My old man smacked his wheel off a kerb this afternoon, car slipped on ice as he parked. On inspection I can see that apart from the alloy being damaged he's also got a slight tear (2cm x 1cm) in the sidewall of the tyre - just looks like a flap & it's on the bead (the raised bit?) just above the alloy. It's a Goodyear tyre, I reckon about £60-70 fitted via Black Circles. It's not done many miles - but is it a definite 'needs to be replaced' or is there any chance the tyre fitter is going to tell him it's ok if he goes to get it checked first?

He is sick...probably more so about the damage to his alloy - hopefully there is no other hidden damage, he said the impact was quite low speed.

Any comments/advice appreciated.

Cheers & A Happy New Year !

If it's one of the front tyres, I would get the tracking seen to

New tyre time I'm afraid.

I would be very reluctant to use one after that kind of damage.

I've just had almost the exact same thing happen over Christmas. I was checking the tyre pressures at a garage near me mum's and saw a chunk of alloy missing and a gouge in the tyre about the same size. It looked a really clean cut, like a screwdriver had done it or something

Anyway, I asked the garage mechanic if the tyre was OK as I had another 500 miles to drive to see more relatives and I'd only just put the new Kumhos on a couple of months ago and he said it was fine. It hadn't gone deep enough to the canvas ply to weaken it, but he said keep an eye on it. PHEW!

I couldn't work out how I'd done it? I thought of the garage where I'd recently had it serviced but they shouldn't have been near the wheels or tyres, and I trust them anyway??? Then I remembered, the day before I'd had to pull over sharpish on a narrow Shropshire lane to let an idiot driving too fast round the bend, get past me without smashing the wing mirror. The car went into a little ditch and straight back out again, and it thudded a bit, but there was probably stones or glass, or something in there and it caught the wheel.

Get your dad to go to a trusted garage (not 5hit Fit) and check it. From the sounds of it, it should be OK. The beading's kind of there to stop you ruining a tyre every time you hit a pothole or something. Obviously keep an eye on the tyre and see how it goes.

I've just had almost the exact same thing happen over Christmas. I was checking the tyre pressures at a garage near me mum's and saw a chunk of alloy missing and a gouge in the tyre about the same size. It looked a really clean cut, like a screwdriver had done it or something

Anyway, I asked the garage mechanic if the tyre was OK as I had another 500 miles to drive to see more relatives and I'd only just put the new Kumhos on a couple of months ago and he said it was fine. It hadn't gone deep enough to the canvas ply to weaken it, but he said keep an eye on it. PHEW!

I couldn't work out how I'd done it? I thought of the garage where I'd recently had it serviced but they shouldn't have been near the wheels or tyres, and I trust them anyway??? Then I remembered, the day before I'd had to pull over sharpish on a narrow Shropshire lane to let an idiot driving too fast round the bend, get past me without smashing the wing mirror. The car went into a little ditch and straight back out again, and it thudded a bit, but there was probably stones or glass, or something in there and it caught the wheel.

Get your dad to go to a trusted garage (not 5hit Fit) and check it. From the sounds of it, it should be OK. The beading's kind of there to stop you ruining a tyre every time you hit a pothole or something. Obviously keep an eye on the tyre and see how it goes.

Thanks all - I know there is probably no right answer & you can't see the damage - he is going to get one of the local tyre depots to look at it tomorrow. Fingers crossed he get's an honest & sensible answer...even if it means a new tyre - I'll mention the tracking too.

IOf the cut is in the sidewall and not just in the rim protector bead, then it's time for a new tyre I'm afraid.

Providing there is no damage (bulging sidewall) and the cut is not showing any or the cords then it will be OK.

I have taken HGV's for an MOT with cuts in the sidewall (but not deep enough for the cords to be showing) and although the tester has seen them and made a not of them as an advisory he said they were still fine to use on the road.