If you are opting for used tires instead of new ones for your vehicle, there will be a few things that you will need to keep an eye out for as you are purchasing. Some sellers will thoroughly inspect their tires before selling them to customers, but others may not be so thorough in their inspection. Therefore, it is on you.
Tread Depth
When you are going to be looking at and potentially buying used tires, make sure that you have a penny with you to perform the well-known penny test. To do this test, place the penny upside-down into at least one of the grooves of the tire. If you are able to see the entirety of Abe Lincoln's head, then the tire is bald and should not be purchased since it shouldn't be placed on a vehicle and driven on.
Exposed Cords
Take a close look at the surface of the tread around the entire tire. The braided steel cords that are located inside of the tire may be exposed if there was any kind of irregular wear of the tire. The tire is considered dangerous to be driven on if you are able to see any of these cords/wires.
Belt Separation
Inspect the tread surface and sidewall very closely for any signs of waviness, bumps, or other irregularities that could be indicative of an impact that has resulted in the rubber separated from the steel cords. More often than not, you can feel the changes in the surface if you rub your hands over the tread surface and sidewall, even if the tire isn't inflated.
Liner Damage
Look at the inside of the tire for any exposed cords or other signs of damage to the inner line. When a tire starts to lose air, the sidewalls will start to collapse. Eventually, the sidewalls will end up folding over and rubbing against themselves, which will result in the rubber liner being removed from the sidewall interior until it has been damaged so much that it can no longer be repaired. Ultimately, you should stay away from tires that have any kind of wear stripe around the inside of the sidewall, small pieces of rubber inside, or a damaged sidewall that allows you to see the interior structure.
If you do not feel comfortable buying used tires, buy one new tire at a time or find a tire dealer that will allow you to find new tires. However, there are plenty of great used tire dealers out there if you do want or need to go with used tires, and the aforementioned tips will help you ensure that you select quality used tires during your search.
Contact a company like Western Avenue Nissan to learn more about tires.
Share5 January 2021
After driving an older car to work for several years, my husband was finally ready to buy another vehicle. He got tired of his car breaking down at his workplace, the grocery store, and the mall. Because gas mileage is important to him, my spouse shopped at local auto dealers for a small, four-door sedan. We were open to purchasing a new vehicle or a slightly used one. Whenever we saw a potential car at a dealership, we always studied its exterior and interior closely. My husband of course also requests to drive it down the road. On this blog, I hope you will discover tools for finding your dream car at an auto dealership. Enjoy!
