Buying tyres is never an easy thing to do and there are some factors that can make the whole process even more difficult. If you are someone who frequently drives to areas like London, or even to diverse terrains such as Scotland; you need to make sure your tyres are in tip-top condition.

Let’s take a look at five major tyre purchasing mistakes and how to avoid them.

The Deal is Too Good To Be True

It is very tempting to snap up a good deal, but – as with anything – if a deal seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Good-quality tyres cost a fair amount to manufacture, and if you are being offered tyres for a ridiculous discount, you are taking a chance on any number of issues, from receiving stolen goods to buying counterfeit (and therefore unsafe) products, to simply running the risk of being conned out of your hard-earned money and receiving nothing in return. Try to buy your tyres from a reputable dealer to avoid this happening to you.

Wrong Specs

Every make and model of car comes with specialised specifications for the tyres that should be fitted to the car. Putting the wrong tyres on your car will cause issues of wear and tear, give you a very uncomfortable drive, and mess with your odometer and speedometer – which could see you speeding without realising it. It can also throw out computerised elements in your car, such as reminders for servicing and so on.

The tyre code can be tricky to memorise, but it is readily available online and you will have no problems accessing the right specs for your car. Failing that, buy fully fitted tyres in Dunfermline from local fitters like Fife Autocentre and enjoy peace of mind. Having the right specs will make the right tyres fitted to your car and balance and align correctly.

Retread or Remould?

Re-treads, the attachment of a new strip of treaded rubber to your tyres to give them a new lease of life, are actually illegal in the UK, as of 2004. Remoulds, however, are legal, as long as they meet certain criteria. They are created in a similar fashion to re-treads but use a more stringent process to attach the new rubber to the tyre’s ‘skeleton’ resulting in a strong bond and less likelihood of long strips of tread peeling off as you drive down a busy motorway.

How Old Are the ‘New’ Tyres?

Another unpleasant trick to look out for is being sold old tyres that have never been used. These tyres are likely to be in their original packaging (if packed) and look great. But they may be compromised if they are older than five years old. This is because rubber, being a natural product, continues to dry out over time. Pristine ten-year-old tyres can be as dangerous as those with the belts peeping through the sidewall, and dimples and crack all over the contact surface, because they will be so dry that any usage at all can cause them to crumble and break. Some tyres have their date of manufacture on them – look for a four-digit code placed somewhere near the specifications: a number from 1 to 52, followed by the last two digits of the year in question: so tyres with a code of 0223 were manufactured in the second week of the year 2023. Others may not have a date on them, but any reputable supplier should be able to tell you the approximate date of manufacture – or get it for you from their supplier on request.

Extras Boost the Price

Finally, watch out for unscrupulous dealers boosting their bargain basement price by adding on pricy extras that really should be included as standard. This can include delivery fees, vague ‘admin’ fees, and, a biggie, extortionate fitting charges. Of course, the fitting should be paid for, but your supplier should let you know all these costs upfront before you commit to the sale.