Read a used car’s tyre dates and size before you agree a price
Record each tyre’s date and size, compare it with the car’s specification and get a written replacement quote for your shortlist.
Record the date code and specification on every fitted tyre and the spare, then compare the tyres with the exact car’s manual or label. Have a tyre professional assess condition and quote for any required work before agreeing a purchase price. A recent date or deep-looking tread alone does not establish that a tyre is suitable or safe.
Make one note per wheel
Ask to see the car in daylight and make separate entries for front left, front right, rear left, rear right and any spare supplied. Record what you can read without moving or lifting the vehicle yourself. Ask the workshop to read markings that are inaccessible.
Use these fields: position; brand and tyre model; complete size and rating marking; date code; visible concern; professional assessment; proposed work and written quote. A blank field stays unresolved. This gives you a record of the actual tyres rather than a general claim that the seller recently changed “the tyres”.
Read the manufacturing date carefully
Michelin explains that the four-digit date code uses two digits for the week and two for the year of manufacture. For example, 2322 means week 23 of 2022. That is a manufacturing date, not the date the tyre was fitted or evidence of how it was stored. Ask for fitting invoices if the seller says the tyres are new.
Michelin recommends professional checks at least annually after five years of use and replacement as a precaution at ten years from manufacture, including the spare. These are Michelin recommendations, not a ten-year guarantee of usable life or a statement of a J&K legal age limit. Follow the car and tyre manufacturers’ requirements and the professional’s assessment for earlier replacement.
Compare the complete specification
Photograph the car’s tyre-information label and check the manual for the correct version. Michelin notes that size and specification information is available in the owner’s manual and on vehicle labels, and says compatibility includes size, load index and speed rating. The load-index number refers to a load-capacity chart; it is not simply a weight in kilograms.
Do not assume the tyres already fitted are the approved specification. Ask the workshop to explain a mismatch, an aftermarket wheel or a rating you cannot interpret. If the vehicle uses different specified sizes front and rear or a temporary spare, ask how that affects the quotation. Leave a wheel change unresolved until you have a model-specific answer.
Get a quote that covers the actual work
Ask the specialist to record condition and the reason for any recommended replacement or further inspection. Visible damage, unusual wear or the seller’s explanation should become questions for that assessment rather than a diagnosis made from a photograph.
Request an itemised quote showing the proposed tyre specification, quantity, fitting and any additional work the specialist identifies. Ask which charges are included and how long the quotation is valid. Use the written amount in your comparison of shortlisted cars; this guide does not supply an invented Jammu or Srinagar replacement price.
Keep the purchase comparison clear
Write the asking price and quoted immediate tyre work on separate lines. An illustrative calculation is ₹4,00,000 asking price plus ₹20,000 quoted tyre work equals ₹4,20,000 before other purchase costs. These are example numbers, not local market evidence. Compare the same known-cost categories for your other candidate and keep unresolved work visible.
Common questions
Does a low odometer reading prove the tyres need no work?
No. Record the tyre dates and get a condition and compatibility assessment; do not turn the car’s distance reading into a tyre inspection.
Can I use this worksheet for winter suitability?
Use it to record what is fitted and what work is quoted. For a Kashmir winter purchase, also use the separate winter checklist and get advice for your exact model and intended route.
Sources
Reviewed . Check the current instructions for your vehicle before applying.
This guide provides general consumer education. Verify current requirements and fees with your local Jammu & Kashmir RTO.
Checks vary by vehicle. A verified listing does not automatically mean a full physical inspection.