AndrewG:
malcolmgbell:
Wheel Nut:
Why are they part worn? Because it’s the salvage parts of the other car that hit a tree, kerb, bridge etc.
I wouldn’t ever use second hand or cheap tyres,
What I under stand from delivering pw,in containers is that they come from Germany and places were there rules are more strick
^^^^
This.
The UK has a very low 1.6mm minimum tread depth, other parts of Europe are much higher. Far better to fit premium part worns like Bridgestone/ Michelin/ Avon ect than cheap budget chinese tyres…
Excluding winter tyre requirements, which European countries have a minimum depth of more than 1.6mm?
mrginge:
Harry Monk:
I think you’ll find that most BMW pattern parts are made by the same manufacturers as genuine parts, to the exact same specification, on the exact same assembly lines, only the printing on the box (and the price) are different. A “genuine” BMW alternator, for example will cost twice as much as a Bosch alternator purchased from a motor factor, even though it is the exact same thing.
Finding out who originally made the part for the manufacturer (Like Bosch) and buying from them is one thing but if you have ever handled or tried to fit pattern panels you will know they are crap and nothing like genuine.
^ This is what I meant.
I can certainly remember buying a ZF steering box direct from ZF and some independently supplied genuine BMW panels which were a pleasure to work with I think from memory it was Cooks Ferry Engineering in the day.But as expected the saving was nothing like 50%.Also I think from memory Sachs clutch kits could bought independently.However there are just too many variables with things like critical engine/suspension/brake parts,including just availability,let alone quality to make it worth the risk of buying pattern parts over main dealer parts stocks.In addition to the Germans to their credit usually holding brilliant stock for their older ( classic ) types.Sometimes to the point where the parts availability is better than the survivability of the cars themselves.
Carryfast:
^ This is what I meant.
Yeah I was agreeing with you, when it comes to mechanical parts always google the part number and there are websites which tell you the code other manufacturers use and you can save plenty of money.
muckles:
AndrewG:
malcolmgbell:
Wheel Nut:
Why are they part worn? Because it’s the salvage parts of the other car that hit a tree, kerb, bridge etc.
I wouldn’t ever use second hand or cheap tyres,
What I under stand from delivering pw,in containers is that they come from Germany and places were there rules are more strick
^^^^
This.
The UK has a very low 1.6mm minimum tread depth, other parts of Europe are much higher. Far better to fit premium part worns like Bridgestone/ Michelin/ Avon ect than cheap budget chinese tyres…
Excluding winter tyre requirements, which European countries have a minimum depth of more than 1.6mm?
Its the winter tyres of Austria/ Germany /Austria which must have a minimum of 4mm where most of the part worns will come from. I believe in the UK its legal winter tyres can be used all year round…
I would never cheap out on tyres, they’re the only contact you have with the road.
When I bought my car it had ditchfinders on it, I could spin them in 4th in the dry. You could feel it losing grip on every corner. New Pirellis and it was like a different car.
I only ever bought part worns once it was both fronts and they looked tidy enough once fitted, I even remember thinking ‘■■■■ I should have done this years ago’.
I’d had the tyres put on the evening before taking it for a 09:30 MOT booking as the ones that were on were a bit close to the mark for an MOT pass, anyway got up in the morning went out to the car and noticed something odd about the front drivers side tyre, bent down for a closer look and there was a bulge about the size of a large marble in the side wall, so I rang the garage that had fitted them and he said he didn’t have any others my size in stock.
Well the MOT booking time was looming so I popped into ATS which wasn’t far from the garage that was MOTing my car and prayed that they could fit me straight in, they could and I had them slap two brand new budget tyres on instead.
Car made its appointment (barely) and went and passed it’s MOT, the guy who sold and fitted the part worns refunded my money for both tyres (ATS gave me them back so I could give them back to the guy) and I’ve always gone to ATS ever since.
Always amazes me when people buy cheap budget tyres for any vehicle especially high powered cars, my sons friends have golf git,s and civic type r,s etc and only last week one of his friends put on some cheap budgets.He as spent thousands on the car from uprated lowered suspension to chipping the car for more power but yet he values his life at such a low price as this is the only contact with the road.Its always been instilled in me by my father when I was 18 to buy good rubber even if I had to save and my son is exactly the same, fortunately.I was talking to my son’s friend and his response was he cant justify spending £100 plus on a tyre, so I said “so you value your life at £400” to which he gave me a rabbit in headlights look lol
I buy the tyres the car came with from the factory or an upgrade on those, I never scrimp on tyres, it doesn’t matter how good your brakes, steering and reaction times are if you’ve got crap rubber between you and the road.
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milodon:
It’s been proven and also widely used that fear is what drives people to hand out their money for things they really don’t have the need for most effectively.
Obviously the advertisement agencies have done a splendid job to get people to believe in crap like “no price is high enough for the safety of my family”.
My wife’s car runs on Nankang tyres in summer and studded Firestones in the winter. My Volvo has Nordexx summer tyres and Hankook studs for winter. But then again, seeing as I don’t drive my family around in an armored Hummer I don’t care too much for them anyway, right? 
This. I personally buy part worns as I do so little milage they normally outlast my ownership of the car. That will charge though once I’ve saved up for a Discovery 3. That will have chunky BF Goodrich all round with steel wheels. They are far and away the best off road tyres in my opinion
I would strongly advise against part worn simply because you don’t know the tyres history - has it been in an accident which could have weakened it etc.
I recent got two 245/35/18’s on the rear for my e38 735i but due to the relatively unusual size they only had”Nexen” tyres which I had not heard of, the fitter said read some reviews which I did and to be fair the reviews in the main were good.
To be honest, they seem better than the Continental Sport Contact 5’s they replaced, there’s a spot on my drive home that in the wet would always get my traction control light winking if I was giving it some,since getting the Nexens it’s not come on once.
They weren’t budget (about £70 was the cheapest quote for budgets) they were £110 each, about £60 cheaper than Continentals.
When my fronts need replacement I’ll gladly go for Nexen again.
Thanks for all the replies lads, just got back from limping and was pleased with all the help & advice. Loved the all fur coat and no knickers reply, don’t think I will show him that one
At the moment its just a cash flow problem, all the expenses have just come at once. The BM is a 2001 car which done 120000 miles engine good but the rust is now digging in. So he reckon he just going to get one more year out of it then get rid.
I now fill bad not helping AGAIN if he ends up in a ditch or worse so I going to take the car down myself and get some better tyres 
Anyone got a spare digi card for sale, think im going to need it.
It’s everyone’s choice how they spend money, some money will kill you, cigarettes, alcohol, heroin. Other money can help you, toothpaste, vegetables, gym membership. [emoji23]
The piece of tyre that stops you hitting that tree.
Ok. I was joking about the gym membership
Good old Tnet , we may have saved some lives.
alamcculloch:
Good old Tnet , we may have saved some lives.
Alamcculloch stop making me feel guilty 
Surprised that no one has mentioned age of tyres much. Low mileage users can have quite old tyres, that may be legal with loads of tread but are not necessarily in good nick.
Modern tyres last longer than the older ones, but the “rubber” still “dries out” or “perishes”. Small cracks appearing in the sidewall or in the grooves of the tread pattern are a good sign not to go for a high speed run down the autopista on your summer holidays. Look at those caravans with shredded tyres: bet they were mostly low miles and had loads of tread on 'em!
Tyres should all have date stamps on too. Four digits: first two are the week, second two are the year, I think.
I’ve read recommendations of three years life? On a Ferrari in the summer on an autobahn that makes sense. On a shopping trolley only used in town in a cold grey UK I’d be happy running on summat older.
Bemmer 330? If obeying (more or less) the UK speed limits and not and being a test pilot I’d be ok with mid range or checked and examined part worns.
If a tyre makes any car “twitchy” then the solution is simple: Drive Slower. You drive slower on wet rather than dry roads if it gets slippery don’t you? Why refuse to change driving habits to account for tyres.
Do you drive a twenty years old saloon car around the bends the same speed as the new hot hatch you were driving yesterday? They have vastly different levels of grip, but do you refuse to drive the lesser?
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Wheel Nut:
xichrisxi:
Wheel Nut:
Why are they part worn? Because it’s the salvage parts of the other car that hit a tree, kerb, bridge etc.
I wouldn’t ever use second hand or cheap tyres,
Not every part worn have come from a smashed car…
I agree, a lot come from Germany where the legal limit is 4mm, and of course they are all taken off the cars with utmost care and stored, no chance of them ever hitting a kerb or having a major repair is there? [emoji14]
I believe the germans have to change them as an axle set, so one puncture = two new tyres!
switchlogic:
milodon:
It’s been proven and also widely used that fear is what drives people to hand out their money for things they really don’t have the need for most effectively.
Obviously the advertisement agencies have done a splendid job to get people to believe in crap like “no price is high enough for the safety of my family”.
My wife’s car runs on Nankang tyres in summer and studded Firestones in the winter. My Volvo has Nordexx summer tyres and Hankook studs for winter. But then again, seeing as I don’t drive my family around in an armored Hummer I don’t care too much for them anyway, right?
This. I personally buy part worns as I do so little milage they normally outlast my ownership of the car. That will charge though once I’ve saved up for a Discovery 3. That will have chunky BF Goodrich all round with steel wheels. They are far and away the best off road tyres in my opinion
Pirelli scorpion ATR is a very good all round tyre for the D3 and is meant to be good for 40k, the pirelli zeros on the other hand last 15k at best!
Wheel Nut:
Trickydick:
I personally have never fitted part worms to my cars, not becaseu i wont but Im lucky enough to be able to afford new, but not posh new, but always smile when people say they wouldnt use them, BUT what do you get with every second hand car that you buy?!
Normally you get tyres that have been on that car from new and not chavelled off with a chisel.
Have you ever changed a car tyre?
I know you yorkshire bods are tight wads but a chisel come on, a spoon is much kinder 
switchlogic:
milodon:
It’s been proven and also widely used that fear is what drives people to hand out their money for things they really don’t have the need for most effectively.
Obviously the advertisement agencies have done a splendid job to get people to believe in crap like “no price is high enough for the safety of my family”.
My wife’s car runs on Nankang tyres in summer and studded Firestones in the winter. My Volvo has Nordexx summer tyres and Hankook studs for winter. But then again, seeing as I don’t drive my family around in an armored Hummer I don’t care too much for them anyway, right?
This. I personally buy part worns as I do so little milage they normally outlast my ownership of the car. That will charge though once I’ve saved up for a Discovery 3. That will have chunky BF Goodrich all round with steel wheels. They are far and away the best off road tyres in my opinion
General (owned by Continental) Grabbers are a better tyre for less money mate. I have run Land Rovers since 1984, I remember the scandal involving BFG when they had all those blowouts that were blamed on manufacturing. This problem still exists, and I believe they had another recall in 2015. I have run BFG’S years ago but wouldn’t touch them again.