Part-worn tyres v new tyres

When deciding to replace your car tyres, part worn tyres might appeal to many, but cheaper tyres are not always better. If you are a safety conscious driver, a new set of car tyres will provide you with the best driving experience. You will also feel safer with superior stopping distances in both the wet and dry.

Tyres are engineered so that it is not just their outer visual condition that affects road safety. A tyre is a high-tech piece of equipment consisting of 30 different components, which must all be in good condition to ensure the best possible driving experience and to keep you safe.

Part worn tyre cost

Car owners might well be tempted by the prospect of cheaper tyres, and the part-worn tyre cost is much cheaper compared to brand new car tyres on face value. Especially since the cost of living has risen so sharply and the cost of running a car is increasing.

But while part-worn tyres might look very similar to a brand new premium tyre, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

Where do part-worn tyres come from?

This is the problem with part-worn tyres…Nobody knows!

When you consider that many part-worn tyres are taken from cars either no longer in use, or have been in an accident, there is no knowing what their previous history was.

Are part worn tyres worth it?

4 things to consider:

• Part worn or used tyres are cheaper than new, premium tyres.
• The cost per mm of useable tyre tread is less on a new tyre. Don’t consider the purchase price alone.
• The average cost per mm of useable tread of a part worn tyre is £6.33 per mm, compared to £5.32 per mm for a new tyre, according to tyre safety charity: TyreSafe.
• Part worn and used tyres have much less tread than a new tyre, so you will need to replace them faster. 

Are part worn tyres legal?

It is legal to sell part worn tyres in the UK but tyre dealers must meet a number of requirements before doing so.
These requirements include:

• The tyre must pass an inflation test
• It must have at least 2mm of tread depth around its entire circumference
• Repairs must have been carried out in accordance with the relevant British Standard
• The tyre must be permanently marked ‘part worn’.

Reasons not to buy part worn or used tyres

• You will not have any known history about a part-worn tyre (mileage or previous damage
• It may be impossible to determine if any internal tyre damage exists
• No way of checking if the part worn tyre was involved in a previous accident, imported, or from a scrap yard.

Part worn tyre statistics

Some recent statistics from the road safety charity TyreSafe states that:

• 94% of part-worn tyres inspected by TyreSafe were being sold illegally.
• Of the 278 part-worn retailers investigated, 93% (261) were non-compliant
• Over 63% of part-worn tyres were unsafe to return to the road
• 22% of the tyres inspected were ten years or older
• 18% had been repaired incorrectly
• The oldest tyre found during investigations was 29-years-old
• 159 people were killed or seriously injured as a result of defective tyre related accidents (UK annual average)

Are used tyres a false economy?
Yes! Even if you buy part worn tyres which are originally a premium brand, you will still save more money by purchasing a tyre from new. Also, it is important to note that car insurance companies may not pay out if you have purchased tyres that are part worn. In a study conducted by Auto Express, they found that there were 6 million unsafe part worn tyres on UK roads.

Reasons to buy premium tyres

• Premium tyres are safer, with a great deal of engineering going into each tyre.
• Construction of rubber materials are superior and developed over a longer period of time.
• Trusted, well known brand, Bridgestone tyres come with a buy and try guarantee as well as a warranty.
• Improved stopping distances
• Longer lasting
• Superior rolling resistance to save on fuel
• Quieter
• Environmentally friendlier
• More responsive wet braking
• Better dry handling
• Run flat technology (RFT) on certain tyres, which allows you to keep driving after a puncture
  

Bridgestone Potenza Sport

An example of premium tyre engineering excellence
Bridgestone’s award winning Potenza Sport is a great example of the state-of-the-art engineering that goes into creating a premium tyre.
New, innovative technologies were used in tread pattern, compound and construction:

• The tyre’s tread design includes 3D sipes for more responsive braking and abrasion resistance
• The compound, thanks to an optimized formula combined with innovative mixing technology, improves wet and dry performances.
• Bridgestone also uses a new hybrid crown reinforcement to maximise the tyre’s stability performance at high speed.
• A sporty carcass package is also applied to increase stability performance and steering response, while optimising rolling resistance. 
  

There are so many benefits of buying new car tyres compared to old used tyres. Choose a better driving experience with premium tyres such as Bridgestone. Book your replacement tyres online today.