We always recommend that you purchase new tyres. There is no true way of knowing what damage there may be to a part worn without x-ray eyes!

The sale of part worn tyres is subject to the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994 (reg.7.), which is part of the Consumer Protection Act. The legal minimum for tyre tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, but to be legal to sell part-worn tyres must have at least 2mm – just 0.4mm more than the legal limit. The tyres should not have cuts, lumps or any other damages that will compromise its structural integrity, have passed an inflation test and be marked with the part worn stamp. Motorists are reminded to check that the tyre being offered to them meets these requirements before purchasing and to consider purchasing a new tyre which has none of the potential issues of a used example.

At 2mm tread remaining the tyres wet braking ability has diminished so much that it’s on the border of being unsafe. And the mileage that remains on a tyre of 2mm tread is so low that it is just not economical. Add to this that a great number of used tyres are of Chinese origin and are not constructed to the standards of major brand named tyres such as Goodyear and Michelin. Why take the risk?

The sale of dangerous tyres to unsuspecting motorists has led to the conviction of six retailers of part worn tyres from the Brent and Harrow area of London within the space of a week. Top Tyres & Auto Parts Ltd (Wembley); Whitchurch Road Tyres (Harrow); Pinner Road Tyres Ltd (Harrow); Quick Car Repairs Ltd (Harrow); Mr Walazedeh trading as Harrow Tyres (Harrow); and 3D Tyres Ltd (Wembley) faced 36 charges of supplying unsafe tyres, not complying with the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994. All six pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay a total of £18,009.40 in fines, including individual penalties for company directors, costs and victim surcharges. The risk to road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, posed by the offenders’ sale of dangerous and incorrectly labelled tyres was roundly condemned by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards, TyreSafe and the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) whose cooperation led to the successful convictions.”One retailer wilfully selling dangerous tyres is one too many but the conviction of six in a week highlights just how many part worn dealers are flouting the law and their duty of care to the public,” said Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “Tyres are a primary safety feature on a vehicle, significantly affecting braking and steering performance – fitting sub-standard tyres endangers lives.

Cllr James Denselow, Brent Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards, said: “It is simply unacceptable for tyre companies to be taking shortcuts with part-worn tyres, putting drivers and their passengers at risk, in order to maximise profits. As a cheaper alternative to buying a new tyre for a car, this kind of offence also hits the poorest who cannot afford brand new tyres the most, so the outcome of these cases are particularly satisfying.

I would ask anyone thinking of buying a tyre to check it carefully before buying, looking out for cracks, tears, the state of the tread and of course that it is properly marked as a part-worn tyre, before handing over the cash. Trading Standards will never tire in their efforts to ensure the public are kept safe. I hope that these convictions serve as a warning to other tyre companies, that if they do risk public safety, there will be a hefty price to pay.
Source: www.tyresafe.org – Sale of Dangerous Tyres Leads to Convictions