When to replace your tyres

Are your tyres below or near the legal tread depth limit which is 1.6mm? Tyres with a tread depth lower than 1.6mm are illegal, will result in a MOT fail AND could result in points on your licence and a fine of £2,500 per tyre.

Most tyres feature a wear indicator. These are the hard raised bars that sit in the groove of the tyre. If the tread depth is level with this you need to consider replacing your tyres soon. If the tread depth is below your tyres will be illegal.

Corner Garage recommends that you check your tyres monthly, including the tyre pressure as inadequately inflated tyres may lead to unnecessary wear. Also if you are planning a long journey – check your tyres, including the spare if you have one.

Check all sides of the tyres are equal – if one side is far more worn than the other you made need a wheel alignment and possibly replace any tyres with the uneven wear. Remember, to say you didn’t notice that the inside of the tyre was more worn than the outside is not an excuse under the law even if one side is level with or above 1.6mm and the other side is below 1.6mm.

As a general note most manufacturers suggest that you change your tyres at 3mm.

Other signs to suggest that you need a new tyre are: cracks in the sidewall (this can be the result of underinflated tyres), bulges / blisters, cuts or bald spots. You may find an embedded nail or screw, yet the tyre has not deflated – get this checked out as over time it may sink deeper into the tyre. The age too is important, it’s generally suggested that tyres should be replaced every 5 years as they will degrade over time, even if they still fall within the legal parameters. The age of your tyre can usually be found on the sidewall of your tyre – a four digit code. The first two digits refer the week of product (1-52) and the year is the last two digits.

So how much does a new tyre cost? There are many and varied qualities of tyres on the market, but as a general rule of thumb the following should provide a rough guide.

Budget Tyres:£45 to £65
Mid-Range Tyres:£70 to £110
Premium Tyres:£120 to £250

At Corner Garage we stock a wide range of tyres from leading tyre makers including Dunlop, Pirelli and Bridgestone (other brands are available).