Used tires are an attractive choice for many auto owners who hope to save money or reduce their vehicle’s impact on the environment. But purchasing used tires does have a certain amount of risk involved, so it is important to weigh the pros and cons before making the decision on whether to buy new or used tires.

Are Used Tires Safe?

Used tires offer an additional amount of risk when compared with new tires. But that doesn’t mean all used tires are unsafe. It does mean vehicle owners should do additional homework in order to ensure they are getting a good value.

There are plenty of used tires with minimal wear available to purchase at a much lower price than you would pay for the same new tire. Vehicles with new tires involved in flooding or accidents that ‘totaled’ the vehicle are excellent examples of sources of used tires that offer great value. On the other hand, unscrupulous merchants do exist who would take advantage of unsuspecting customers to offload old, overused and damaged tires in order to avoid a disposal fee.

Also, consider recalls. Owners of new tires are notified in the case of a manufacturer’s recall. But if you buy your tires on the secondary market, you will miss out on those important updates. So, knowing identifying information about your specific tire and monitoring for alerts will become critical to keeping your vehicle safe.

So, in order to make sure you are making a safe and logical choice, there are some things you should keep in mind when looking for used tires.

Should I Buy Used Tires?

It is important to factor a level of uncertainty into your choice to purchase used tires. Despite how they may look on the showroom floor, it is simply impossible to know exactly how they were used by the previous owner. There are some ways to mitigate the risk, however.

Although not as prevalent as with new tires, some sellers of used tires do offer warranties. When considering used tires, it may be beneficial to some preliminary research into which dealers offer warranties for used tires that fit the make and model of your vehicle and compare them to similar offers on new products.

It is also important to find a reputable dealer. Damaged and shoddily repaired tires may look indistinguishable from perfectly intact tires to the casual consumer. In fact, unscrupulous proprietors may even go through the trouble of hiding the age and wear of used tires by patching damage or painting the tires black, so they look new.

Keep an eye out for indicators of damage, including signs of uneven wear, cracks or cuts in the outer ‘bead’ wall, signs that the metal cords are exposed and hints of past repair to the tire. Patches and plugs may indicate flaws. Unfortunately, some types of damage -- including punctures and production defects -- are not noticeable to the naked eye. And making the task more difficult is the fact that a majority of tires are displayed ‘loose’ rather than properly inflated on a wheel.

Although it is tempting to take advantage of the deep discounts available on used tires when comparing them to a set of new tires, it is important to keep in mind the risk inherently involved in choosing used tires.

In the event of tire failure, damage to other parts of the vehicle would likely erase any financial gains made by choosing the cheaper used tire. Plus, defective tires reduce the safety of your vehicle, exposing occupants to the risk of events like blowouts and collisions.