Shocking tyre conditions

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

Administrator
Staff member
Moderator
Points
1,157
Location
Deal, Kent UK
Car
A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD
I went round a Sainsburys car park today and checked Visually the tyre tread depths and tyre condition (It was only a cursory visual check but I was still shocked by the results).

Of 20 cars I looked at
4 had illegally low tread on at least 3 tyres with 2 car tyres being totally smooth!
2 had one tyre below legal tread limit and the rest just over.
2 had serious sidewall damage (cuts splits or bowing edges)
1 had low pressure (for a visual check it must have been pretty bad)

I think it is shocking that people run cars with tyres in such bad condition. It is surely a false economy to put off buying tyres until the MOT test is due! I know times are hard but this is rediculous.
 
The thing that got me is that they were generally on pretty decent cars around 5 years old! I was tempted to put a note on one.

I did inform an elderly gentlemen in a Jaguar XK that the sidewall damage to his tyres was dangerous and that he should check it out ASAP. It looked like every tyre had been heavily kerbed! It's a shame such a nice car was owned by such a poor driver!
 
It is not unique to any area. I alert people all the time. Here are a couple of pictures I shot recently.
worn_tire.jpg


worn_tire2.jpg
 
It is shocking! There are some corners which should never be cut.
 
Some drivers do not realise that the tyre is the only link between you and the road surface. If that link is broken.................well us switched on ones know the answer to that one!

I remember my first trip to the states in 1999, we stayed with family and got ferried around in one of the cousins's Chevy day van. On exiting the van I happened to glance over the tyres on this thing, they were totally shot and had the wire sticking out! I informed her of this and said that needs to be changed ASAP and she actually did not realise how bad this was or what might happen. What gets me is the law on such things, no MOT to speak of only when it is to be sold do they have some form of test to ensure it is safe to trade on. Probably why you see so many run down cars taking root by their houses, run them into the ground and don't sell them on. May be the law has since changed?
 
The laws in the US are state laws. There are 50 different ones. Some states have annual inspections, some never. In general, treadwear is inspected by the traffic cop IF you get stopped for something else (speed, accident, etc). Then they can cite you for tire violations. Random traffic stops is generally not allowed there. Here they are the norm, but usually only for driver's license, insurance sticker and inspection sticker. But once a year we buy the inspection stickers in bulk and put them on our dozen or so vehicles, no inspection required.
 
You buy inspection stickers in bulk? That beggars belief! :blink:

I'd dread to think of what would happen over here if that were similar!
 
Yep, I send someone to the inspection station with the registration cards for all of our vehicles and any employee's vehicles who want to save some time. Also send him with the $4 per vehicle. He comes back with all the stickers and inspection reports.

My vehicles are inspected by my service personnel every Monday, much stricter than any cop will ever inspect.
 
Richard1 said:
Yep, I send someone to the inspection station with the registration cards for all of our vehicles and any employee's vehicles who want to save some time. Also send him with the $4 per vehicle. He comes back with all the stickers and inspection reports.

My vehicles are inspected by my service personnel every Monday, much stricter than any cop will ever inspect.
Click to expand...

It never ceases to amaze me how so many people ignore the simple fact that tyres are probably the most important part of a car. Many fleet operators are extreemely mercenary (unlike you) and cut corners by fitting the cheapest possible rubber to their owned or leased vehicles.

If nothing else it spoils a nice car in terms of refinement and drivability. And that's long before we get to the safety issues with which cheap rubber is so often afflicted.
 
In my experience the tread depth doesn't make a bit of difference on a dry road. Its the compound of the rubber that counts! imho.

I always get my tires from the scrappy because its the only way I can offord a decent brand.

I suppose everyone's tyre requirments are different, just be aware of their capabilities.
 
jc denton said:
In my experience the tread depth doesn't make a bit of difference on a dry road. Its the compound of the rubber that counts! imho.

I always get my tires from the scrappy because its the only way I can offord a decent brand.

I suppose everyone's tyre requirments are different, just be aware of their capabilities.
Click to expand...

Be careful here. A worn out tyre with no remaining tread is NOT the same as a tyre designed to be operated as a treadless or slick tyre for dry racing conditions. The carcass wears during usage, just as the tread does.

Tyres vary massively, as you say, and the compound and construction make huge differences to the driving grip and refinement.
 
There are other problems beyond wear, some of which do not even show up looking at them. I replace at 6-7 years whether or not they look good. I replace for bulged sides.

And then sometimes, like in October, with 29,000 km on the original (2 year old) tires on my Grand Cherokee, I had 9 flats and blow outs on one Sunday trip of about 300 miles of bad roads. The rocks were too much and the cord gave out.
 
Richard1: I replace at 6-7 years whether or not they look good. I replace for bulged sides. Who wouldn't do so? Actually - don't answer that, many people wouldn't do so. As we all well know. Bulging sidewalls are extremely dangerous. How do these drivers not notice the incorrect steering feel and balance issues?

Rubber does deteriorate organically even when not in use. An unused 5 year old tyre is likely to perish fairly rapidly even with a brand new tread pattern.
 
Aye, the tyres on the missus car have only done 8k from new and still have loads of tread, but that 8k has taken 4 years and they're starting to look a bit tired on the sidewalls so I'm thinking of changing them soon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
obi_waynne Pump up the tyre or replace the wheel Wheels, suspension and tyres 3
obi_waynne Are tyre brands more important than tread pattern Wheels, suspension and tyres 3
obi_waynne Have you ever had a tyre blow on you Wheels, suspension and tyres 4
obi_waynne A washer punctured my tyre Wheels, suspension and tyres 6
TCJBOLDIE Tyre grip improver Wheels, suspension and tyres 2
obi_waynne Summer tyre choices Wheels, suspension and tyres 0

Similar threads


Please watch this on my YouTube channel & Subscribe.


Back
Top