Are you wondering if you can get away with used tires on your car?
It’s hard not to experience a little sticker shock when you price a set of new tires these days, thanks to the cost of petroleum-based materials. Plus, it seems like there’s never exactly a good time to have to buy tires. So, you can be forgiven if you start wondering if used tires will do the trick for a while when you’re faced with a sudden flat or a worn tread.
Before you make any final decisions, however, you need to weigh your options. Here’s what you should consider:
The pros of used tires
- They’re cheap.
Honestly, that’s about the only good thing that can be said about used tires. Unfortunately, the used tire industry in the United States is completely unregulated. There’s no system in place that puts any kind of limits on what tires a dealer can and cannot resell.
The cons of used tires
- You have no idea how the tires were used. Tires that were overloaded or underinflated while in use develop structural damage that isn’t visible to the naked eye. They can blow out very easily, even if the tread is good.
- You have no idea how old they are. Those tires could be sitting around for a long time before someone slaps a retread on them and hides the dry rot that’s settling in.
- They could be recalls. New tires are registered in the event of a manufacturer recall if they’re unsafe. That doesn’t happen with used tires.
As expensive and inconvenient as they might be, new tires really are your best bet. Used tires increase the chances that you’ll end up in an accident due to a blow-out — so don’t take the risk.
If you’re injured in a car accident, you may have the right to compensation for your losses. An attorney can help you understand all your options.
