Mechanic says he deliberately damages every tire he throws out. Then he explained why

A mechanic who goes by @greaseandglory on TikTok said he punctures discarded tires at his shop before throwing them away. His reason, he said, is to stop people from taking those tires and reselling them to unsuspecting customers. The video, which showed him putting holes in several tires, has drawn more than 2.1 million views as of this writing.

In a text overlay on the video, @greaseandglory, who identifies himself as a Kia technician, wrote, “Slashing all of our discarded tires so the parasites who take them can’t resell them to innocent people.” In the caption, he added that people come to the shop after hours to collect the discarded tires and sell them. He said some of those tires have bubbles, uneven wear patterns, or punctures.

The video appeared to spark a debate in the comments, with some viewers supporting his approach and others arguing that destroying the tires could harm drivers who cannot afford to buy new ones. The disagreement appeared to center largely on what should be done with tires after a shop decides they are no longer safe to use.

The mechanic’s reasoning and how viewers responded on both sides of the debate

@greaseandglory clarified in the comments that the issue is not simply about used tires in general. He said, “95% of these tires are unsafe due to bubbles, belt warpage and punctures,” adding that he was going to “do a follow up video on how to properly inspect a used tire so people are less likely to get scammed.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers should stop using tires that show certain types of damage because they can create safety risks. NHTSA said tires can be removed from service for reasons including worn-down tread, sidewall damage, cracks, or bulges. Mechanics have previously flagged how routine tire handling mistakes can quickly turn dangerous.

Some commenters questioned why the tires couldn’t simply be given away for free instead of being destroyed. @greaseandglory responded to that suggestion directly, writing, “Corporate dealership lawyer bs.” He did not appear to elaborate further on what specific legal restrictions applied.

Not everyone agreed with his approach, as several viewers argued that the tires shown in the video still appeared to have usable life left. “Those tires look not half bad lol,” one commenter said. Another wrote, “If they ain’t cracking or broken belts, they good.” One viewer pointed out an alternate use, “Dude. We use them on our hay wagons and dump trailers. They don’t need tread and rather [than] getting new tires that [aren’t] cheap we usually get them for free from local tire shops.”

Others raised the concern that slashing the tires might not actually prevent reselling and could make things worse. “Oh, wow, congrats, you made it even worse, [they’re] still gonna take it and sell it, and since most of your slashes aren’t visible, they won’t know until they install it. Congratulations,” one commenter wrote. In a separate incident, a woman who drove to a repair shop with a flat tire was shown by the mechanic what had caused the damage, highlighting how tire problems are not always obvious to drivers.

The most-liked comment on the video came from a user named Eric Joseph, who wrote, “You can tell most the people here never had to live the struggle. Me and my mom was glad to get a good cheap used tire when we could. Time be tougher for some than others.” Another commenter echoed that sentiment, writing, “Damn, I always went down to the used tire shop when I was young. Never had 1,000 bucks for a new set but I could get 4 with at least 50% tread from them for $200. I get the sentiment, but the used tire market is a big help to struggling people even if that means a [sleazeball] is making a few bucks in the process.”

Used tires are legal to buy and sell in many places, according to the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association. The key distinction, as noted by the organization, is the condition of the tire, and a properly inspected used tire is not the same as one that a technician has already flagged for damage or excessive wear. The Environmental Protection Agency also notes that scrap tires can be repurposed in other ways, such as being processed into materials for rubberized asphalt, rather than going to a landfill.