WEST MIFFLIN, Pa.—The Rubber Manufacturers Association has laudable goals in seeking the ban of unsafe used tires, but doesn't do enough to differentiate between reputable and disreputable used tire merchants, according to the president of a Pittsburgh-area tire dealership.
“We air-test and inspect every tire that enters our warehouse,” said Champtires President Brad Rea in a Jan. 29 news release. “RMA is doing a great job urging sates and consumers to understand the risks of buying worn, damaged tires, but they fail to include that buying premium used tires is still a cost-effective and safe option for drivers.”
Champtires has approximately 10,000 used tires in its inventory at any time, according to Rea. This allows the company to match brand names and tread levels to drivers. existing tires, he said.
Good used tires can save motorists up to 80 percent of the cost of new tires, according to Rea.
“If you have ever bought a used car, you also bought and drove on used tires,” he said. “There is definitely a huge difference between safe and unsafe used tires, and the tire and auto industries need to work to better educate drivers on that.”
Earlier in January, the RMA issued a release saying it expected seven states—Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas—to consider the RMA's model legislation that would ban the sale of unsafe used tires.
Among other things, the legislation would ban sales of used tires that have less than 2/32-inch tread depth, visible damage or bulges indicating internal damage, or improper repairs. Colorado passed a RMA-backed, combined used tire and scrap tire management bill in 2014.
Founded in 2009, Champtires offers both new and used tires for sale through its website and its warehouse in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin. Its web address is http://www.champtires.com.