'You Just Said That You…:' Man Voids His Disposal Fee When He Buys New Tires. Then He Reveals Why

"Like.. why even replace them?"

Photo by: Unsplash.com

By: Mustafa Gatollari

Sep 19, 2025 at 5:00pm ET

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Car service tech Sky Larberto (@skylarberto) was left scratching her head after a customer swapped out their car’s new tires for another new pair. She documented her bewildered reaction to the patron’s refusal to dispose of their tires in a social media post, and several folks who replied to her video explained why they often elect to hold onto their tires after getting a new set.

In her video, Larberto records herself pantomiming confusion by placing her finger up to her mouth and looking around the shop she works in. An on-screen caption indicates the source of her befuddlement. She writes, “When the customer comes in to get new tires installed. And I ask if they want to keep the old tires to avoid the disposal cost and he says, duh, they’re brand new.”

The TikToker couldn’t seem to understand why a customer who already has new tires on their car would swap them out with a fresh set. However, several folks in the comments section shared why this might be the case.

One user said they encountered a Jeep driver who, despite just getting a brand new ride, opted for different tires. “I was at a Discount Tire when someone brought a Jeep in directly from the dealership and had them put on a set of new tires. The stock tires were too high profile for them, less than 20 miles on the [tires],” they remarked.

Ahead of the Tread

Meanwhile, someone else explained why they don’t run their tires to the ground before changing them out: “I always do, I don't ride the tires all the way down so I keep them, sell them on Marketplace for like $70 per tire to someone who needs them. And they'll at least get a safe year or two out of them.”

One respondent to this comment stated that because of sellers like them, they’re able to drive without having to shell out a bunch of cash upfront for a new set of tires. “Thank you sir just know it’s people like you who keep my car on the road,” they penned.

Other commenters said that they opt to keep their tires because of their geographic location. During the winter, they put on snow tires to better deal with ice, slush, and all of the other nasty precipitation that comes with cold weather. Once things warm up outside, they exchange their winter tires for a set better suited to increased temperatures. Consequently, this keeps the tread on their tires lasting longer, meaning that they can extend their usage across multiple seasonal changes.

How Often Should You Buy New Tires?

Consumer Reports urges drivers to replace their tires before they fail. After all, you don’t want to experience a blowout or suffer from reduced traction when you may need it most. “Too many drivers don’t think about their tires until they have to swerve or brake suddenly, or they have a flat—often with serious consequences,” the research group penned.

Furthermore, it says that once your tires are reduced to 4/32nd of an inch of their original tread level, it’s time to shop for new rubber. The way to test this is to take a quarter and place it in one of the grooves of the tire. If the top of George Washington’s head on the quarter is “flush with the tread, you have about 4/32nds of an inch of tread left.” This is the time you should start looking for a new set. And “if you can see space above Washington’s head, you may need to replace your tires immediately,” the group explains.

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Edmunds echoed this advice, stating that most tire makers indicate their products are good up to 2/32nds of an inch. Still, Edmunds writes that folks “might want to replace [their] tires sooner.” In addition to utilizing quarters, Edmunds highlighted that tire tread gauges can offer more accurate readings of tread counts. Additionally, there are some manufacturers that implement tread level indicators directly into their tires. This way, car owners and service techs can get an accurate reading from a quick glance at tires to see when and if they need to be swapped out.

Motor1 has reached out to Larberto via TikTok comment for further information.