What qualities should you look for when purchasing secondhand tires?

Look for deep tire treads, a tire identification number on the sidewall, smooth sidewalls and lack of bumps in the tread area. Inspect the tires for any signs of damage, including irregular wear patterns, exposed steel cords or missing chunks of rubber.

The tire identification number reveals the age of the tire. The identifier starts with the letters DOT followed by two numbers or letters identifying the manufacturing plant. The four following numbers reveal the date with the first two numbers indicating the week and the second two the year. The numbers 1014 mean it was made in the 10th week of 2014. Avoid tires missing the number completely or those older than 6 years.