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Used Tires: Are They Worth Buying?

Used tires are a huge business here in Texas and actually, it's a big business all over the country. It is estimated that nearly 30 million used tires are sold in this country every year. That number represents approximately 10 percent of the entire US tire market.

For those on a tight budget, purchasing a used tire can be a wise choice and if you're low on cash or credit, it may be the only choice. Perhaps you just need a spare, or maybe you intend to sell or trade your vehicle in the near future and don't want to spend hundreds on a new set of tires. Often, people neglect to rotate their tires and as a result, the front tires wear out prematurely so they need to purchase a pair of tires that matches the tread depth of their front or rear tires.  Maybe you need a good set of tires in order to pass the annual Texas State Vehicle Inspection. In these cases, a used tire is an acceptable and affordable option.

If you're in the market for used tires, it is important to understand that the used tire market doesn't have the same regulations as the new tire industry. Anyone with enough money to purchase a few hundred tires and a tire mounting machine can call themselves a used tire dealer. Take a drive around heavily populated, low income areas of Dallas and Fort Worth and on almost every corner you will find run down, dirty or fluorescent colored buildings with old grey tires stacked outside baking in the sun and banners advertising "Used Tires $20".

Do these types of establishments have the experience, knowledge and proper equipment to mount & balance a tire properly?  Are they insured? Are they willing to stand behind that $20 dollar tire for longer than it takes for you to drive out of their parking lot? Do they have a large enough inventory to sell you the correct size tire or are do they attempt to upsize or downsize you in an attempt to sell what they have in stock? Do they have matching sets or do they expect you to drive around on four mismatched tread designs or even different tire sizes?

At Viper Tire and Auto in Fort Worth Texas, we sell new tires, like new take-offs and high quality used tires. We have a bin behind our store where we store all of the junk tires that were replaced by new or used tires.  We haul these tires away and pay to have them properly disposed of but, nearly every night, the amount of tires in our junk bin is reduced by so called "used tire dealers" or even those who sell tires to used tire dealers rummaging through our junk to find tires that might hold air.

It's extremely important to find a reputable used tire dealer that you can trust because just as not all used tires are safe or even usable, not all used tire dealers are same. Used car or truck tires can be a great deal, but only if they are in good condition and are mounted and balanced properly. Here are some very essential tips for looking at the real value of a set of used tires.

• Look for any patches and plugs and uneven tire wear - Used tire buyers should inspect each tire thoroughly for bubbles, 'scalloping', or uneven wear. Uneven wear patterns drastically reduce the lifetime of a tire, and having tires with different tread patterns will make your ride less smooth. Look for possible excessive wear conditions around the edges of a tire, for example, on the inner sides. Look for the tires that may have been scavenged from our junk tire been and patched up.
• Inspect the side walls - You'll want to be sure the sidewalls are in good condition. Some drivers habitually scrape the curb or hit other objects with tires. As a result, some used tires are pretty banged up and that is why they were replaced. NEVER buy a used tire with a sidewall that has been patched in any way.
• Make sure the used tires have sufficient tread - The standard for tire tread depth that will pass the annual Texas State Vehicle Inspection is 2/32. Any tire with 2/32 tread or less remaining is a junk tire and is unsafe but, that doesn't mean that an unscrupulous used tire dealer won't sell it to you for $20.  You can test the tread depth of tires using a penny. Simply insert a penny into your tire's tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inch. It is best to purchase used tires with a minimum of 4/32 tread remaining so that you don't have to buy another tire next month
• Are mounting and balancing included in the price? At Viper Tire and Auto, we mount, balance and install new rubber valve stems on every used tire we sell for FREE. That is not always the case with every used tire dealer. If the used tires that you buy are not aligned and balanced properly, they will wear out very quickly, and you'll be back to buy another set.
• Compare used tire prices to the price of new tires with a warranty - Some tire buyers will only purchase  tires with warranties or lifetime guarantees, but a good, high quality set of used tires can save you a ton of money. Evaluate the price difference between new and used tire offers to see if the price difference is worth it.
• Consider your overall vehicle situation - If you simply want to keep a vehicle on the road for a few more years, it might not make sense to spend $400 to $800 on a new set of tires. On the other hand, If you intend to own a vehicle for the long term, you may want to go ahead and buy a new set of tires that will last 4 or 5 years.

Consider all of the above when shopping for used tires to make sound tire buying decision. At Viper Tire and Auto at 8505 Camp Bowie West Blvd in Fort Worth Texas, we stock over 8000 high quality used tires in most every size. We provide FREE mounting, balancing and new valve stems with every used tire we sell. We also provide a 30 day warranty with every used tire we sell. If you have an issue with any used tire purchased from us, bring it back within 30 days and we will replace it for FREE. If you are interested in new tires, we carry most major brands and also mount and balance them for FREE with FREE flat repair. tire rotation and tire balancing for the lifetime of each new tire purchased. Please contact us for all of your new or used tire needs