Worn tyres: When to replace them

You may think that you need to get new tyres as soon as you can see visible signs of wear and tear, and in some case this is true. But do not be too hasty to replace your tyres if roads are in reasonable condition, and – as long as you are not going off road – you should be fine allowing the tyres to wear down a little more, as long as they are still legal. If you are going off-road or will be using rougher roads than usual, then you may wish to reconsider.

Is there any benefit to worn tyres?

Surprisingly, yes. But there are caveats, of course! Slightly worn tyres have been shown to perform better while braking under dry conditions. However, during extreme weather conditions it’s never a safe option to be driving along with worn tyres. If you have poor quality tyres, it is probably best to change them often. Or, perhaps, just once: to better quality ones! Good quality tyres are designed to be durable and to remain in very good condition even as the tread wears down.

What are the legalities?

Your tyres must look in good condition – if you are stopped and the policeman thinks your vehicle is not roadworthy, you may get a ticket or be told to remove your vehicle from the road until it has been made safe. Your tread should be at least 1.6mm thick in order to work properly on wet roads, the sidewalls should be solid and free from damage, cracks and bulges, the latter being a sign of an inner weakness and a forewarning that a blow-out might lie in the not-too-distant future.

Some tyre manufacturers recommend changing your tyres when the tread gets down to 3mm, and this is probably wise if you do a lot of hard driving on poor roads. It is estimated that a 3mm tread marks the point when your tyres are three-quarters of the way through their lives and rushing to change them could rob you of this extra value. Whichever course you choose, do not leave it too long to get your new tyres bought and fitted once they have worn close to the legal limit! For readers living in Basingstoke and looking for new car tyres, we would suggest you to book your new tyres online and get them fitted locally in Basingstoke at Headley Tyres. You can also call them for expert advice.