Hi there, I wasn't sure about posting about this but I could do with some advice.

I have used National Tyres' oil and filter change service for intermediate services on my last two cars. I had one issue last year where I turned up to an appointment and they had no oil in stock but they subsequently apologised and sorted it out.

I took my VRS in yesterday for an oil and filter change, the last service my car had was at Awesome GTI in Feb 2011 which was an intermediate service. When Awesome checked my tyres (which are Falken FK452'S all round) they said there was 7mm on the fronts and just over 5mm on the rears. No dramas. Awesome highlighted some issues I already knew about (that I will need a new exhaust system, centre bracket broken and centre section corroding, back box corroding etc)...anyway.

Yesterday National Tyres stated that my rear nearside tyres was measuring 2mm on the inner and middle part of the tread!!

Strange considering I do weekly vehicle checks.

I was also told that the tyre lining for the rear nearside tyre was mishaped and in a dangerous condition. Yet there is nothing visually wrong with it from the outside. I was obviously advised that I should change them in pairs or at the very least have the same make/model of tyre on the same axle which I know about anyway.

I've checked yesterday in poor light but checked today in good light and the rears are a both just over 4mm in the middle part of the tread with no obvious abnormal wear. I didn't see them take the N/S/R off yesterday and deflate it to check for such inner damage to the tyre.

Would such tyre damage show up whilst driving or at least visually? Because to my mind it would, audibly if nothing else at high speed. I'll go somewhere else today and get my tyres checked anyway.

Edited 3 September, 201114 yr by thebrasso

I'd go somewhere else for a second opinion. Sounds like National Tyres may have become the new Kwik Fit.

Never heard of anyone removing tyres from the rim as part of a service.

Why would you choose to use a company that specialises in tyres for an oil change anyway?

This type of company will use the cheap oil change as a loss leader for the other work that the car suddenly 'requires'

I am a firm believer of going to the correct specialist for the job, rather than a 'jack of all trades' (and master of non) who will probably be using non genuine parts and inferior oil than what is required (mainly for VAG diesels that NEED the correct VW spec oil)

If you are mechanically competent then remove the rear wheel, measure the tyre depth and look for any cracking in the tyre or sidewall damage on the inside edge of the tyre (not the actually inside of the wheel that would require the tyre to be removed from the rim).

The only thing i can think of is if they have spun the wheel and there is a mis-shape to the tyre when looking across the tread pattern.

If you jack it up and get either in front of the tyre or behind it (as if it was to run you over if it was on the floor) then get someone else to spin the tyre can you see the tread going up and down ? This would be caused due to breakdown of the main structure of the tyre.

Hope this helps and puts your mind at rest a little.

Regards Dave

Thanks for the replies.

The only reason I use them is the price it's hard to buy the oil and filter never mind getting my hands dirty. I understand they are a tyre specialist but to say they won't use the oil they are advertising I might as well say any garage you go to will put any old crap in there. It can then turn into you don't know what is going in your car unless you do it yourself.

I went somewhere else for a second opinion they had a look and said there was some slight wear on the inside of the nearside rear tyre, also on the inside of the offside rear. I have read this can be due to worn beam bushes, these are being changed along with a good few others in the next few months.

I'll nip round a mates and jack it up tomorrow, to fully rotate the tyres.

They use castrol edge oil, and the change is probably cheaper than you can buy the oil for.

Just pretend they didn't even say anything about your tyres.

They've put doubt in your mind & given you a headache, if they can't even get the tread depth right,then I'd personally not take too much notice of any so called assesments....

Obviously have a gander at the tyre make sure it looks ok, but as for taking it off the rim,even jacking it up etc .....what a balls ache

Just my opinion of course