Buy Tyres for your Vehicle

FAQs

Because car tyres aren’t an everyday purchase, you might have some questions you want answering before you buy with Tyre Shopper.

Find out the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about car tyres here.

When should I buy new tyres?

There are lots of warning signs to look out for that indicate your car tyres need replacing, from reduced tread depth below 3mm to cracks in the sidewall. When tyres are starting to degrade, you might notice that your steering is affected, your tyres make strange noises, or your car doesn’t seem to grip the road in the same way.

Check your car tyres regularly for damage or wear and you’ll know when they need replacing.

How long should tyres last?

Car tyres will last different amounts of time depending on their quality, how much you drive on them, and in what conditions. Some people might say that tyres will last a certain number of miles, but that number is entirely dependant on what tyres you have and how you drive.

Experts say that, if they haven’t degraded already after 5 years of use, car tyres should be inspected annually for damage. They should be replaced after 10 years of use as a precaution, whether you think they’re still usable or not.

What car tyres should I buy?

There are so many different types of car tyres that it’s hard to know which ones you should buy, and there’s no one answer that suits everyone. What car you drive, how often you use it, and what kind of driving you do are all factors that go into deciding what the right car tyres are for you.

Your options include budget, mid-range, and premium tyres; seasonal tyres like winter tyres and summer tyres; and specialist types like run flat tyres. Use our tyre search with your vehicle registration number to find all of the tyres that fit, and then compare them for price, average rating, or quality.

Are part worn tyres safe?

Part worn tyres are safe as long as they meet the safety standards of other car tyres, such as having enough tread depth, no cuts or bulges in the sidewall, and suitable tyre pressure.

However, because they’ve already seen use, it’s likely that part worn tyres will wear down to unsafe condition much quicker than new tyres which means they’ll need replacing sooner. Here at Tyre Shopper, we only sell new tyres so that we can guarantee quality every time. Read more about part worn tyres to see if they’re really for you.

Do tyres have to match?

The short answer is yes. It’s generally recommended that all 4 of your car tyres match but it’s absolutely essential that wheels on the same axle (ie. the front wheels and the back wheels) have the same tyres.

Differences between tyres on the same axle, whether that’s a mix of cross-ply and radial-ply, different tread depths, or uneven tyre sizes can have massive effects on handling, steering, and general safety on the road.

What is the tyre environmental disposal fee?

We charge customers £3.00 per tyre purchased to responsibly dispose of their old tyres.

What happens to the tyres we dispose?

We work with industry-leading tyre processors in the UK to maximise the material use. This includes a mixture of downcycling, recovery and repairing*

*Commercial tyres only.

Can I buy tyres without paying the environmental disposal fee?

Yes. If you decide you do not want to pay the fee, you will need take your old tyres with you and repurpose or responsibly dispose of them. Local Household Recycling centres can charge as much as £3-£5.50 per tyre.

We automatically add the fee for online bookings. When our fitter is changing your tyres, please let them know you want to keep your tyres and we will process a refund of the fee.

More car tyre resources

Get more of the essential tyre information you need in our tyre information hub.

Learn all about the minimum legal tyre tread depth, the importance of maintaining correct tyre pressures, how to read tyre size and load index signs, why tyre balancing and wheel alignment is important, and more.