New Member Help with purchase question on used Outback

[meowlk]

I am looking at a 2012 Outback 2.51 ltd with 30,000 miles to purchase asking price 22,500.

Brougt to a mechanic need front and rear brakes and 1 front tire.

My question is can I replace only the worn tire?

 

[AdventureSubaru]

If you can match same size, same brand/model and similar tread depth , go for it. There are several used tire dealers on ebay who ship for free. try and get in the same ballpark on tread depth. A tire with little tread remaining matched to one nearly new could possibly cause problems. If you aren't familiar with tread measurements 11/32 is new for most and goes down from there so a tire with 5 or 6/32 tread is about halfway through it's life.

[heartless]

I would want to know why only 1 tire is worn so badly it needs replacing - on a car with only 30,000 miles - that just doesnt sit well.

[meowlk]

It was a concern to me also.  Mechanic is thinking that the tires may not have been rotated or it  had low tire pressure.

I do not have access to the service records from the first owner.

Mechanic said the car was is good condition other than the brakes and tires.

[gbhrps]

meowlk,

 

The Subaru rule of thumb is that all 4 tires must be within 1/4 inch of the same diameter of each other, or you may do damage to the AWD system. Read expensive mechanical fix.

 

My 2012 had one winter tire destroyed by a nail early last winter, and the tire was no longer being made by Michelin. Rather than risk problems, I sprung for a new set and sold the three old ones to a local used tire dealer.

[Olnick]

Actually, tires must be within 1/4" circumference of each other--not diameter.

[xdeadeye1]

one tire may have had a flat,, and they replaced with a used tire to save $$$