Are Used Tires Safe?
To put it simply: no. We never recommend buying used tires, and we’ll never sell our customers used tires. But don’t just take it from us: Consumer Reports agrees that vehicle owners should not purchase used tires.
Dangers of Buying Used Tires
When you buy used tires, you’re taking a big gamble on your safety. You don’t know where the tires have been or how they’ve been used. Used tires could have been:
- Overloaded
- Under- or over-inflated
- Driven at excessive speeds
- Punctured
- Exposed to harsh temperatures/weather
- Damaged from hitting curbs and potholes
- Improperly repaired
- Recalled by the tire manufacturer
A simple visual inspection may be enough to see why a used tire is unsafe. Cracks, bumps, deteriorating rubber, exposed steel cords, bead damage, metal objects in the tire and low tread depth are all reasons to avoid buying a tire second hand.
But not all tire damage will be immediately obvious. Hitting a pothole or curb, running under- or over-inflated tires, and improper tire repairs can lead to internal damage that isn’t visible from the outside.