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@Bodie
@Gizmops Re your ITV tyre issues.
I am assuming you have a 'DEFECTOS GRAVES' with regards to the tyres?
First thing that springs to mind is the BFG tyres are not (or were not) available in the stock size 275/75/16, for the 80, although I have seen automatics fitted with 285's which are OK in BFG, so is your car post 93 (nothing in sig?), in which case that is an immediate fail?
The tyres are a big thing in Spain, and it is more about protecting you as opposed to getting your old car off the road (although I am sure there is an element of that going on throughout the UK as well as the rest of Europe, but be happy, there is a special club being written as I type for us who are not allowed the new window stickers for emission access into big cities, which by the way has now become applicable to towns over 50,000 residents, in other words a covert tax!!
Anyway the protection is for the owner, with the insurance, have a prang then an assessor may not even turn up, they will give the go ahead for most minor accidents, but nowadays with a BMW door mirror costing the wrong side of a grand, then there will be a visit, and of course it very likely that having the wrong tyre size cause the accident....if you know what I mean. But perhaps more pertinent, is the use of a tyre with a larger diameter than the OE fitment, it is the effect on the brakes, that is they are less effective for the same pedal pressure, so hit the same Beemer up the backside, and your insurance is worthless!
So to the tyre rules, they are pretty straightforward so,
The tyres must meet the specification as per your 'Ficha Technica', so rims and tyres sizes are looked at first.
So size, and weight/speed rating must match OE or, you have had the fitment of a different size 'matriculated' or ratified if you like, and that is they are deemed to be safe for your vehicle then your good to go.
Next is age, four numbers in an oval (2021) for example, so made in the 20th week of 2021 however, tread pattern can change for example, even if across one axle the tyre brand is the same a couple of years difference in manufacturing can bring about a change in tread pattern, the vehicle can be failed on that alone, front and rear axles can have different brands but again they must meet the specification as per the FT.
Now the pass of tyres in subject to inspectors discretion, not a lot of help when MOT inspectors are not like the old school mechanics, nowadays its read a book and tick some boxes and before you know it you can do inspections! So the word 'subjective' is of little use here. So a number of factors are taken into account to make a decision on whether tyres pass or not.
Age, generally seven years old is around the limit however, if the tyres are in good condition then all should be good but again condition is subject to the inspectors decision, age can be used to stop you in your tracks (no pun intended), but if the tread is not near the limit, and there are no 'grietas' or cracks, which normally occurs inside the treads themselves, none cracks on the sidewalls, and the lettering on the sidewalls is visible, thus indicating the driver does not insist on rubbing the tyres hard against kerbs when parking are all good signs. Also run the palm of your hand over the top of the tyre tread, first in one direction and then in the other, if you feel a significant resistance in one direction to the other then there is a good chance there it some delamination between the rubber and the carcass, this often occurs on tyres from China and Siberia, an alert inspector can see this at a glance and will fail the vehicle. Even on rotational sensitive tyres this delamination can be felt. There is something else about tyre age, and its the valves, I have found that tyres that look great but have a few years on them, I often find the valves are beginning to crack, so if the valve fails then the tyre obviously goes down real quick, so this is also in the inspectors minds. Any readers with tyres that have a few years on them might want to lean the valves over in each direction with a torch and look for the cracks, very common here with the heat, and on 4 x 4's I recommend that the valves be replaced when having the tyres re balanced, often needed halfway through their lives.
As an aside, you may have noticed that more often than not the smaller tyre shops do not keep a lot of tyres in stock, the reason is simple enough, if you damage one tyre that is around two years old, there is very little chance they will have a match, so you have to purchase two! Of course oddball sizes for a non typical car (our 80's for example) they never have any in stock.
If you have any objection to the 'DESFAVORABLE' (posh Spanish word for fail), then you can raise the point with the station inspector.
I threw in the extra information as it may help someone else.
Regards
Dave
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