Used tires?

"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
08/27/2015 at 23:34 • Filed to: None

I’m currently running around with a tire that has a slow leak that can’t be repaired. If I was still employed I’d run out and grab some new tires, but that really isn’t an option at the moment. But I did see something the other day at the local junkyard that has some potential. There were a couple of sets of alloys with just the right size tire for my car for the price of a couple of new tires. Am I taking a great risk with a set of used tires, even if for temporary use?

DISCUSSION (13)

BATC42 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/27/2015 at 23:37

Depends in what state they are.

I have second hand tyres on my car (granted they had less than a 1000km on them). And my parents always gets second hand tyres too. Never had any problems with it.

smobgirl > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 00:17

Yeah, my dad was always acquiring used tires. If the tread looks good and they’re not patched to hell they’ll get you through.

Decay buys too many beaters > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 00:54

If the tread is good, they’re fine. I’ve done trackdays on used tires...

Echo51 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 02:03

I’ve seen recommendations to stay away from older then 5 year old tyres, but if they’re not cracked, dry rotted, and there’s thread, i wouldn’t fret. Check the DOT code for date and look down between the tread for cracks.

orcim > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 02:27

Honestly, it super depends on the environment. Here in HI, I’d say no. Tires with treads here simply fail due to micro cracks rusting the belts, then de-lamination, then bubbles, etc.

But I’ve used old tires in other environments with close inspection a lot. I like the recommendation of checking the DOT code for date and what others say. It’s also really ecological to do so, assuming you can do it safely.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 03:03

Avoid used tires that are more than 6 years old, check the DOT code. It’s the last four digits, with the first pair being the week ABS second pair being the year of production. For example 3207 would be the 32nd week of 2007. I’ve seen plenty of blowouts just because the tires were old, even if there wasn’t an excessive amount of visible dry-rotting or cracking.

facw > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 03:49

In the long run, used tires are a money loser because you’r paying that ~$20/tire to get them mounted more frequently (and more if you need an alignment). If you can find ones with tread left and that aren’t too old, it can get you by though.

boxrocket > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 07:04

Like cars, tires are considered used one they hit the road. Like used cars, there can be some good deals to be had. In addition to checking the condition of the rubber and DOT code (as others mentioned), also take measurements of the tread depths at various intervals all over the tire. There’s little use in buying a tire that’s been run over/underinflated, misaligned, deliberately misaligned (“stance” is a thing, remember), run unbalanced, etc. You want at least 4/32”, preferably 10-12/33 if buying used, so you get plenty of use from them, otherwise you’re no better off than buying cheap-o no-brands for $40-60 from a store. Also make sure it’s a good/heard-of brand, and check the UTQG and speed rating as well to make sure it’s similar to your other tires. It also doesn’t hurt to check test results from companies like TireRack.com and Tires.com to see how each performed when tested: You might be buying tires that exhibit worse driving characteristics than your current set. Also see if there’s a date for when the tires were put on display at the junkyard; they can rot from the inside out if they were exposed to the elements for too long, plus be a nesting ground for mosquitos and such.

Alternately, have the tire with the slow leak patched, if possible. Most places only charge $10-30 to patch a tire.

brianbrannon > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 07:32

Did a tire shop tell you it’s too close to the side wall to plug? If so just get a plug kit and do it yourself. It’ll be fine

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > brianbrannon
08/28/2015 at 10:46

They say it's too close to a previous repair to repair again. At this point it's a slow leak that I have to pump up every other day or so, but if I pull whatever is causing the leak I'm concerned that I won't be able to fix it. How easy is it to do a repair, and what is the likelihood of success?

Audio Tachometer > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 11:31

I always run used tires. I keep a lookout on craigslist for my size. The good thing is, if you don’t have AWD you don’t have to worry about getting a full set of tires.

Dunnik > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/28/2015 at 13:12

Well, I’m of the opinion you never, ever skimp on tires by buying used ones unless...

You’re really in dire financial straights (check) and you know what to look for to avoid getting a set of compromised tires (date code, tread/sidewall wear).

brianbrannon > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
08/29/2015 at 14:37

It’s very easy to plug a tire and it doesn’t matter how close it is to a previous repair. The kit to do it should be under ten bucks