Frequently Asked Questions

We exclusively offer new tyres fresh off the production line. Stocked goods older than 2 years are categorised as "DOT" goods and marked with the year of production. By referring to the DOT number at the tyre wall you can identify the calendar week as well as the year of production. Please note that correct storage can enhance the specific properties of the material, as non-immediate exposure to street traffic will allow the rubber mixture to harden over time. According to guidelines by the BRV (German national association for the tyre and vulcaniser trade) tyres are rated as ‘brand-new’ if stored correctly for up to 3 years and as ‘new’ if stored for up to 5 years.

If the inner and outer sides of the tyre consist of single tread blocks with an asymmetric rather than directional tread pattern and the tread grooves start on the outside but do not reach the middle, then these are low-noise tyres. Because of this special tread pattern and the tyre's material (a soft, rubber compound), both rolling resistance and therefore road noise is reduced, which also means a reduction in fuel consumption.

In principal, a tyre’s lifespan is around ten years, however a 'new' tyre is designed to last between one to five years if it’s properly stored when not in use. Both physical and chemical reasons cause tyres to age and this can also happen to tyres that are rarely or never even driven on. Compounds containing anti-oxidising chemicals are used to slow down the natural aging process of rubber. In this way, a tyre that has been correctly stored for long periods should still meet the specifications of, and perform like, a new tyre. However, what is also important is tyre mileage. With an average of around 27,000 miles per year, summer tyres should be replaced at three and a half years and winter tyres after a maximum of seven years (assuming that the tyres have only been used each winter).

The age of the original tyre is no longer visible after it has been remoulded. For the tyre dealer vulcaniser, the only way to determine the tyre’s life span is to use the date the tyre was remoulded. Just as with new tyres, 10 years after this date is the maximum life of the tyre. A point to note: the same product liability rights and warranty rules apply to remoulded tyres as is the case for new tyres and the period begins from the date of manufacture or the date the goods pass over into the hands of the consumer.

Tyres without rims should stand upright and those with rims should be laid flat, one on top of the other. The tyres should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place. Make sure that they cannot come into contact with grease, petrol or oil.

Even with a tread depth of 4 mm, road holding distinctly deteriorates, especially in wet conditions. The tyres can lose contact with the road, thus leading to steering and braking difficulties. Therefore don’t wait until the tread depth has reached the legal limit of 1.6 mm before replacing your tyres. Summer tyres should be changed when the tread depth reaches 2 to 2.5 mm and winter tyres at 4 mm. Tread depth can best be measured at the lowest point in the principal grooves. In measuring the degree of wear in the tread depth, any bridge-like protrusions or reinforcements in the tread base can be ignored. You will often find branded into the tyre sidewall, the abbreviation “TWI” (sometimes other letters are used) or tread wear indicator. If you follow the arrow you’ll find a small rubber moulding, 1.6 mm above the base of the tread groove. When the tread beside this point has worn down to this level, you can see that the tyre has reached the wear limit and should be replaced. Remember: in the UK by law, cars must have a tread depth of at least 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference of the tyre. However, don’t let it reach this level. It has already been shown that even below 3 mm, especially in the wet, road adhesion is seriously reduced!

There are a variety of reasons for why tyres can burst, the main causes being:
A) Driving with low tyre pressure or carrying too heavy a load: If this continues for long periods it can lead to excessive flexing of the tyre sidewall which in itself can result in overheating and premature tyre wear. The tyres can eventually no longer cope and suddenly the tread just disintegrates and / or the tyre bursts.
B) Driving over obstructions or up against a kerb or through a pothole: The external impact can result in immediate, visible tyre damage such as bulges or cracks in the sidewall or it can cause internal damage: both, as in A) can result in the tread surface disintegrating and / or the tyre bursting. The damage however, may only weaken the tyre at this stage and if the car continues to be driven under strain (at high speeds and with a heavy load) the problem simply worsens and the already weakened tyre bursts at a later date. To sum up then, a tyre bursts when, through one of the above causes mentioned, the basic tyre structure itself is destroyed and the tyre simply collapses.

We acquire our tyres directly from UK manufacturers. However the tyres themselves are quite often manufactured in other countries for cost reasons. We therefore cannot guarantee that the tyres you purchase from us will have been made in the UK. Nevertheless, all tyres sold within the European Community have to comply with tough ECE / EU regulations and, accordingly, have to carry an “E” mark (sometimes written as “e”) on the sidewall to prove this.

We are unable to provide any more general information about tyre mileage as it depends on several factors such as the weight of the vehicle, individual road characteristics and how the tyres are driven on the vehicle.