Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: russ0205 on 12 August 2011, 13:45:53
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Just had a shock left the steering on full lock when i parked the car up and eeek tracking must be out one tyre nearly on canvas other wheel not that far away. 5m otherwise as my general finances at the mo are zilch i have been offered part worns for £25 each fitted. Whats the general feeling on part worns ?????
:'( :'( :'(
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Some people swear by them, some folks won't touch 'em.. personally I don't use them but if your options are:
1) Drive on canvas
2) Drive on part worns
3) Don't drive
I know I'd pick 2.. the fine for driving around on an illegal tyre is not going to help if you've got no money!
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Are remoulds still legal?.
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I have just put a pair of part worns on the back of mine which I got for a good price from another OOFer.
I also did the same thing a while back on the front from a different OOFer.
I dont have a problem with it, but for me funds are limited and my car isnt a late model elite which I am trying to turn into automotive perfection. I have utmost respect for those who are doing that, but Im just not in that situation. ;)
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just had a ring round cheapest for a budget brand £62 i think maybee part worns and tracking this time, Mind you i have only done 3.5k miles in the past twelve months so its not that i do loads of miles,only had mot done last month and no advisories issued so cant think they have gone that bad in a month,
:-/ :-/ :-/
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In your situation you have no choice... Must be part warns ;)
You need to get a full geometry done, not just tracking, as it sounds like your camber is way out
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At the end of the day most people who buy a second hand car are in effect driving on second hand/part worn tyres anyway.
I used to only ever fit brand new top branded tyres till the "light bulb flashed" and came to the above conclusion.
Imho a good part worn tyre with no damage and even tread wear is absolutely fine ,the difficulty is finding them at that spec.A lot of part worn are sold to make a fast buck and have damage or little life left.
Looking at your estimated mileage I would go part worn as they will still only be part worn in another year...but do avoid some of the budget brands as sure they don,t like being removed /refitted time and time again.
Please remember the above is only my opinion.
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Whilst I reckon virtually all part worns are false economy, sounds like needs must.
If its on the canvas on the shoulders, tracking won't help, it needs camber set correctly
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i always use part worn never any probs just cant buy new never got the money
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On the subject of part worns I had 2 fitted in March and it wasnt till last weekend when I was spraying tyre black stuff on them I noticed they're only H speed rated????
Is this ok?
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On the subject of part worns I had 2 fitted in March and it wasnt till last weekend when I was spraying tyre black stuff on them I noticed they're only H speed rated????
Is this ok?
Not if an insurance advisor ever checks em :y
Plus keep your speeds down :y
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so not dangerous then?
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so not dangerous then?
You're fine fella, the H is the speed rating which means yours are ok up to 130mph :y
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Part worns aren't a problem in my opinion, as long as you get a good pair and there are no punctures etc.
As for the H speed rating, no they're not dangerous, just so long as you don't go over 130 MPH :y
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
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that was a good last reply to be honest...
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well to be honest you can skimp on some things...tyres and brakes...no.. :y
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I found that budget tyres just don't last on the Omega, so I've been using part worns for a while now. I think most people would love to be able to afford a new set of Pirellis, Michelins or whatever. But....... :( :( :(
Only buy premium brands and examine them thoroughly before they are fitted. If the tyre place isn't keen on letting you check them over walk away.....
There's different opinions here about part worns and there's been a few discussions...... ;)
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
Remember that next time if you ever get in a Taxi or minicab. They all use them. And tbh, in less happier times they seved me well. Provided they are structurally sound they will be fine.
Obviously I wouldn't trust them on the limits of performance, but A to B driving sensibly...
...terribly sorry old boy, I am a little tired. Board now. ::). ;D
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so not dangerous then?
Hmmm, possibly. Sometimes manufacturers specify a higher speed rating than the car is capable of for other reasons, usually due to results from simulated long-term testing prior to launch.
I think the 'just keep it below 120mph' is too simplistic.
Additionally, as mentioned, if you are unlucky enough to be involved in an accident, you may find your insurance is invalid.
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
Remember that next time if you ever get in a Taxi or minicab. They all use them. And tbh, in less happier times they seved me well. Provided they are structurally sound they will be fine.
Obviously I wouldn't trust them on the limits of performance, but A to B driving sensibly...
...terribly sorry old boy, I am a little tired. Board now. ::). ;D
well dont know about your area BUT medway ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE REMOULDS,PART WORN TYRES as it is a requirement of the licensing authority.....never did renew mine.... :y
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
Remember that next time if you ever get in a Taxi or minicab. They all use them. And tbh, in less happier times they seved me well. Provided they are structurally sound they will be fine.
Obviously I wouldn't trust them on the limits of performance, but A to B driving sensibly...
...terribly sorry old boy, I am a little tired. Board now. ::). ;D
well dont know about your area BUT medway ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE REMOULDS,PART WORN TYRES as it is a requirement of the licensing authority.....never did renew mine.... :y
Doesn't stop em! Who's to know? Pairs are easy to come by.
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Its a can of worms when you look at tyre priced tbh if my mig was writen of now 02 plate cdx 79k insurance would prob pay out £800 less my 250xs ?? even if i had the cash wtf would i spend £500 on a set of good branded tyres only to have a breaker take them of and sell them as part worn!!!!
:-/ :-/ :-/
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use to always fit new branded tyres but as i never keep cars that long all i was doing was buying new tyres for the new owners . and i cover less than 4k a year now so i go for a 5mm+ branded part worn £20 all in :y
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yep think thats what i will do called the guy yesterday he has two pirelli part worns 5m tread £50 fitted all in,
:) :)
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yep think thats what i will do called the guy yesterday he has two pirelli part worns 5m tread £50 fitted all in,
:) :)
Ouch! £25 for a worn tyre with less than a 3rd of its life left in it.
Part worns are too expensive to be viable for me.
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a new Goodyear Eagle costs average of £128 per corner and comes with max 7/8 mm tread . part worn 5mm for £25 . end of the day ya pays ya money ya take ya choice . next time you take a flight have a look at the remoulds they fit scarry :)
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a new Goodyear Eagle costs average of £128 per corner and comes with max 7/8 mm tread . part worn 5mm for £25 . end of the day ya pays ya money ya take ya choice . next time you take a flight have a look at the remoulds they fit scarry :)
Aviation stuff is made to much higher specifications and tolerance ;)
Most new tyres are 9mm. Virtually all tyres' grip level fall off a cliff at around 3mm, sometimes 4mm. Also, the more worn the tyre, the quicker it wears, quite dramatically on some tyres. The (lack of) grip is the reason why many choose to change tyres at around 5mm, which is why there are always loads of 5mm part-worns available, esp Michelin Pilot Sport, Pirelli P6000 and Avon ZV3/5.
So 5mm gives at most 2mm (often less) of quick wearing tread. For £25.
A new tyre gives 6mm of longer lasting tread. For £90 (the last set of Sport MAXX I had fitted this year).
So, over the life of a tyre, costs are probably in the same ballpark, only I get to choose the tyre I want, and know its history, without having to worry if it was off an accident damaged car, and what damage the tyre sustained in said accident. And I get the levels of grip that 1.7t, 200+ bhp of car deserves.
Cliche I know, but its the difference between spending more time on this Earth, or early trip to St Peter (or whatever religion you may or may not follow)
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Interesting thread. I bought a set of alloy wheels and tyres from an OOFer. The tyres had plenty of tread left, BUT were 'part-worn' Nexens. This was 18 months and 10,000 miles ago on the TD estate, which has done a lot of heavy lifting since. The rears are approaching the end, probably only a 1000 miles left in them, but I have had no problems with them at all. The history was unknown coming off a breaker, but I would happily buy such tyres (and wheels if necessary) again. :y
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Clearly the deciding factor is how much cash one has in ones pocket. With some enfesis on driving style. Mr TB has, let's say, an aggressive driving style. And a similar lack of patience. ::)
He will go through tyres quickly, for example.
Most put far less stress through the car. Tunnie for example will make the same pair of three last 3 times as long.
But all that aside, if a person only has £50 available for tyres then what are they to do? Go on the dole as they can't get to work? Let's be serious for a minute. What would you do?
Calm your driving, save on fuel, leave earlier and skimp to pay the bills. More than that is a luxury. No?
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Clearly the deciding factor is how much cash one has in ones pocket. With some enfesis on driving style. Mr TB has, let's say, an aggressive driving style. And a similar lack of patience. ::)
He will go through tyres quickly, for example.
Most put far less stress through the car. Tunnie for example will make the same pair of three last 3 times as long.
But all that aside, if a person only has £50 available for tyres then what are they to do? Go on the dole as they can't get to work? Let's be serious for a minute. What would you do?
Calm your driving, save on fuel, leave earlier and skimp to pay the bills. More than that is a luxury. No?
I mostly agree, although still think part worns offer no better value, with the added risk of potential unseen damage to them.
I accept that buying a 2nd hand car has similar issues with tyres. Although, obviously, its easier to assume the tyres haven't had a 80mph debate with a kerb, as the car would show signs of that. Obviously, its not 100% assurance though.
If I was so hard up as to not be able to afford the tyres, even budget ones, I'm not sure I'd have a big gas guzzler like the Omega - something which may explain the fact they are now utterly worthless now :-/
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If I was so hard up as to not be able to afford the tyres, even budget ones, I'm not sure I'd have a big gas guzzler like the Omega
Sorry, that wasn't supposed to sound snobbish or high-and-mighty in any way, although it does read that way :-[
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As some know, I was doing a lot of miles so had to compromise on tyres... I found a "budget" tyre (because I get mates rates) that fitted the bill but if my mileage drops as expected I'll be going onto a premium tyre, better suspension setup for more fun, and can justify it with the much reduced mileage :y :y
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Clearly the deciding factor is how much cash one has in ones pocket. With some enfesis on driving style. Mr TB has, let's say, an aggressive driving style. And a similar lack of patience. ::)
He will go through tyres quickly, for example.
Most put far less stress through the car. Tunnie for example will make the same pair of three last 3 times as long.
But all that aside, if a person only has £50 available for tyres then what are they to do? Go on the dole as they can't get to work? Let's be serious for a minute. What would you do?
Calm your driving, save on fuel, leave earlier and skimp to pay the bills. More than that is a luxury. No?
I mostly agree, although still think part worns offer no better value, with the added risk of potential unseen damage to them.
I accept that buying a 2nd hand car has similar issues with tyres. Although, obviously, its easier to assume the tyres haven't had a 80mph debate with a kerb, as the car would show signs of that. Obviously, its not 100% assurance though.
If I was so hard up as to not be able to afford the tyres, even budget ones, I'm not sure I'd have a big gas guzzler like the Omega - something which may explain the fact they are now utterly worthless now :-/
But that's why people buy them. Best car at that end of the market. And completely besides the point, circumstances change, redundancy etc(heaven forbid) its a job to find a cheaper car.
Fact is if your pockets empty, there's no choice. Simple.
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Clearly the deciding factor is how much cash one has in ones pocket. With some enfesis on driving style. Mr TB has, let's say, an aggressive driving style. And a similar lack of patience. ::)
He will go through tyres quickly, for example.
Most put far less stress through the car. Tunnie for example will make the same pair of three last 3 times as long.
But all that aside, if a person only has £50 available for tyres then what are they to do? Go on the dole as they can't get to work? Let's be serious for a minute. What would you do?
Calm your driving, save on fuel, leave earlier and skimp to pay the bills. More than that is a luxury. No?
I mostly agree, although still think part worns offer no better value, with the added risk of potential unseen damage to them.
I accept that buying a 2nd hand car has similar issues with tyres. Although, obviously, its easier to assume the tyres haven't had a 80mph debate with a kerb, as the car would show signs of that. Obviously, its not 100% assurance though.
If I was so hard up as to not be able to afford the tyres, even budget ones, I'm not sure I'd have a big gas guzzler like the Omega - something which may explain the fact they are now utterly worthless now :-/
But that's why people buy them. Best car at that end of the market. And completely besides the point, circumstances change, redundancy etc(heaven forbid) its a job to find a cheaper car.
Fact is if your pockets empty, there's no choice. Simple.
In fact comparing the two markets, used tyres and used cars. We could argue a used omega is a similar end of the market as a used tyre.
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Exactly chris even if cash was there i can't see the point in spending half the value of the car just to have branded tyres. as i have said my mileage is appx 4.5k a year car is ten years old next year o k its in mint condition but you have to say it owes me nothing and if it went pop tomorrow i would be sad but not half as gutted as i would be having bought brand new top notch tyres.
:-/ :-/
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dont forget you can spend 150 or 25 pounds on a tyre and a 1p nail can still wreck it
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dont forget you can spend 150 or 25 pounds on a tyre and a 1p nail can still wreck it
Got that T shirt. >:(
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My mate (who can afford new tyres) always buys part worns, and so far, he's had no trouble.
He's careful as to what he buys though.
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Exactly chris even if cash was there i can't see the point in spending half the value of the car just to have branded tyres. as i have said my mileage is appx 4.5k a year car is ten years old next year o k its in mint condition but you have to say it owes me nothing and if it went pop tomorrow i would be sad but not half as gutted as i would be having bought brand new top notch tyres.
:-/ :-/
My point wasn't branded v budget, but part-worn v new on a cost basis (and forgetting the potential pitfalls of part worns for now).
I have no issue with budgets. Some, admittedly, are ditchfinders, but some are pretty good.
If you are happy with budgets, than my cost calculations come in even more in favour of new ;)
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Clearly the deciding factor is how much cash one has in ones pocket. With some enfesis on driving style. Mr TB has, let's say, an aggressive driving style. And a similar lack of patience. ::)
He will go through tyres quickly, for example.
Most put far less stress through the car. Tunnie for example will make the same pair of three last 3 times as long.
But all that aside, if a person only has £50 available for tyres then what are they to do? Go on the dole as they can't get to work? Let's be serious for a minute. What would you do?
Calm your driving, save on fuel, leave earlier and skimp to pay the bills. More than that is a luxury. No?
I mostly agree, although still think part worns offer no better value, with the added risk of potential unseen damage to them.
I accept that buying a 2nd hand car has similar issues with tyres. Although, obviously, its easier to assume the tyres haven't had a 80mph debate with a kerb, as the car would show signs of that. Obviously, its not 100% assurance though.
If I was so hard up as to not be able to afford the tyres, even budget ones, I'm not sure I'd have a big gas guzzler like the Omega - something which may explain the fact they are now utterly worthless now :-/
But that's why people buy them. Best car at that end of the market. And completely besides the point, circumstances change, redundancy etc(heaven forbid) its a job to find a cheaper car.
Fact is if your pockets empty, there's no choice. Simple.
Indeed. Though if you are in that boat, £105 to fill the tank with petrol is far from ideal :'(
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This is always an interesting discussion :y
I've never bought premium brand tyres for any car that I've owned, mainly because I'm tight :-[ , but also because any new tyre has to be manufactured to certain standards....
However, I've had my Mig for 5 years now and as mentioned earlier I've found that budget tyres just don't last on the Omega... So despite my tightness, if I could afford them, I'd have premium ditch avoiders everytime, but like alot of peeps at the mo, I have to cut my cloth..... :-[
Now here's the thing.... If you buy your part worns from a good dealer, you get the opportunity to give them the once over before you seal the deal, and as said earlier if the dealer isn't keen, walk away!
Now I'm sure that someone could reply that there might be damage that isn't visual and that's true enough.... However,I once bought a set of budgets, forget the brand, but they were about £50 each and within 1000 miles or so they went out of shape!!! :o :o It was like driving on squares :o :o :o
Part worns are less than ideal, lets face it :-/ but I do think that they are a good alternative to budgets.... if you are careful.... :y
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For me it is part worns all day long, I have been using them on all my cars for the last 15 years with no problems what so ever. I even use them on my 240BHP track Manta.
Just make sure you give them a good look over before parting with your monny, and as has been said already, if the suppier is not happy with you giving them a once over walk away and go somewhere else.
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
This. All day long.
With tyres, always buy the best that you can afford. If you can't afford tyres of an appropriate standard for your car, you can't afford the car. I cannot emphasise this enough, and I am deadly serious.
- I've seen the consequences of having the wrong tyres on a car. Be they dodgy part-worns, remoulds, mismatched tread patterns etc. etc. - they're called "ditchfinders" for a reason.
If the lives of yourself, your passengers and other road users are worthless, fit part-worns. Otherwise, choose carefully. Tyres are the most important suspension and drivetrain component of your car - it's no good having a 3.2-litre Omega on Wanling Crashmasters.
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
This. All day long.
With tyres, always buy the best that you can afford. If you can't afford tyres of an appropriate standard for your car, you can't afford the car. I cannot emphasise this enough, and I am deadly serious.
- I've seen the consequences of having the wrong tyres on a car. Be they dodgy part-worns, remoulds, mismatched tread patterns etc. etc. - they're called "ditchfinders" for a reason.
If the lives of yourself, your passengers and other road users are worthless, fit part-worns. Otherwise, choose carefully. Tyres are the most important suspension and drivetrain component of your car - it's no good having a 3.2-litre Omega on Wanling Crashmasters.
So, yet another who always fits new tyres when he buys a second hand car. ::) ::) ::)
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
This. All day long.
With tyres, always buy the best that you can afford. If you can't afford tyres of an appropriate standard for your car, you can't afford the car. I cannot emphasise this enough, and I am deadly serious.
- I've seen the consequences of having the wrong tyres on a car. Be they dodgy part-worns, remoulds, mismatched tread patterns etc. etc. - they're called "ditchfinders" for a reason.
If the lives of yourself, your passengers and other road users are worthless, fit part-worns. Otherwise, choose carefully. Tyres are the most important suspension and drivetrain component of your car - it's no good having a 3.2-litre Omega on Wanling Crashmasters.
All valid points IMO. Part worms are legal, as are part worn cars. And if part worms are the best we can afford then part worms it is.
Obviously, as you say, we all want to fit the best tyres. But we need match budgets. And let me tell you. Right here right now, I would rather have part worn top brands than some of the New budget tyres put there. Even some middle of the road brands Like Falken I would rather burn than fit new!
It really isn't that black and white, or Hollier than thou.
Typical BMW drivers attitude IMO.
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The way i look at tyres is if your life is cheap by cheap tyres :y
This. All day long.
With tyres, always buy the best that you can afford. If you can't afford tyres of an appropriate standard for your car, you can't afford the car. I cannot emphasise this enough, and I am deadly serious.
- I've seen the consequences of having the wrong tyres on a car. Be they dodgy part-worns, remoulds, mismatched tread patterns etc. etc. - they're called "ditchfinders" for a reason.
If the lives of yourself, your passengers and other road users are worthless, fit part-worns. Otherwise, choose carefully. Tyres are the most important suspension and drivetrain component of your car - it's no good having a 3.2-litre Omega on Wanling Crashmasters.
All valid points IMO. Part worms are legal, as are part worn cars. And if part worms are the best we can afford then part worms it is.
Obviously, as you say, we all want to fit the best tyres. But we need match budgets. And let me tell you. Right here right now, I would rather have part worn top brands than some of the New budget tyres put there. Even some middle of the road brands Like Falken I would rather burn than fit new!
It really isn't that black and white, or Hollier than thou.
Typical BMW drivers attitude IMO.
If its a short term solution to a desperate problem, fair-do, needs much etc. But I still maintain, for long term use (ie, planning to replace part worns with more part worns), its false economy.
As to budget v premium, and forgetting yours and my apparent specific needs, there are some very good budget tyres (Nexen, Kumho) and some appallingly bad premium tyres (anything with Michelin, Avon/Cooper on the sidewall)
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I think i may have opened a can of worms on this but as so many have said if you buy a car with 4m tread on the tyres do you instantly go to your nearest tyre fitters and have a new set on i think not so in theory part worn. As in some cases we never meet the driver if purchased from a dealer or indeed do we contact the dutch guy mr hertz rentacar and asked him if he hit the kerbs at all !!!
:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/
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I think i may have opened a can of worms on this but as so many have said if you buy a car with 4m tread on the tyres do you instantly go to your nearest tyre fitters and have a new set on i think not so in theory part worn. As in some cases we never meet the driver if purchased from a dealer or indeed do we contact the dutch guy mr hertz rentacar and asked him if he hit the kerbs at all !!!
:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/
Pretty much, as they are pretty tired, as most would start massively losing grip then.
If I bought a car with 7mm, as I did last year, then yes, same as part worn. Fortunately, I have all but wrecked them (despite having 5mm left in the middle) ::), so I can put some nice new ones on :D
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I think i may have opened a can of worms on this but as so many have said if you buy a car with 4m tread on the tyres do you instantly go to your nearest tyre fitters and have a new set on i think not so in theory part worn. As in some cases we never meet the driver if purchased from a dealer or indeed do we contact the dutch guy mr hertz rentacar and asked him if he hit the kerbs at all !!!
:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/
Although I couldn't bring myself to bin 2 of them just because they were noisy, yes. In fact, One was brand new (receipt in pack for fitting less than 1k ago when I bought the car :o) because it was absolutely awful... No grip whatsoever (for my style/needs) wet or dry so it went ;) ;)
Apparently I'm quite demanding on my tyres too :-X :-X
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round here i cant get anyone to fit part worn tyres. up until couple of years ago it wasnt a problem, but since then both budget and kwik fit say it is illegal to fit part worns?...i doubt that to be honest, theyre probably just trying to get me to buy new, but that is what they said :-[
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round here i cant get anyone to fit part worn tyres. up until couple of years ago it wasnt a problem, but since then both budget and kwik fit say it is illegal to fit part worns?...i doubt that to be honest, theyre probably just trying to get me to buy new, but that is what they said :-[
just ask a taxi driver where they get there tyres as they buy part worns,thats how i found my supplier and every time i go theres a que of them there
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round here i cant get anyone to fit part worn tyres. up until couple of years ago it wasnt a problem, but since then both budget and kwik fit say it is illegal to fit part worns?...i doubt that to be honest, theyre probably just trying to get me to buy new, but that is what they said :-[
just ask a taxi driver where they get there tyres as they buy part worns,thats how i found my supplier and every time i go theres a que of them there
Not all, I buy brand new.....albeit budget, but new :y
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So, yet another who always fits new tyres when he buys a second hand car. ::) ::) ::)
I've owned 3 cars. One was second hand (a MK5 Astra with only 14k miles) but had had a tyre replaced after a puncture. There was nothing wrong with the replacement other than it being a different make/model to the other 3 tyres on the car. It made the handling evil in the wet because it was performing differently to the other tyres. If this can happen with a perfectly good but mismatched tyre, imagine the problems you could have buying unknown part worn tyres.
I have also been at the scene of a fatal RTA caused by a defective tyre. Unfortunately, the deceased was entirely innocent in the matter as they were a passenger in another vehicle. A sobering thought.
Most part worns are removed from vehicles for a reason. - If the car's been involved in some type of collison, the risk of driving on a tyre that has dangerous internal damage is really not worth the potential financial saving. - Especially as most part worn tyres are nearly at the end of their lifespan anyway so you're not saving as much as you think!
(I'll post a link in my next message because I'm not permitted to until I've posted 2 "normal" messages)
I am currently looking to buy an Omega - the tyres are of particular concern. Plus; a car such as that deserves suitable tyres (otherwise it won't drive the same and you might as well have a lesser car), do you not think?
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All valid points IMO. Part worms are legal, as are part worn cars. And if part worms are the best we can afford then part worms it is.
I understand what you're trying to say, but with respect I can't agree. I previously stated that my opinion is that if you can't afford the "right" tyres, you can't afford the car. Regarding the "part worn cars" comment: Some used cars are better cars and in better conditon than some brand new cars. I'd rather have an immaculate Peugeot 205GTi than a brand new 207GTi, for example. [smiley=wink.gif]
Now I'm not saying this as a multi-millionaire...but some good tyres for most non-performance cars aren't THAT expensive. I think the problem is that most people aren't interested and would rather spend the money on entertainments and luxuries, as opposed to literally not having enough money to buy decent tyres.
Obviously, as you say, we all want to fit the best tyres. But we need match budgets.
Concerning Omegas, the problem is that depreciation has brought prices down to a level where many naively think that they can afford the car, not realising that the purcase price is just the start and that they will still incur the maintenance & running costs of a large luxury car. This is the same sad situation that leads to many perfectly servicable cars falling into a state of disrepair and ending-up on the scrapheap through no fault of their own.
And let me tell you. Right here right now, I would rather have part worn top brands than some of the New budget tyres put there. Even some middle of the road brands Like Falken I would rather burn than fit new!
Again: I hear you, and there are definitely budget tyres that I too wouldn't touch with someone else's bargepole, but similarly there's no point in having a "top brand" tyre that you can't trust to stay intact if you plan on using it & the car as intended. There are some budget tyres that are far preferable to the unknown quantity that is a "half empty" top-brand part worn tyre. Similarly, there are some "top brand" tyres that don't deserve the label.
Another point I'd like to make is that good tyres aren't automatically lethal as soon as the tread depth drops. A good worn tyre that you know the history of is often better than a newer unknown part worn or brand new budget.
IMO the best thing to do is research before buying: Both cars and their tyres (and that's why I just signed up)!
It really isn't that black and white, or Hollier than thou.
Yes, I've seen those fancy coloured tyres, too! [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]
Seriously though, unknown part worns are just not worth it. If you can't afford to fit decent tyres, where does it end? Brakes? Driving uninsured? What are you going to do if something else goes wrong with the car?
Typical BMW drivers attitude IMO.
I thought that was forsaking ride & handling by fitting 20" drug dealer wheels to a 318d, skimping on the tyres (because the look of the wheels is more important) and fitting ///M badges to every panel instead? [smiley=rolleyes.gif]
I'm not trying to be sanctimonious here, but I do feel that buying part worns is a very unwise move. As I have stated I have seen the conseqences of defective tyres and they aren't pleasant to say the least. Maybe this has made me more cautious but can you honestly say you wouldn't feel the same?
If its a short term solution to a desperate problem, fair-do, needs much etc. But I still maintain, for long term use (ie, planning to replace part worns with more part worns), its false economy.
[smiley=thumbsup.gif] How much is a part-worn next to a decent budget, though? If you've suddenly run out of money through unforeseen circumstances and need tyres I can understand it, but I'd be very careful and would change them literally as soon as possible.
As to budget v premium, and forgetting yours and my apparent specific needs, there are some very good budget tyres (Nexen, Kumho) and some appallingly bad premium tyres (anything with Michelin, Avon/Cooper on the sidewall)
As with cars, it depends on the model, not just the make. I have Michelin Pilot Exaltos on the C4 and they serve-up prodigious grip considering their 205mm width, are predictable even though they'll need changing soon and have lasted 20k miles with mixed gentle and sporty driving. The only areas with minus points are price - circa £140 (205/50/R17), and the fact that as a summer tyre, they are absolutely useless come winter.
The Dangers of Part Worn Tyres (http://www.carpages.co.uk/news/part-worn-tyres-03-06-10.asp)