, cuts in front of you in the most risky situations (e.g., slowing down at a traffic light), etc.
Therefore, good braking is crucial, and it depends not only on what kind of pads and discs you have, but also to a large extent on what kind of tires you have. We repeat what you have probably heard and read a million times - tires are your car's only contact with the asphalt.
If I buy a used car, what is the problem with used tires?
This is already a philosophical question. Perhaps we should ask a counter-question: if we are already forced to drive used cars, why don't we at least buy new tires?
There are many other arguments used by advocates of buying used tires, such as, for example, the quality of our roads:
"If our roads were like in Germany, i.e. if there were no potholes and craters, I would buy new tires. I pay 50-60 euros for a new tire, and then I destroy it after two months. It's better to buy a used one for 15 euros, and if I tear it, I go and buy another one. For the price of one new one, I buy four used ones".
Some drivers say that if they had 14 or 15 tires on their car, they would buy new ones, but since they have 17 or 18 tires, new tires are too expensive for them, so it's more profitable for them to buy used ones. And so we return to the issue that we already discussed in the above text - why buy a car that has 17 or 18 tires or install so many wheels later if you can't afford to buy new tires?
There's also that argument: "For 10 euros, they can't be bad". They can, they can definitely be bad. You are not buying a tracksuit that will wear out a little faster but you will not regret it since you only paid 10 euros for it, but the tires that your car weighing one and a half tons will run on.
Think carefully before buying
It is impossible to make a precise calculation of profitability, but put all the arguments for and against on paper, and then make a final decision.
We advise that safety be a priority. It is true that many drivers are in a difficult financial situation. Unfortunately, if they cause an accident due to bad tires, all the savings go down the drain and the situation can worsen drastically.
On the one hand, we have a very tempting low price, and on the other, the fact that someone has already covered tens of thousands of kilometers with that tire.
