Goodyear Dunlop Ireland warns on part worn tyres

Goodyear Dunlop Ireland is warning motorists not to be tempted into fitting part worn tyres on their cars.

The company says that when someone buys a part worn tyre, in the vast majority of cases, they are totally unaware of its history. If it has enough tread and there is no visible damage that is all that a buyer can reasonably check.

The thought that the tyre came from someone who bought a new set of tyres before they were really needed, may be a very long way from the truth. In many cases second hand tyres have come from crashed cars and from foreign scrap yards where invisible damage or oil contamination make them a lethal choice.

“There is no question that anyone buying a part worn tyre is gambling with lives’, said Richard Warbrick, Managing Director of Goodyear Dunlop Ireland. “In most cases it is impossible to know if there is hidden damage in the tyre’s casing which could lead to a blow-out with tragic consequences. It is also crazy to see how much some are paying for a tyre that will only last a few months when for very little more they could buy a new tyre that could last them for years.”

Not only is there the risk from hidden damage or contamination but it is also nearly impossible for a buyer to know how old a tyre is. Age and exposure to sunlight cause a tyre to degenerate over time and in particular the tread compound is seriously affected and its grip can seriously deteriorate.

A final and sobering thought is that part worn tyres can add two car lengths to stopping distances in the wet at 80 km/h, while they can also invalidate car insurance in an accident.