# tyre kicker

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tyre-kicker
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A person who pretends to be interested in purchasing an item (especially a car), but who has no intention of buying it.

## Examples

- Don't waste time on that tyre kicker at the dealership.
- I hate selling things online because every second person is a tyre kicker.
- Are you actually going to buy this bike or are you just a tyre kicker?
- The seller grew frustrated because every potential buyer who called was just another tyre kicker.
- The real estate agent stopped answering his calls after realizing he was a tyre kicker who just liked looking at expensive houses.
- We spent all morning showing her the equipment, but she turned out to be a tyre kicker with no budget.
- After spending hours detailing the vehicle's history, he realized the man was merely a tyre kicker with no genuine intent to finalize the purchase.

## Origin

From the physical habit of kicking the tyres of a motor vehicle during an inspection. The gesture is performed as a superficial test of condition, often by a prospective purchaser who has no genuine intention of completing the sale.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.