Tire question?

[Juan]

This is actually a tire question so it may not be appropriate. Go ahead and shout me down is this is the case.

So one of the tires on my 2015 Prius got a large piece of metal lodged into it. I took it in a my local tire place to get it patched and it turns out that the hole was too big to repair. It was a wide hunk of metal for sure.

Anyway, in a pinch, needing to get into work I purchased a used tire for $30 and now I am regretting it. It is the same size but different brand and speed rating. Tread wear (the other three have 20k) were similar but I already noticed the car was pulling a bit (unless it is in my head?).

So, I am thinking about replacing the tire again ($30 not too big of deal) and am wondering whether I should replace just one tire or do I need to replace at least two? Also, their are more economical tires that the OEM’s (Yokahama) so if I did replace two tires, would be it okay to replace with a different (cheaper) set so long as they stayed on the same axle?

So, save money and keep the used tire? Spend some money but not as much and by a single OEM tire? Spend more money but not the most and buy two new tires that are not OEM? Or spend the money buying two new OEM tires?

What shall I do? Thanks.

Topic

[James P Grosso]

With 20K miles on the current tires, I would just get a replacement of the same type. Was the old tire under warranty? They should pro-rate the new tire cost to reduce the cost.

Many of these new tires have a lower rolling resistance than a standard tire, which is the main reason to use the same brand/type of tire.

[Timothy Salomon]

451Mopar is right. It’ll be cheaper to put a matching new tire into this set, since they probably have more than 50% remaining tread. If you change brands, most shops recommend replacing at least two tires which is often more expensive. Also, most used tires do not last very long. They are often sold with around 30% useable tread remaining, and sometimes come with irregular wear from the old vehicle. Let’s hope your dealer can give you credit toward a new tire if you bring the old one in.

[Jake F]

I wouldn’t worry about the “pull” quite yet. Tires have manufacture dates on the side of them, so if you bought it used and has near the same tread as your other, it could still be a good buy and match for your car. I’d make sure the used tire isn’t too old. On the side of the tire you’ll see DOT… Follow Tire Rack’s date system:

e.g. DOT U2LL • LMLR5107 – the last two digits are the year…’07

Anyway, a mismatch in tread wear could cause a FWD wheel alignment issue, and a mismatch in tread grooves could cause a slight drift or grip. I personally wouldn’t spring for a new tire if the tire date checks out unless I’m vibrating and have a hard time controlling my vehicle.

[Author]

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