Had a nail stuck in your tyre or accidentally driven over a pothole? If it’s time to change your tyres and you’re just leaving it to the experts to do their jobs, there is some information you should consider to avoid getting scammed by tyre shops or mechanics, according to X user @zafranmustafa.

Zafran shared that although vehicle users might be unaware of the fact, many shops usually sell their old tyres to clear their stock at a normal price to gain profit.

Here is some information to take note of:

1. If you look closely at your vehicle tyres, there are markings on each sidewall that specify the width, profile, rim size, and speed rating in that order.

The example he gave was 205/55/R16 91H

205 = Width in millimeters from one sidewall to another
55 = Height
R = Radial
16 = Diameter of the wheel rim in inches
91 = Load index, the maximum load a tyre can support when fully inflated.
H = Speed ratings denote the maximum speed a tyre can sustain under its recommended load capacity (e.g. 210km/h)

Look at the last letter to see the speed rating or limit. Zafran also explained that many accidents stem from burst tyres because many owners are unaware of the capabilities of their tyres.

2. Each tyre also has four digits, for example ‘0820’. This refers to week 8 of the year 2020. This index shows that the tyre was produced by the factory approximately in February 2020.

3. Another important fact to know is that the period of use for tyres is five years maximum from the production date. Tyres which are over 5 years beyond their date can still be used but they also can become hard because the tyre’s rubber has expired. When you get a new tyre, make sure the production year is from 2022 and later.

4. If you are looking for affordable yet good quality tyres, here’s what to know:

You can also visit the website Tyre Reviews to look up all sorts of brands (e.g. hardy, waterproof, noise produced, etc.)

We hope this helped and make sure to share this with other vehicle owners to avoid being cheated!

Image credit: zafranmustafa, Enis Yavuz on Unsplash, continental-tires.com