Tip 1 - How to Check the Tyres

In true tirekicking style, we will start off by discussing tyres. It is really important to check the tyre wear. Checking the tyres on a car will reveal alot about the health of the car, much like looking at a horses teeth.
In general you should be able to recognise some of the following patterns.


Uneven tyre wear can suggest a few different problems





The above diagram helps in outlining some of the tell tale signs that you should be looking for.

Uneven tyres can suggest there is a problem with allignment or with suspension.
In general, all 4 tyres should have the same type of wear on them

When running your hand over the tyres, if you are feeling any type of scalloped edging this could mean that you need new shock absorbers or struts.

Replacing shock absorbers. Shock absorbers cost around £15 - £50 to buy each part alone. Therefore you can expect to pay between £100 - £200 to do it yourself. If you include labour you can pay anywhere between £150 - £500, depending on the model.
Replacing basic struts can cost between £195 and £456, again depending on the model.