Does this wheel and tyre (eBay listing) look safe?

[Amberberry]

Hello!

 

I'm hunting high and low for a used, and therefore affordable, 17" Stratos wheel which matches my current set on my MkIII Skoda Superb.

 

There's nothing around other than a couple of listings by the same seller on ebay. One of which the tyre is perished. The other listing I can't decide if it looks too "used", and potentially unsafe, or whether it's just cosmetic? What do you think?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285431091090?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=K15jswdbTBO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=s6yyomumth2&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=SMS

 

 

[SurreyJohn]

It's difficult to see from the photos, as it's so dirty, I can't really work out if some of the lines are dirty water stains (like it got parked in a field or a ditch), or if they are scratches or even cracks.   There are couple of kerbing scuff marks.

 

I don't think there is any real damage to the wheel, but would only really know once you have run fingers over any remaining marks to see if it was dirt, or feels like scratch or crack.

 

My guess (and I might be wrong) is they have been taken off a car that crashed and been written off with bodywork damage.

 

Although the tyre seems to have fair amount of tread, it might be a very cheap budget tyre (I can't read the name, but could literally have been a ditch finder). Probably should be assuming tyre will need replacing and just buying the rim.  If the seller has a number of these then might be better to get cheapest wheel with worst tyre if going to change tyre anyway.

 

 

[Amberberry]

28 minutes ago, SurreyJohn said:

It's difficult to see from the photos, as it's so dirty, I can't really work out if some of the lines are dirty water stains (like it got parked in a field or a ditch), or if they are scratches or even cracks.   There are couple of kerbing scuff marks.

 

I don't think there is any real damage to the wheel, but would only really know once you have run fingers over any remaining marks to see if it was dirt, or feels like scratch or crack.

 

My guess (and I might be wrong) is they have been taken off a car that crashed and been written off with bodywork damage.

 

Although the tyre seems to have fair amount of tread, it might be a very cheap budget tyre (I can't read the name, but could literally have been a ditch finder). Probably should be assuming tyre will need replacing and just buying the rim.  If the seller has a number of these then might be better to get cheapest wheel with worst tyre if going to change tyre anyway.

 

 

Thank you for taking a look. So it might be a bit of a gamble buying it then, if I'll only really be able to tell in person if those marks are dirt, or if there are cracks hiding.

 

I'm surprised how few of these wheels are available on the used market!

 

I guess I'll call Skoda still and ask for a quote on a new wheel (on the other thread someone was very helpful in providing a couple of parts numbers), and weigh up my options.

 

Spending a few hundred £ just on the wheel seems so expensive (and then the tyre and fitting kit on top!), but I guess it's a one off cost for the price of safety and the convenience of having a full size spare.

[Gaz]

4 hours ago, SurreyJohn said:

...(I can't read the name, but could literally have been a ditch finder).

 

Difficult to see, but it could be a Lanvigator CatchPower - made in China.  Never heard of them personally.

 

I agree with John - it's too grubby to tell what's grime and what's damage, cosmetic or other.  I wouldn't buy it without seeing it in person.

 

Seller appears to have good feedback overall.

 

Gaz

[Amberberry]

29 minutes ago, Gaz said:

 

Difficult to see, but it could be a Lanvigator CatchPower - made in China.  Never heard of them personally.

 

I agree with John - it's too grubby to tell what's grime and what's damage, cosmetic or other.  I wouldn't buy it without seeing it in person.

 

Seller appears to have good feedback overall.

 

Gaz

Thanks, I think I've decided to buy a new wheel, and get a new tyre fitted - seems the safest option, really.

 

Interestingly a Skoda shop I've emailed said that they can't ship with a tyre fitted, as they aren't insured to do so. Do you know if regular garages can usually fit tyres to wheels, or is it only tyre fitting outfits that do so?

[Gaz]

I think you'll find some will and some won't.  My local VW will fit tyres, but for about £20 a pop more than anywhere else.

 

If I were you, and knew what tyre size and type I wanted, I'd google it and go with the best local price option for a fully fitted tyre.  My local tyre depot was Tyre City, and their online prices beat everyone else, including their own drive-in price.  It's now owned by Kwik-Fit, but is the same staff at the same place.  Take a photo of the alloy immediately before you go in - a local main dealer had to pay to refurb two of my alloys when I showed them damage wasn't there before they'd put new tyres on.  It took them by surprise as their initial response was 'wasn't us' 🙄

 

Gaz

[Amberberry]

Fantastic tip there, to take photos of the alloys before having a tyre fitted. I think one of my alloys on a previous car was the worse for wear after getting a new tyre fitted, but I didn't have any proof, and couldn't quite trust my memory... Will know how to prepare for this possibility next time.

 

Thanks, I'll check out the prices of all my local outfits and will go with the cheapest fitted. I'm half tempted to get a new set of all-seasons for all of the wheels, as the tyres currently are mismatched, though prices will dictate whether this is possible or not!