Tire Tread
 

Is there a way to estimate how many KMs a tire has done by inspecting the tread?

I am buying some near-new tires and would like to know their mileage.

Dude, you live in Australia. There's no I in tyre.

As for the tyre, you can work out what percentage has been used by measuring the tread depth, but they all wear at different rates.

You can't really predict how many more miles a tire will last, but you can use a tire tread-depth tool (cheap) to measure how deep the tread is. Most tires come with 10/32" new, and wear out at 2/32".

So, for example, if you measure the tire you want:

- at 8/32", there is 75÷ life remaining
- at 6/32", there is 50÷ life remaining
- at 4/32", there is 25÷ life remaining

The tires (or tyres) I am buying are described as having only done 100kms -- but I guess there's no real way to check this, is there?

Buy a brand new tire and drive it exactly 100km, compare it to the tire in question.

With only 100km, there should be virtually no wear on the tread. Buy the tire-depth tool, make sure the tread depth is at 10/32".

This is the answer. a tire with 62 miles on it should be indistinguishable from new.

As these posters have indicated, tread depth > mileage on the tire. I could have driven 100 brutal, tire-slaying track miles, and sell them as 100 mile tires; tread depth should indicate this type of wear whereas a mileage figure does nothing.

a nearly new tire should have almost all of those "nubs" still in place.

Mileage means nothing; just check the tread wear. Besides, tires take 100-500km to break in before they grip anyway. Before that they'll feel greasy.