Tires are so expensive these days that it can be cost prohibitive to replace them as frequently as you should. Do you replace yours on a regular basis or do you just drive until you are forced to replace them? Do you only replace a damaged one or do you get a whole new set of tires? Have you ever thought about purchasing (or have purchased) used tires?
I live on a very, very low income; so I usually only buy a tire when mine is running on the treads, and is dangerous to drive anymore. I then buy only the tire that i need, and it is almost always a used one from someone who has traded it in. Most of these have about half-tread on them, and I do not drive very far or very fast; so it works out fine for me, and does not use up all of my budget for the month that way.
I got some sticker shock the last time I went shopping for tires. They REALLY got expensive, didn't they? I shopped around until I found a set of 4 tires for less than $500. I have a 4-wheel drive vehicle so the tires are pretty big. They are also excellent in the snow. I don't think I would buy used tires. You never know how the last person took care of the tires and it's just too important when one is driving down the road at 70mph to be sure you know what to expect.
I change our tires regularly because I know how stressful it is to get a flat tire in the middle of traveling. I always buy new and I always replace all of them instead of just one because if I'm not mistaken it's preferable that all tires are uniform for better performance and also so they all age and wear out at the same time. As for used tires, I don't think I would feel secure if I did install second hand tires so I'd much rather just spend on new ones if I can help it.
We sometimes do but not all the time. There was a time when my family was strapped for cash so we bought a few used tires for emergency purposes because one of our tire cars was already too tattered and could no longer be vulcanized. A brand new tire would cost us at the very least $50 but a used one may be purchased for more than half the price.
My commute is fairly long, 75 miles one way, and it's 90% highway miles. I leave very early in the morning and share the road mainly with the few truckers that are out there. I replace mine when the mileage tells me to because the last thing I need is a flat at 3 in the morning with 18 wheelers whizzing by. Tires have a predetermined life span (60,000 miles, 75,000 miles, etc.) depending on the brand and how they are made, that I follow very closely. The place where I go to buy my tires is very good at saving me money when I replace the tires as I should.
Buying new is certainly preferable, but it isn't always do-able. I've had used tires, and I've had very good luck with them. Some places will even "guarantee" them to some extent. Of course, in that case, they do run a bit more than the real cheap used ones do. I did notice that some tires offer rebates as well. Have you ever used a rebate in order to afford some new tires?
For me, already a little paranoid of breaking down and being stuck is enough to get me to always buy tires that are new. I guess when you can not walk, you're just extra cautious. But I do know people who have no issues after buying used tires. Like with anything else, you just have to be careful and do your homework.
By and large, new tires are always preferable over new tires. If you pop a used tire 5,000 miles into having it, then you're going to spend a lot more than you would have on new tires. Not all places guarantee new tires, and each one does something different to get the tires into good, working condition, so you're taking a huge risk from business to business. It's not worth the potential issues down the (sometimes short) road.
Used tires are all I buy. I definitely do not buy an entire new set when one goes bad. I have front wheel drive so I just make sure the best tires are up front. I always want to drive on safe tires so I definitely do not push my luck. I have not bought recapped tires but I am told the process for recapped is the process for how brand new tires are made.
My dad typically buys used tires for his truck. As long as you know what to look for, you can get some solid tires for a decent price. Just be careful not to get scammed and pay way too much for tires that are on their last legs.
This discussion about purchasing used tires has caused me to reevaluate my stance on tires. So I guess as long as you find a business that has a good reputation, you should be alright. I keep waiting for the day when tires lasts the lifetime of a vehicle. Yes, I know. I might be waiting a long time.
Be careful what you wish for, because with some of these tires, that would be a short-lived car. You do have to be careful when purchasing used tires, but if you find someone you can trust, it can be a good option. There is a place around here that will even give a bit of a guarantee on some of the "better" used ones. Also, I'm going to pay more attention to the type of tires a vehicle has before I buy a vehicle the next time. These aren't that easy to find and they are big bucks.
I only buy used tired. I try to spend as little on transport as possible while still being safe. I have an old Toyota and I get a used set of tires every other year. They typically only cost me about $100 for the set of 4. That's $50 a year for rubber. "Used" only means they were on a vehicle, the last set I bought was indistinguishable from a new set!
I have bought used tyres in the past (when I actually had a car) but only as a last resort. There have been a couple of occasions where they tyres were bare but I couldn't afford to replace them with new ones so used was the only way to go. They did the job perfectly, no complaints. @BrandonScooterman is right, the term "used" simply means that they have been on a car at some point. Not all used tyres have actually been driven on.
Because I drive so little, I very much doubt that my tyres will EVER need to be replaced! But if they did, I would certainly consider buying them second hand, because I know that they wouldn't be sold unless they were perfectly safe to be used. And they are that much cheaper that it is much better to do it like that than it would be to bother with buying new ones every time.
I've bought both used and new tires. I would always prefer new, but that's not always feasible. When I do buy new tires, I buy the guarantee, so they will be replaced without question. I believe it's Discount Tires where they do that, but I'm sure other companies offer that type of guarantee/warranty, as well. They seem to have the best deals, although I've also bought from NTB in the past.
I think it depends on your situation. If you don't have to drive a lot of distance, then it may be alright to go for old tires, given the prohibitive costs of new ones. Some firms do retreading and vulcanizing and it's not a bad idea to retread your tires instead of going for new ones.
I only buy tires when I really need them. I use them as long as I possibly can. I usually buy used fires because new ones cost way to much for the income I make. If you look around, you can always get some really good deals. I have gotten almost brand new tires for a fraction of the price.
Unless you know much about tires, you'll be ripped off especially if you get your used tires online. I've seen some crazy as on Craiglist. Buy half-tread tires at half-price. They're worth less than that but anyone who doesn't know much about tires would think it's a great deal. Half worn tires doesn't equal half-life. That said, I occasionally do buy used tires but never online. I have to see what I'm buying.
