Check your tyres. A salutary lesson.

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Ted

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 26, 2004
Messages
7,046
Location
Bourton on Dunsmore
Car
Lexus RC300h F-Sport, Yamaha XVS 1100, Toyota C-HR GR sport
Ok, so I checked my rear tyres a few weeks ago. On the wear markers.
Hmmm, I'll leave it till I get paid.
Left it till payday, and checked them again - really low in the middle, but some tread on the outside.
Pay day came around again. Really must get some tyres. Checked them last week. Yup, almost like slicks in the middle. Time to order. Looked around, and found some half decent tyres on the Kwik-Fit site - £105 (each) fitted & balanced - I'll go for those. Booked in for today. Didn't have the ones I ordered so I git two Uniroyal Rainsport 2s for £210 fitted.
Bargain.
AND I got full life out of my tyres.
Until I saw the tyres that were removed. Down to the cords in a couple of patches on the inside edge - I hadn't see them.

No excuses - I should know better. I've just been a bit too clever for my own good. I dread to think what could have happened. It will never happen again - lesson well and truly learnt.

How many times have I criticised people who do this? What would I have said to my kids if I caught them with tyres in the same condition?

So it might just be time to check your tyres.
Across the whole width.
Round the whole circumference.

Now.

P.S. I've just checked the fronts.
 
I did the same thing with my rear brake pads: got a further 18 months out of a set that were "due for replacement soon" only to wear them out completely and grind into my rear discs. The difference was that my brakes were REALLY effective grinding bare calipers into discs - the showers of sparks out of the wheels was a bit embarrassing though.

Needless to say there is a point where good, efficient use of consumables crosses into dangerous use of worn out parts.
 
A very honest account Ted.

I will be needing some Tyres on the fronts but I'm holding off because I would like to put some new alloys on. I'll keep an eye on them though....
 
Admire your honesty but I guess you were lucky in more ways than one as if the BiB had have spotted you, the fines are mahoosive these days.
Had my car MOT'd last week and was informed I've got about another 2000 miles on my rears so it's something I've got to man up to as well. :(
 
Hmmm. My rears are not too far off. Thanks for the reminder though.:thumb: It just shows how easy it is to push it just that bit too far. :eek: Just remember 3 points and upto £1000 per tyre:eek::eek:. Waiting for pay day is just asking for trouble as you have so rightly pointed out.

I just think I wouldn't want to drive on greasy roads like we have down here at the moment after the lack of rain then downpour over the weekend.:eek:
 
This came of my newly MOT’d car with only an advisory... :eek:

Yes the alignment has been fixed.

I’ve take to taking a good look whenever I park with full lock on.
 

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Luckily for me. I have never got to the stage were my tyres got in to a state like in that picture. In fact I consider 3 mm to be slicks and replace then as soon as they get near to that figure. And I always replace my tyres in pairs. To keep things balanced.

But thanks for the warning. A reminder for us all not to get too complacent about how important but over looked tyres are.
 
Points and fines are the least of my worries (although admittedly not far from my mind)
It is what could have happened.
Had the BIB stopped me I would have deserved all I got. I'm a firm believer in 'don't do the crime if you can't do the time'

Simply put, I got a bit too clever. I'm old and ugly enough to know better than that. As Spike says, there is a pont where efficient use of consumables becomes dangerous - and that point can be very easily reached.
 
LOL! This is coinsidence, just been out on the drive having a smoke and a gander, so i checked all my tyres.

..ok so they are only 2 months old, but im keeping a very close eye on my tread.

first time im using falken's and must say they are doing very well, actually they have surpassed my expectations AND there're on an 18x8 wheel!!
 
Just checked my tyres and they are fine, missing some tread from the rear although I do know where it is, it's half way down the street in two big black lines.... Love it! Ooooppps!
 
The first thing the insurance assessor who came to look over the damage to my car from its recent bump was to check the tyre thread depth.
 

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