Almost four in 10 drivers (38%) admit they only ever buy new car tyres – if their vehicle has failed its annual MOT, a study has found.
Over a quarter of motorists (27%) have no idea what they need to be aware of when they need to purchase new tyres – with 58% agreeing those sold at garages are too expensive.
As a result, 27% of those who have received an advisory about their tyres at their car's annual safety check, have waited “months” to do anything about it.
And one in 10 (11%), of the 2,000 drivers polled, have even put off replacing their tyres for an entire year, until their next MOT is due.
As such, the research, from eBay UK, found that almost one in five have driven on potentially unsafe tyres – with stopping distances being significantly longer on worn-out tyres.
Worryingly, almost a fifth (18%) admit they are clueless as to what state their car tyres are in – because 20% rarely, or never, check. And 12% say they would not know how to do so.
The findings come as eBay UK has relaunched its tyre fitment service, offering a choice of more than 3,000 installer locations across the UK.
A spokesman for the online marketplace said: “Our research suggests millions of motorists aren’t fully considering the ramifications of driving with unroadworthy tyres, especially during the winter months.
“It’s not worth the risk when you think about how accessible and affordable a fresh set can be. We want to help motorists embrace the amount of choice that’s out there, providing that hub to shop and book fitment for new tyres around their specific needs.”
The study also found 45% are not certain what the tyre pressure for their car tyres should be, and 12% rarely – or never – ensure their tyres are sufficiently pumped up.
Meanwhile, 49% seldom adjust inflation depending on weather conditions – and similarly, 60% don’t do this to take into account number of passengers and amount of luggage onboard.
It also emerged 28% have no clue how to change a tyre, and 25% aren’t certain where their spare one is located. Meanwhile, seven in 10 aren’t entirely sure what the information on the side of car tyres refers to, or what it means.
However, when needing to shop for new tyres, exactly two-thirds say they have never considered purchasing them from retailers other than a garage, such as online sellers, according to the OnePoll research.
The spokesman for eBay UK, which has more than doubled the number of garages in its UK tyre fitment network this year, added: “It's crucial motorists understand how car tread impacts stopping distances – especially in adverse weather conditions.”
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