Picture the scene: it’s pouring rain, you’re on the motorway, traffic stops dead, you slam on the brakes and… the car decides to keep sliding as if you were on an ice rink.
Not funny at all. The tyres are the only thing connecting your one-and-a-half-tonne machine to the road (just four palm-sized patches of rubber!). Driving on “bald” tyres isn’t only a one-way ticket to failing the MOT/safety inspection or a hefty fine — it’s actively gambling with your safety.
And the “oh, I don’t know anything about mechanics” excuse doesn’t work here. Martin is going to teach you how to check whether your tyres are good for the bends or only fit for making swings:
1. The Famous €1 Coin Trick 🪙
You don’t need to go to a mechanic or buy fancy tools to measure tyre tread. You just need to grab a €1 coin. Take the coin and slide it into one of the thicker grooves on the tyre (that channel down the middle).
- If the gold rim of the coin gets hidden: You’re safe! The tyre still has enough depth.
- If you can see the entire gold rim: Friend, you needed to buy tyres yesterday. You’re driving on less than 3 mm of rubber and aquaplaning is waiting for you in the next puddle. The legal limit is 1.6 mm, but you should never let it get to that critical point.
2. Rubber or Wood? Watch the Expiry Date! 🪵
Did you know tyres have an expiry date? A tyre can have impeccable tread (because the car spends its life in the garage), but if it’s 10 years old, the rubber has dried out and feels like stone. And stone doesn’t brake on tarmac.
Look on the side of the tyre for a code that says “DOT” followed by four numbers (e.g. 4221). That means the tyre was made in the 42nd week of 2021. If your tyres are over 5 or 6 years old, start thinking about replacing them, even if they look new!
3. Pressure: Neither Sponge Cake Nor Balloon About to Pop 🎈
Driving with the wrong pressure is throwing money away. If the tyres are too flat, the car uses more fuel and wears down the edges of the rubber (and the steering gets heavier). If they’re too inflated, the centre of the tyre wears down and you feel every bump in the road, even in your teeth.
Where do you find the right pressure? Usually on a sticker on the driver’s door, in the glove box or on the fuel cap. And remember: always measure pressure at the pump with cold tyres!
Bald Tyres (or Overdue Service) and Heading on Holiday? We Sort It!
Did you do the coin trick the night before your trip and realise your tyres are on their last legs? Or do you turn the key and remember you should have checked the oil two months ago? Are you going to lose your precious return weekend stuck at a workshop waiting your turn?
None of that. When you head to the airport, drive carefully to our facilities. Hand the key to the Multipark team, head to your flight and enjoy the trip.
While you’re away sipping cocktails in the sun or visiting museums, we get to work. Thanks to our excellent partnerships with workshops, we can give your vehicle a full check-up. We check the battery, oil and coolant levels and, of course, take care of changing your tyres for you. We take your car, fit the new tyres you chose, balance the wheels and park the vehicle back in our secure, monitored car park.
You land back in Portugal, walk out of the terminal and your car is right there at the door with “new shoes” and a 100% clean bill of health, ready for the rain and the bends. All without losing a minute of your downtime.
Run a simulation and book your Valet Parking on the Multipark website and leave the maintenance in our trusted hands!
