Tire switched at shop

Xcellor

Dropped car into tire shop to have 2 new tires ( that I provided) and the front two balanced and new valves fitted.

Today I noticed one of the front tires has been changed from the original Dunlop to a tire 1/3 of the price and used.

The shop didn't tell me anything about this change. I can only assume it was damaged when they were removing.

I will phone them tomorrow but little bit miffed to say the least. Anyone experienced similar behaviour?

colm_mcm

It definitely wasn’t on the back of the car before it went in, or on the spare wheel?

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118001520#Comment_118001520

All four tires were the same brand and spec. The rear tires are a different width so could not be moved they had to be on back. The car doesn't have a spare tire.

What I got was switched to is https://www.tirendo.ie/austone-athena-sp-701-245-45-r18-100w-r-356606.html

What I started with was Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 Tyres » Oponeo.ie" https://www.oponeo.ie/tyre-model/dunlop-sport-maxx-rt-2

The size etc matches the other original Dunlop. It's just not a Dunlop...

colm_mcm

That’s so strange. If the tyre was legitimately swapped because it was unsafe, they’d have charged you for it

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118003045#Comment_118003045

Yeah there was no mention of any tire change.. nothing on the itemized receipt.

You can't just change a customer's tire to a different one and not tell them...

Henry Ford III

What did the tyre place say?

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007801#Comment_118007801

Didn't get chance to phone them yet. Will give them a buzz in the afternoon

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118008721#Comment_118008721

The longer you leave it the less chance you will get it rectified.

Am I right to assume that its now 3 or 4 days since it was at the shop? A lot could happen in 3 or 4 days, don't be surprised if they say that the tyres were fine when it left them and that you maybe kerbed the tyre since and are just chancing your arm to try and get a new one.

That probably not the case but who is to say otherwise after this length of time? Especially since, lets be honest here, who leaves a car in for tyres and then doesn't have a look at the tyres when collecting the car...

Don't put it off is all I'm saying.

Xcellor

Ok got off phone. Not much clearer to be honest. But I was told the tire was in such bad shape it had to be cut off and replaced with a used one.

No answer as to why this happened without any one saying or showing me. I was sitting in the waiting room...

Phoned the manager and he's none the wiser either so will phone back.

I dunno but it all sounds very fishy.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118008918#Comment_118008918

Why are you phoning and not calling in.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118008939#Comment_118008939

I agree. It will be much easier for them to fob you off if you phone them. Plus, if you call in, you could leave your car in front of their entrance until the issue has been resolved.

893bet

So they are saying they gave you a free second hand tyre and didn’t mention it?

bizarre is not the word.

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118008964#Comment_118008964

Yeah... That wouldn't happen unless there was some mistake made. Perhaps they thought front tires were being changed too so we're not very careful removing it.

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118008952#Comment_118008952

I'm working so phoned to get ball rolling.

If not getting joy will take a trip out their direction.

elperello

Usually a tyre place would tell the customer the tyre is unsafe and recommend fitting a new one.

Especially when you were sitting in the waiting room.

It's definitely not normal practice to fit a second hand tyre to a customers car without getting permission.

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118009046#Comment_118009046

Yea and I got a pass the buck attitude. The receptionist saying "well I wasn't here at the time.." and asking me who did the work. How was I supposed to know that... No call back from manager. Yet.

colm_mcm

Get them to check the CCTV.

some fuckery going on there.

enricoh

The fella changing the tyre must have ripped the bead and threw on a new tyre probably unbeknownst to the boss.

Ah, the joys of tyre fitting, I miss the all the hassle involved!

nophd08

Phoning was a mistake but too late now. I'd demand a replacement tyre to match the other one. If its a reputable tyre shop it will all be on cctv but you'll never get to see it. Interesting to hear what else they come up with.

SuperS54

Has this been resolved?

Xcellor

Spoke to the owner who held hands up and said what happened shouldn't of happened. When replacing the valve the tyre got damaged to the point it was unsafe to fix so it was swapped. I should have been informed I wasn't. He was apologetic.

I told him next time I was getting the front tires changed he needed to do me a deal and he agreed. At the end of the day the tyre I got has more tread on it and when the other Dunlop reaches replacement depth I'll change both a that point anyway.

I suppose the lesson for me and maybe others is don't assume the tyres you went in with are the ones you will leave with and inspect before you drive off.

Seth Brundle

So given that you might get a discount on a purchase at a shop that hid an important fact from you, you're happy now to go around on a tyre that by the sounds of it is nowhere near as good as the one you had on beforehand? What's the worst that could happen by having a cheapo tyre on the front?

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036755#Comment_118036755

It's not ideal. I wouldn't have put the tyre on as a replacement but it's rated to European standards and matches the characteristics of the other.

I'm not going to go to war and demand replacement like for like as that isn't reasonable either. Getting a discount on the next fitting is a good alternative.

kirving

I think it's completely reasonable to get a tyre with the same wet braking performance as the one you had on it. Tyre shop owner should be sucking up the cost of two new front tyres and let him wait for your future business, rather than you wait for a discount.

Seth Brundle

Out of curiosity, what was the Dunlop that was dumped and what have they put on instead that you said would have cost a third of the price of the Dunlop (had the replacement been new rather than used)?

Flinty997

Two issues

1) Will there be anyone no one who remembers you when you go back. Whoever's there won't honor your agreement.

2) You'll be driving on a lesser tire from now till then. Why?

Personally I think there a big difference between a good and mediocre tire.

Fishdoodle

Now, on your front axel you’ve 2 different tyres

Dunlop is a premium tyre

Austone is not premium…midrange….economy but a budget tyre!

Id personally go with two of the same tyres on the same axel-especially the front. The tyres you have now will have different handling characteristics / rubber compound. They’re summertyres (fine) but leading into the winter months & with different characteristics …. I wouldn’t be too happy!

If they damaged your tyre- it’s their fault. I’d look at having the front tyres the same as the rear. Maybe you could source the same and have them fitted for free.

9935452

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037619#Comment_118037619

I'd agree with both points.

Manager could be different when you go to get new tyres in a year or 2 or whenever and they claim they no nothing about the deal.

Personally i wouldnt be happy going around on a cheapie tyre til then .

If its a third of the price its the same as a 180 euro tyre v a 60 euro tyre.

Probably a ditchfinder.

If they came clean at the time i might give the benefit of the doubt .but since tgey tried to hide it id be insisting on 2 new tyres replaced on the front

Stallingrad

This is nuts OP, you have two very different quality tyres on one axle as a result of their buffoonery. That is a genuine safety concern as they will have totally different braking characteristics in the wet.

They need to remove that ditch finder and fit the correct tyre, and forget about a 'deal' in a couple or years.

Clowns.

Alun

I agree, they sound like a right bunch of cowboys. It'd be handy to know what the place is called and where it is so we can all avoid them like the plague.

PatM65

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036698#Comment_118036698

If I'm reading this correctly they were putting two new tyres on the rear and balancing the two that were already on the front.

Why then were they replacing the valve on the front tyres and how on earth do you damage a tyre beyond repair when changing a valve?

I don't think I'd even trust them to put the correct pressure in the tyres never mind changing them.

Xcellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118053655#Comment_118053655

The valves needed replaced as the caps seized (metal ones lesson learnt). So I had cut them off but valves were not in great shape after hence asked for them to be changed.

How they managed to ruin a tyre. Not sure.

Bad experience altogether won't be recommending them to anyone.

Seth Brundle

Ok so you accept their incompetence but are still left with a ditchfinder tyre on the front of your car.

The only good place for that tyre is on top of a silage pit! They have cost you money and made your car less safe and by not standing up to them you have let them do it