Buying used wheels with tyre on.

[vincentianpinner]

Just wondered if this is a bad idea. I see them for sale on eBay with the breaker claiming the wheel runs True and plenty of tread on the tyre but are there potential problems?

 

[Old Salt]

Just wondered if this is a bad idea. I see them for sale on eBay with the breaker claiming the wheel runs True and plenty of tread on the tyre but are there potential problems?

Yes because you dont know why its ended up in a scrapyard. Did the other 3 wheels and tyres cause it to crash? Nobody knows.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Some years back I bought a "used" space saver spare on a rim for my wife's then new Suzuki for £50 delivered from a tyre seller on e-bay. It was claimed to be recovered from an insurance write-off vehicle. I was a tad reluctant, but as Suzuki wanted over £350 for a new one AND would have to wait for it to be imported from India, I decided to take a chance. When it arrived 2days later, it was obvious it had never been on a road surface, but to be 100% sure I took it along to the chap who does all of my MOT's and he explained what a good bargain these 'unused' space savers are. To fully put my mind at ease he whipped the tyre off the rim to prove his point and then refitted it without charging me a penny. That tyre has never been needed, but it's there should the occasion arise
Why a space saver and not a full-size job? There isn't the rim space in the back of the car for a full-size job. . cheapskates

 

[robinbanks]

Why a space saver and not a full-size job?

Cause anyone can make a building stand up, but it takes an engineer to make a building that only just stands up

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I've bought secondhand wheels off ebay from a breakers, when I damaged two rims on one pothole, they were fine as far as I could tell. Buying and selling secondhand wheels is very common within the car fraternity.

 

[Mottie]

Why a space saver and not a full-size job?

If the manufacturers can save £20 on a vehicle and they make 500,000 of those vehicles, that’s a fair chunk of wedge.

I'd never buy a tyre that I can’t see the inside of before it is fitted for the same reason as why you should have a tyre removed and inspected before a puncture repair is carried out. With runflat damage, the tyre will look perfectly fine on the outside but when you remove the tyre, you would find a couple of cupfuls of rubber crumbs that have shredded from the inner sidewall. Those tyres shouldn’t be repaired or used.

Runflat damage:

 

[Avocet]

You have to assume that the tyre will be scrap and that you're happy to pay that price for the wheel on its own. The seller will not want the hassle of taking the tyre off and paying the disposal charge. Sometimes you get lucky, but more often than not, it's a cheap, no-name tyre anyway. (Depending on the kind of vehicle you're buying it for, of course)!

 

[Dereekoo]

If the manufacturers can save £20 on a vehicle and they make 500,000 of those vehicles, that’s a fair chunk of wedge.

I'd never buy a tyre that I can’t see the inside of before it is fitted for the same reason as why you should have a tyre removed and inspected before a puncture repair is carried out. With runflat damage, the tyre will look perfectly fine on the outside but when you remove the tyre, you would find a couple of cupfuls of rubber crumbs that have shredded from the inner sidewall. Those tyres shouldn’t be repaired or used.

Runflat damage:

View attachment 384776

Must admit in all the tyres I have fitted over the last 50 years I have never gone and looked at the inside of one before the fitter fitted it, usually just sat in the reception area twiddling my thumbs.

 

[nickjb]

When you buy a car it comes with 4 (or 5) second hand wheels with second hand tyres unless you buy a brand new car with zero miles. Always worth a good inspection but I wouldn't automatically write it off

 

[Mottie]

Must admit in all the tyres I have fitted over the last 50 years I have never gone and looked at the inside of one before the fitter fitted it, usually just sat in the reception area twiddling my thumbs.

Lol. I meant part worn of course!

 

[Munroast]

When you buy a car it comes with 4 (or 5) second hand wheels with second hand tyres unless you buy a brand new car with zero miles. Always worth a good inspection but I wouldn't automatically write it off

there won't be many punters wanting all the tyres removed and refitted when buying a second hand car - i wonder if anyone has ever asked

 

[Mottie]

there won't be many punters wanting all the tyres removed and refitted when buying a second hand car - i wonder if anyone has ever asked

Well of course, you can only go so far without being ridiculous. Second hand cars also come with secondhand brakes, steering components, suspension components, seat belts, air bags etc etc. you wouldn’t fit any of those safety related components second hand without checking them over, would you?

 

[johnny2007]

I sold my cars wheels and tyres on 2 occasions.
Once I upgraded to alloy rims and eventually I scrapped the car because of the midget.
Both times I had tyres in very good conditions with little mileage.

 

[Munroast]

Well of course, you can only go so far without being ridiculous. Second hand cars also come with secondhand brakes, steering components, suspension components, seat belts, air bags etc etc. you wouldn’t fit any of those safety related components second hand without checking them over, would you?

I do know where you are coming from with this - and I don't disagree

However, no one ever would think of looking inside the casings of a second hand car, but we should just be as concerned

 

[Avocet]

Well of course, you can only go so far without being ridiculous. Second hand cars also come with secondhand brakes, steering components, suspension components, seat belts, air bags etc etc. you wouldn’t fit any of those safety related components second hand without checking them over, would you?

How on earth does one "check" an airbag?!