I was helping my parents move and so was in an unfamiliar area, as I pulled up I turned and grazed against a curb... Now I have a small chunk in my sidewall probably 1cm across and max 2mm deep plus another one a bit smaller but not completely open as it still has a flap over it. I assume I should be immediately replacing this tyre? Normally I wouldn't ask and just replace any tyre with any sidewall damage but I have only put about 500 miles on the tyre so thought I would check it was as bad as I thought :/ I will try to upload a pic, but it is dark, I only have my mobile and very slow internet. Edit: http://imgur.com/v0dKtP9
I'd get it checked, I did something similar but deeper, the nice bloke at the Audi garage told me not to worry about it - lasted another 10k miles. But like I said, I'd ask a pro.
Thanks for the advice guys, maybe not as bad as I thought. I am 99% sure it is just rubber and nothing else showing. I will check again in daylight. I will pop down the road to my local garage in the morning and see if someone will take a look. I need to get my brake pads done anyway. RinSewand I am curious about them lasting another 10k, did they get replaced due to normal tread wear or did the offending tyre go pop?
I rang the garage this morning and from my description they said it should be fine. It is going in on Tuesday to get pads done so they will check then. I am thinking I will replace it anyway, it is about 65 fitted for another one and I think that is a fair price for safety. Here is a daylight picture, not sure how my finger turned out so ghostly... I am not too fussed about the wheel scrape as they were never in pristine condition when I first owned the car. Just annoyed at myself for making a mistake which will cost me a new tyre.
If it was me I wouldnt worry about it. Is your spare tyre in good condition? Maybe just swap them over if it's going to bother you?
From the looks I'd leave that unless the garage tell you to. And they lasted another 10k until I locked a wheel over a metal grate while stopping for a car with no working brake lights, which acted like a cheese grater and took all my tread off... it didn't go pop
I've got two tyres like that and possibly worse, that's fine. It won't affect the structural integrity of the tyre and won't fail and MOT. Source : Service dept manager.
Julianmartin - not the best photo, and a bit of a threadjack, but it looks like this; Stripped tyre by rinsewand, on Flickr
I forgot to follow up on this... The guy at my garage was quite happy with it and would drive on it. I was already booked in for pads and I am pretty sure I could see the exact tyre on the racks just opposite the 'viewing area' so ideal chance to try and sell me one The only thing he did say was that it could still fail an MOT depending on the tester but I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Thanks for all the advice guys.
Partial retests are free anyway as long as you can grt it done in 24hrs (although IIRC there were some changes recently).