Hi all

Not much really, just thought I would share an experience with you.

Like many, my vRS needed new front tyres so a couple of weeks back, I went onto a well known tyre fitting website, popped in my reg number, found a pair of Goodyear tyres that I was happy with, paid for them, booked a slot to have them fitted, job done.

Pootled off down to have them fitted on the agreed date which duly took place fairly quickly. Hopped back in the car, p*****g down with rain so didn't check them at the time.

Following morning, early start to get to Surrey for 7.45 so jumped in my car and headed off. Almost to my destination, the TPS light came on which didn't suprise me as I hadn't double check the pressures at that point so swung into a Sainsburys which has a petrol station, grabbed some diesel then then set about checking the pressures to make sure they were ok for the rest of the journey with a view to setting them up when cold the following day.

That's when I discovered that the wrong tyres were fitted! Yes they were Goodyears but the budget end of the range, most definitely NOT what I ordered! To add insult to injury, they were W rated not Y.

I was off that afternoon anyway so shot back home, picked up my online purchase receipt, and went back to the fitter.

When challenged (I am very polite in these situations, giving anybody one chance to correct things, then I get nasty), he initially said they didn't have the tyres I ordered at the time but don't worry about the speed rating and the tyres he fitted were the same price! I do worry about speed ratings and the price match was purely because the ones I ordered were discounted bringing them down to near the cheaper tyres price.

Once again, I politely pointed out that I ordered a certain pair of tyres and while the others may do the job, nobody spoke to me to see if I was prepared to take the lower grade ones and / or offer me the choice of have the correct ones fitted when stock became available.

Without a leg to stand on, he asked me to give him two hours to get the correct tyres in and I popped back and they were fitted along with many apologies

You're probably thinking 'idiot, should have checked' and you are of course to a degree correct but I (wrongly) assumed, that you order something online, it's a simple case of the fitter making sure he has adequate stock allocated and giving the customer what he ordered?

Anyway, all sorted but it makes you wonder...

Hi all

Not much really, just thought I would share an experience with you.

Like many, my vRS needed new front tyres so a couple of weeks back, I went onto a well known tyre fitting website, popped in my reg number, found a pair of Goodyear tyres that I was happy with, paid for them, booked a slot to have them fitted, job done.

Pootled off down to have them fitted on the agreed date which duly took place fairly quickly. Hopped back in the car, p*****g down with rain so didn't check them at the time.

Following morning, early start to get to Surrey for 7.45 so jumped in my car and headed off. Almost to my destination, the TPS light came on which didn't suprise me as I hadn't double check the pressures at that point so swung into a Sainsburys which has a petrol station, grabbed some diesel then then set about checking the pressures to make sure they were ok for the rest of the journey with a view to setting them up when cold the following day.

That's when I discovered that the wrong tyres were fitted! Yes they were Goodyears but the budget end of the range, most definitely NOT what I ordered! To add insult to injury, they were W rated not Y.

I was off that afternoon anyway so shot back home, picked up my online purchase receipt, and went back to the fitter.

When challenged (I am very polite in these situations, giving anybody one chance to correct things, then I get nasty), he initially said they didn't have the tyres I ordered at the time but don't worry about the speed rating and the tyres he fitted were the same price! I do worry about speed ratings and the price match was purely because the ones I ordered were discounted bringing them down to near the cheaper tyres price.

Once again, I politely pointed out that I ordered a certain pair of tyres and while the others may do the job, nobody spoke to me to see if I was prepared to take the lower grade ones and / or offer me the choice of have the correct ones fitted when stock became available.

Without a leg to stand on, he asked me to give him two hours to get the correct tyres in and I popped back and they were fitted along with many apologies

You're probably thinking 'idiot, should have checked' and you are of course to a degree correct but I (wrongly) assumed, that you order something online, it's a simple case of the fitter making sure he has adequate stock allocated and giving the customer what he ordered?

Anyway, all sorted but it makes you wonder...

Was this the road noise issue you posted recently?

Shocking I don't think I've ever checked if they've fitted the correct tyres. At least they put right their wrongdoing many people wouldn't have even checked.

Similar happened to me a few weeks ago but with a twist - hit a pothole, tyre bulged.

Went to my local garage who ordered one in (Dunlop SP Sportmaxx RT) to match the others (car had only done 1000 miles from new..).

They fitted it, I drove off, then realized the next day that the tread was completely different to the other three. So the tyre was marked up identically to the others but completely different.

The garage were somewhat surprised but changed it out for a matching one, even though not their fault.

I wondered if it was a fake and got in touch with Dunlop - they looked into it and agreed it was the same but different (!) and that the new tyre was an Audi OEM tread, but should be just fine with the others...what was that I heard about not having different tyres/treads on the same axle..?!

The old and the 'new':

Im lucky in that Ive always had 'tame' tyre places. My current one is Five Acres in the Forest of Dean. They know me, they know the car, mainly because the mk2 ate a set of fronts every 6000 miles.... I actually help the chaps with the tyre removal, etc and take the opportunity to check the suspension, brakes, etc whilst the wheel is off the car. Luckily, I have the ability to do this whilst at work, so have no time pressures, although its normally only about 15 minutes to do a front set in any case...

I had a set of four fitted on my Freelander and the profile was different , think mine were 45 and they fitted 40 , didnt notice for a couple of weeks and they denied all responsibility , lesson learned . I even check the date on them now before they are fitted and only do while you wait

Was this the road noise issue you posted recently?

No buddy, the road noise thing has to my mind always been there. I will give these new fronts a chance to bed in and see if I notice any difference.

Reminds me of a place that fitted MO (Mercedes OEM) to the mother in laws BMW!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk the free non retired version!

I had a garage put a pair of i think cf1 toyos when I ordered t1rs, thankfully I spotted and they said use them for the few days it took to get the correct ones as they had ordered the wrong ones by accident.

My old man had a garage replace tyres on his accord and it wasn't until it failed the next mot he found out that they were directional and on the wrong side!

Similar happened to me a few weeks ago but with a twist - hit a pothole, tyre bulged.

Went to my local garage who ordered one in (Dunlop SP Sportmaxx RT) to match the others (car had only done 1000 miles from new..).

They fitted it, I drove off, then realized the next day that the tread was completely different to the other three. So the tyre was marked up identically to the others but completely different.

The garage were somewhat surprised but changed it out for a matching one, even though not their fault.

I wondered if it was a fake and got in touch with Dunlop - they looked into it and agreed it was the same but different (!) and that the new tyre was an Audi OEM tread, but should be just fine with the others...what was that I heard about not having different tyres/treads on the same axle..?!

The old and the 'new':

Yep have to be careful there as there are a number of tyres that are made specifically for OEM's; sidewalls nigh on identical but tred not so.

Merc and Audi are the two main ones....you can tell them apart as Audi specific versions have AO on the sidewall and Merc MO

I love it while waiting for tyres in the garage when people ring up asking for the "cheapest tyres please" My ex was one of those and on the odd occasion I used her car the amount of times I locked it up going into a wet roundabout coming home from work was unreal. 

Worrying to think that the 'specialists' can't even fit the right tyre for your car. Average punter would never notice. Some places just think "black and round fits the wheel, must be the right tyre'. 

I have to agree generally speaking you do absolutely get what you pay for. With premium brands they are all much of a muchness I think, some wear better, some grip better, some are noisier than others and a combination of.

We bought a car with 4 new Kenda tyres on it and have to commend them, 2 years/10k miles on they have hardly worn and I cant say that it drives particularly badly on them (is only a 57 plate 1.6 Astra after all). Annoyingly one of them got a puncture more recently and was not repairable....choice of replacing one or all with premiums.....I just stuck another semi budget on there and again its good as gold.

Naturally I wouldnt seek to stick them on a higher performance car and when I can justify changing them all I expect a set of OEM Conti Premium Contacts will go on (at 65-70 quid a tyre hardly extortionate). I most definitely would never condone re-molds...for the sake of a few quid a tyre saving over a hudget tyre why would you?!