# New tires look damaged or defective. Thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 22, 2022, 3:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048 "2022-01-22T03:13:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@Pantheon](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pantheon)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 3:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/1 "2022-01-22T03:13:59Z")
I just bought a new tire, and while still at the tire shop, mentioned to the installer that the tire looked to have some irregularities, almost like excess rubber drips, or something. It didn’t look new, per se, but it was dated 3321 (33rd week of year 2021) and still had the color lines on the tread. He said the tire was totally fine, but I wanted another opinion. I’m attaching some pictures I took at the tire shop before even getting in my car after installation. (Only 1 picture was allowed. I’ll try to add another soon.) ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/d/3d2ce7faf5c6ada08cef84d0bb00c3aa42e6866f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@Pantheon](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pantheon)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/2 "2022-01-22T03:15:43Z")
![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/6/f69d3b8142d6027a007c0e7d6f7e72c68790d997.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/3 "2022-01-22T03:39:07Z")
By the pictures it looks fine . But if you did not like the looks of it why did you not just say you did not want it ? ---
**Author:** ![Pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@Pantheon](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pantheon)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 3:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/4 "2022-01-22T03:54:42Z")
Thank you for your opinion. Anyone else have an opinion on this? I’d like to get a consensus. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 4:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/5 "2022-01-22T04:00:33Z")
> [@Pantheon](#): > > Anyone else have an opinion on this? Agree with VOLVO-V70. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 4:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/6 "2022-01-22T04:05:46Z")
it should be fine. if you look at the video it shows where someone trims up (cleans excess rubber) the tire. they could have been rushing > **[how a VEHICLE TIRE is made - Yahoo Video Search Results](https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrJ7Fx5geth8DAA1LpXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZANQSFhTWUNUXzEEc2VjA3Nj?p=how%2Ba%2BVEHICLE%2BTIRE%2Bis%2Bmade&fr=crmas_sfp#id=1&vid=1fc960559b5d1e704c00527fe6c65342&action=view)** > > The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 4:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/7 "2022-01-22T04:12:00Z")
Looks like they were cast in a dirty mold, this won’t affect the performance of the tire. Are these cheap tires? ---
**Author:** ![Pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@Pantheon](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pantheon)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 4:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/8 "2022-01-22T04:20:24Z")
I mean, yes. They’re cheap tires. They are: BARUM BRAVURIS 5HM 225 /45 R17 94W XL BSW Here’s the stock image from the website, for comparison. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/d/dd6f952917e46f9afb04f905348d4c47908c2178.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 4:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/9 "2022-01-22T04:58:17Z")
That’s cosmetic and there is no damage or defect. Drool shaming on tires is OK but it should roll onward. ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 12:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/10 "2022-01-22T12:46:50Z")
Agree with above, just dirty FYI… Barum and General Tires are a couple of the “lower priced” trade names of Continental Tires which I’ve found to be a quality manufacturer but I’d imagine if you spent the additional for the Continental name on the tire it’d be “prettier”, ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/11 "2022-01-22T17:19:03Z")
That tire is totally fine ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/12 "2022-01-22T18:59:17Z")
Those tires look fine and will operate safely. For what it’s worth I have found Barum tires to have an exceptionally short lifespan, corresponding to their price. > [@VOLVO-V70](#): > > But if you did not like the looks of it why did you not just say you did not want it ? He could have said that all he wanted but there’s nothing wrong with the tire so he has no recourse. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/13 "2022-01-22T20:03:31Z")
The UTQG rating for this tire is 500, vs 540 for the Michelin Pilot Sport tire. Shorter for sure, but not extremely short. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/14 "2022-01-22T22:44:57Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > The UTQG rating for this tire is 500, vs 540 for the Michelin Pilot Sport tire. Shorter for sure, but not extremely short. Yes, the treadwear rating is there, but nonetheless I routinely see Barum tires gone by 25,000 miles. They’re at the bottom of the price range, I doubt people shopping for cheap tires pay much attention to the 500/A/B ratings. ---
**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-tires-look-damaged-or-defective-thoughts/182048/15 "2022-01-23T12:26:06Z")
I’m struggling to see ANYTHING of note. Perhaps a bit of molding flash, but even that is more than acceptable. Perhaps a bit dirty? Still, more than acceptable.