Motorists have been warned that up to half of all second-hand tyres bought from online auction site eBay may be dangerous if fitted to a car.

A report commissioned by Continental Tyres and carried out by technical specialists entyrety checked the safety of twenty used tyres bought on eBay.

The report found that:

• One in five were over 17 years old – seven years above the recommended age limit for tyres.

• One in five contravened the ‘Sales of Goods Act’ by not having a legally-required ‘E’ marking.

• None of the tyres fully conformed with regulations which says that they should be marked as part worn.

• Two of the tyres were well below the minimum tread depth and were even bald in places.

• One tyre was found to have an illegal and dangerous repair

• One tyre had been stuck back together with superglue.

Safety and quality spokesman from Continental Tyres, Roger Sanders, said: “The two key factors that will decide a tyre’s roadworthiness is how it has been driven and how it has been stored, neither of which can be determined when buying second-hand.

“It is nearly impossible to identify damage through a visual inspection, let alone just through photos shown on eBay. Buyers will not be able to tell if a tyre has already experienced damage through kerbing or other impacts.

“Buying second-hand might seem a cheap option for people on a budget, but it is just not worth the risk.”
http://www.askaprice.com/torque-article.asp?article=Continental_Tyres_warns_of_´dangerous´_tyres_on_eBay_&item=3402

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Posted: 07|18|07 at 2:15 pm. Filed under: UK News.