Used Tires?

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Gen1GT
It should be illegal to sell and buy used tires. Why would you sacrifice the safety of yourself and your passengers (perhaps your wife and children?)

Compare even GOOD all seasons to amazing summer tires:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=118

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=48

Imagine how bad your used tires are. 15 feet in an emergency stop can make the difference between life and death.


We all drive on used tires 99%+ of the time, as soon as you drive out of the shop they are used. Anyway, my used tires are better than your new tires.

 

[ekpolk]

POINT:
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Tires are something that I will never skimp on just to save a few bucks.


EXCELLENT COUNTER-POINT:
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: Gen1GT
It should be illegal to sell and buy used tires. Why would you sacrifice the safety of yourself and your passengers (perhaps your wife and children?)

Compare even GOOD all seasons to amazing summer tires:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=118

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=48

Imagine how bad your used tires are. 15 feet in an emergency stop can make the difference between life and death.


We all drive on used tires 99%+ of the time, as soon as you drive out of the shop they are used. Anyway, my used tires are better than your new tires.


============================
Could it perhaps be that many here are getting caught up in the baggage associated with the word "used"? I admit that I'd never have considered "used" tires until recent economic conditions cut the legs out from under my practice. Things will be better later, but for now. . .

Anyway, I bit the bullet, and started doing the homework -- and was amazed at what I found out there, both in town (to a lesser degree), and of course on the internet. There are dozens of sites that are dedicated to selling sets of UTs, and there are at any given time, probably several hundred very decent alternatives on Ebay. I was amazed at how many sets there are that have well above 50% tread remaining, and it's not at all hard to find near-new sets as well.

One last thought about this comment:
Originally Posted By: Gen1GT
It should be illegal to sell and buy used tires. Why would you sacrifice the safety of yourself and your passengers (perhaps your wife and children?)
. . .
Imagine how bad your used tires are. 15 feet in an emergency stop can make the difference between life and death.

The key to the irrationality of this comment is the use of the word, "imagine". What struck me doing actual research was the absolute abundance of fresh sets of good, 50-90% tread-remaining tires that would all dominate a set of brand new Goodyear Integritys on every performance parameter you can think of to measure.

 

[SLCraig]

I love used tires. I buy whenever I can.

Never had a problem. Just buy a brand/model you like. What makes it worse than new if its a reputable brand? As long as its inspected and has not been patched, or is at the wear bar, who cares if its new or used?

I like saving money personally. All there is to it.

 

[ekpolk]

UPDATE:

Well, with one small fly in the ointment, which has been effectively removed, all is good with my set of UTs. I got a set of Dunlop Sport 7000 A/S tires, in my car's OEM 215/60-16 size. The set came from a UT dealer in New Jersey, and had apparently been installed on a late model Accord. Two were nearly new, and two had somewhat more wear. I assume that the latter pair were front-only. I put the better ones up front. On installation, we discovered that one of the more worn tires had apparently suffered a curb strike, and was not usable (damaged sidewall). The dealer promptly refunded me one-quarter of my full price and shipping. I ordered one new example of the type from TireRack, it's now here and installed. Even with the one new tire, I paid less than half of what comparable new tires would cost, and ended up with a set that will probably give me at least 3/4 of the service new tires would provide, if not more.

And as an added bonus, these Dunlops are very obviously lower rolling resistance than the OEM Bridgestones. At the same pressures (40F and 38R), I've averaging a couple mpgs better than before, and the car plainly "glides" further than it did on the previous tires.

I'm very happy.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: The Critic
It breaks down like this:

15- lifetime balancing
1.75- disposal
9.00- TPMS rebuild kit.

If you don't have TPMS, then valve stems are free.

Tell them to put the TPMS rebuild kit where the sun doesn't shine, you don't have to buy that. I just bought a set of tires from them. If you paid for the TPMS rebuild kit scam, you obviously have a "kick me sign" taped to your back.

TPMS Rebuild kits are NOT a scam.

On the 2007 GTI, the LF valve stem core was completely corroded. When you tried to check the tire pressure, the valve stem core would get stuck and all of the air would leak out of the tire. Rebuilding all four TPMS sensors was needed.

On the 2006 Prius, the RR and RF valve stems were leaking air at a rate of about 5psi/day. Again, rebuilding all four TPMS sensors with new seals, crush washers, nuts and valve stem cores have cured the problem.

 

[oilcoholic]

I've got a 1989 Mazda B2200 pick-up. 2 yrs. ago I bought a set of brushed aluminum rims with Road Hugger tires from LKQ Auto Salvage for $180. Never thought the Auto Salvage lot would be a place to buy tires. The tires had about 75% of their life still in them. This salvage yard close to me has thousands of tires and rims. Great place to find a replacement if 1 blows. Also, they even let you watch as they speed balance them to show you nothing is bad, warped,etc.

 

[occupant]

That's why LKQ and Greenleaf are so awesome. They actually TEST the stuff they sell. If I want an engine computer for a 1999 Volvo S80, I can go to a regular junkyard and pay $100 for an untested core, I can go to a Volvo specialist and spend $400-$600, or I can go to the dealer and spend over a grand. Well forget that. I'll go to LKQ, spend $150, and get a tested, known good, WARRANTIED computer.

LKQ in I think Hutchins, is close to me. I'll be going there for an AOD transmission (if they have anything that old and will accept my FMX as a core for it) and a set of 16" CVPI steelies with 146 caps and trim rings.

 

[ryan2022]

Of course used tires can be a good deal.

First thing I'd do though, is check for any plugs, and make sure theyre done properly. Also, check for ANY signes of dryness in the tread or sidewalls.

And first and foremost, google, checking the date code on the sidewall.

It usually follows the DOT stamp on the inner sidewall. It usually goes by mm/yy. eg. DOT (...bla bla bla...1104)

this will give you the date it was made. Any more than 10 years old as a rule, avoid it.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: ryan2022
Of course used tires can be a good deal.

First thing I'd do though, is check for any plugs, and make sure theyre done properly. Also, check for ANY signes of dryness in the tread or sidewalls.

And first and foremost, google, checking the date code on the sidewall.

It usually follows the DOT stamp on the inner sidewall. It usually goes by mm/yy. eg. DOT (...bla bla bla...1104)

this will give you the date it was made. Any more than 10 years old as a rule, avoid it.

10 years?

 

[eljefino]

If it's made in the 1990s it'll have a 3 digit code and it's time for the swingset.

On topic, I finally got to drive on a pair of cooper private label tires I traded a junk transmission for at my favorite salvage yard. I couldn't believe it when I put them on the bubble balancer and got a bulls-eye, no weights. Smooth as silk.

 

[ryan2022]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: ryan2022
Of course used tires can be a good deal.

First thing I'd do though, is check for any plugs, and make sure theyre done properly. Also, check for ANY signes of dryness in the tread or sidewalls.

And first and foremost, google, checking the date code on the sidewall.

It usually follows the DOT stamp on the inner sidewall. It usually goes by mm/yy. eg. DOT (...bla bla bla...1104)

this will give you the date it was made. Any more than 10 years old as a rule, avoid it.

10 years?

Yep, that was the cutoff consumer reports gave anyway. I actually called BFG, and they recommended the same thing.

 

[daves87rs]

Wow...it is good to know.

 

[ryan2022]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
If it's made in the 1990s it'll have a 3 digit code and it's time for the swingset.

On topic, I finally got to drive on a pair of cooper private label tires I traded a junk transmission for at my favorite salvage yard. I couldn't believe it when I put them on the bubble balancer and got a bulls-eye, no weights. Smooth as silk.


Thats FANTASTIC NEWS! That helped me out with my question in the other thread. lol. Sorry to hijack.