Do I need to replace my car tyre?

Finlondon

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone can advise me whether I should replace my car tyre(s) or not?

Today I went to Kwik Fit for MOT test but failed the test. The inspector advised me that I should immediately replace one tyre and other tyres also need to be replaced soon.
I was surprised because my car is only 3 years old and less than 20,000 mileage. (It had a full car inspection 5 months ago at a BMW centre without any signs of tyre problems.) And the crack in the tyre is very small, less than 20mm and it seems not deep. The tyre is Pirelli original.
(The picture below shows the tyre needs to be replaced immediately. )

I'm wondering if anyone can advise me what I should do? Argue with them or I should just replace the tyres. Thanks in advance. Owen

Finlondon

Sorry. It seems I can't post an image at all.

AdrianC

You can't just attach pictures to a post here, like you would to an email. You need to upload them to a photo hosting site, and post a link. Because you're a new poster, you'll need to make that link a bit obscured (add some spaces, change the dots to the word "dot", that kind of thing), but still figurable...

Frankly, I'd double-check if a KF salesmuppet told me the time. But 20k isn't unreasonably short for tyre life, and a 20mm cut could well be enough to render a tyre unsafe.

The MOT standard for a fail is simple...

You can use a blunt instrument to open a cut in the tyre to check for exposed ply or cord as long as you don't cause further damage.

When assessing cuts in a tyre, it is permissible to check whether a cut is deep enough to reach the play or cord by using a blunt instrument to open the cut taking care not to cause further damage.

The following criteria should be used when assessing a cut in a tyre:

any ply or cord that can be seen without touching the tyre – fail
if by folding back rubber or opening a cut with a blunt instrument, so as not to cause further damage, exposed ply or cord can be seen irrespective of the size of the cut – fail
if a cut which is more than 25mm or 10% of the section width whichever is the greater, is opened with a blunt instrument and cords can be felt but not seen – fail

https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-5-Axles-Wheels-Tyres-and-Suspension.html#section_5.2.3

If it isn't explicitly a fail, it's a pass. That doesn't mean it's good... The MOT is an absolute bare minimum, and sometimes a bit over-simplistic.

DoaM

Upload the image to a hosting site (e.g. imgur) then post a link here without the http part.

Kwik Fit ... oh well, bound to need replacing if they've said it.

neilmcl

Finlondon wrote: »

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone can advise me whether I should replace my car tyre(s) or not?

Today I went to Kwik Fit for MOT test. The inspector advised me that I should immediately replace one tyre and other tyres also need to be replaced soon.
I was surprised because my car is only 3 years old and less than 20,000 mileage. And the cut is very small, less than 20mm and it seems not deep. The tyre is Pirelli original.
(The picture below shows the tyre needs to be replaced immediately. )

I'm wondering if anyone can advise me what I should do? Argue with them or I should just replace the tyres. Thanks in advance. Owen

How long do you thing tyres should last then? 20K is more than reasonable for a set of tyres, some cars/tyres get more, some less.

What exactly is the tread depth on all 4 tyres?

Finlondon

MOT, avoid Kwik Fit.
Thanks for all of your replies and suggestions. It turned out to be a drama for my MOT test this year.

Yesterday night, I searched on the internet and found a lot of negative reviews about Kwik Fit ripping off customers via cheap MOT tests. And many customers concluded that Kwik Fit lured customers with cheap MOT tests as a bait to snatch money from providing unnecessary repairs.
This made me firmly believe that my car should have passed the test because I had done a full inspection at the BMW centre only a few months ago and there was no suggestion from BMW that the tyres had any problems. I decided to go for a second opinion.
This morning, I went to a MoT test centre called Nothing But MOT which is only a few hundred metres from the Kwik Fit in Deptford. This MoT test centre doesn't have a garage. They only do MOT tests and they have had really great reviews online. I have to say their equipments and services are both very good.
When the inspector finished my MOT test, he told me that he couldn't believe someone would fail my MOT test. My car is in very good condition and the small cracks (not cuts) on the tyres are just wear and tear. They are even not serious enough for advisory repairs, let alone major defects. When I told him that Kwik Fit suggested me to replace 3 tyres, he just couldn't believe it! So, I passed the MoT today!

In hindsight, avoid Kwik Fit. Avoid cheap MoT services. In my case, I paid two MoT tests, but this is a lesson. Choose one MOT test centre which doesn't have a garage. They are more likely to give you a fairer judgement.
Kwik Fit earned £28 for my MOT test, but I would not let them touch my car in the future. BTW, two female customers were also requested to replace their tyre at the Kwik Fit when I was waiting for my results. When I told them that Kwik Fit might have scammed me, they couldn't believe that, because they had been using Kwik Fit for about 10 years. They never doubted that Kwik Fit would rip loyal customers off. I feel sorry for them now.

Aylesbury_Duck

It's a good reminder to check your tyres weekly for pressure and for cuts, bulges and other damage. Better to have early warning than a flat tyre or blowout for something that could have been noticed beforehand.

neilmcl

You still haven't told us what the tread depth of the tyres are?

Aylesbury_Duck

neilmcl wrote: »

You still haven't told us what the tread depth of the tyres are?

If KF think they need replacing soon, probably about six inches.

macman

And best replace the brakes and exhaust as well, while it's on the ramp...

engineer_amy

My dad had a bad experience with a Kwik fit, although luckily we are in northern Ireland and all MOT test centres are government run with no ability to charge for or do any work, so nothing for them to gain.


He had passed the MOT in the morning, and the inspector said one tyre was just about on the legal limit so would advise to get it changed soon. so on the way home, he stopped off at a kwik fit for a tyre change. while it was on the ramp, the guy came out and told him that he couldn't let me dad drive away as the brakes were so badly worn and some other part was rusted through and it was dangerous to drive. Dad asked him to put that in writing for him, with an intention of reporting to trading standards. The guy obviously refused, realising he may be caught out, dad was able to wave the MOT certificate dated that day in his face.