Bought 2nd hand car with 4 different tyres

Duffycon

HI bought a 4 yr old Toyota Corolla Luna Hybrid off of a - so I thought- reputable Toyota dealer in July last year. Got it serviced just now to find out that ALL 4 tyres have different threads on them and 2 budget tyres were fitted on the front which meant that my service cost me well over what I expected it to. I would imagine that selling a car with different thread tyres is an extremely careless thing to do. Any comments before I talk to my solicitor?

Magown3

Solicitor?? Are you having a laugh?

You bought the car last July and never once looked at the tyres. Which leads me to believe you've never checked the tyre pressures either. And you think the DEALER is careless!

Check the mirror bro.

dobman88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058347382/bought-2nd-hand-car-with-4-different-tyres

Sold as seen. Contact your solicitor but expect him to laugh at you. Become better at your own car maintenance which sounds non-existent.

Duffycon

I assumed their reputation was sound - they are well known-and I am not a mechanic. I am asking for some salient advice that’s all. If all you do is throw it back in a person’s face when they have a genuine concern then don’t respond. It makes you look like a di€k!

Lewis_Benson

Dont bother with your solicitor, it will be a waste of his and your time.

Best to just chalk it down to a bad experience and move on.

mickdw

The dealer is not bound to supply matching brand tyres all around so there is no case to answer, solicitor or no solicitor.

Did you actually need to change the tyres though. Maybe you fell for the sales talk at the service centre.

Duffycon

How many people know how to inspect threads of tyres? I’m not into cars especially. Why do you automatically take the dealership side as opposed to seeing that selling a car like that could be dangerous. I bought it from a reputable Toyota dealer! I didn’t buy it down some alleyway!

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032365#Comment_122032365

Were the tyres below the legal tread limit? I assume since you drove it for 8 months after buying it that they were. In which case the dealer has no case to answer. They were road legal.

Dakota Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032329#Comment_122032329

Sush, the only one getting tyres out of that deal will be the solicitor.

Duffycon

I have an NCT coming up. I bit the bullet but figured it would save me grief going forward

Mehaffey1

Check the spare wheel to see if it is another different tyre. Must be 5 out of 5 tyres mis-matched for a solicitor to take it to the Small Claims Court.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032435#Comment_122032435

Also worth checking to see if they're all going in the right direction. Can happen.

Duffycon

The service centre said that the tyres were ok- ish and might pass the NCT but they would probably give me grief down the road. For better or worse at least I have new tyres and I have the date they were fitted going forward.

Duffycon

yep got a tracking test done

Duffycon

no spare wheel on a Hybrid! Just a foam injector that will see you good for 30 km!

mickdw

You.could have held on to them but chose new tyres. Good decision but certainly no case to answer from dealer

Duffycon

Yeah lesson learned. Thanks Mick! Will know for again!

enricoh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032435#Comment_122032435

Also get the dearest solicitor you can afford, better results than a bog standard one. Mention Joe Duffy and a one star review for 4 new free Goodyear's!

Magown3

Did you check if the 2 new tyres match the 2 existing tyres?

What was the brand of these "budget" tyres? They may not have been as bad as you think and you just fell for the upsell after the service centre bad-mouthed them.

EDIT, did you get 4 new tyres?

Mehaffey1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032460#Comment_122032460

Again check the brand then refer to your legal professional.

Flinty997

Afaik there is no legal requirement to have matched tyres on an axle in Ireland. There is in the UK.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032435#Comment_122032435

Where did you get that from...

Duffycon

in fairness I am not a mechanic or tyre expert so no. I put 4 new tyres on to save me future grief!

Duffycon

good to know! I think they look after their cars better over there and the laws are in place to ensure it!

JVince

As well as a solicitor, maybe engage a senior counsel too, just to really frighten the seller.

Obviously European court is the target and definitely €1m + compo.

How dare they purposely hid the tyres from you when you were purchasing the car and obviously as you have only found out now that they were different makes, that they somehow managed to hide this from you for several months whilst you were driving.

Hint - when making a post, avoid such stupidity as saying you are contacting a solicitor. Btw, if you threatened a dealer with such a ridiculous comment they'd laugh very loudly into your face.

Magown3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032499#Comment_122032499

Then be safe in the knowledge that you have good tyres, drive it on. Tyres are consumables and need replacing.

What are the new tyres?

Mehaffey1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032496#Comment_122032496

I believe it is to have the same tyre size on the same axle, don't think the brand would matter if they are in legal condition.

Detritus70

If that's the worst thing that is wrong with the car, you're doing alright. Tires are easily fixed.

In my experience people are terrible for having only one tire changed with whatever is cheapest at the moment. One can only hope that the previous owner wasn't the type to only get the car serviced for the NCT. The dealer will just give it a quick check and sell it on.

As long as it's legal and not dangerous, I don't really see any kind of case.

Anyone buying a car and they don't know what to look for should either bring someone along who does know or bring the car to a mechanic to have a pre purchase inspection done. Post purchase inspection is the worst one can do, because once it's bought getting anything fixed after the fact will be an uphill battle.

enricoh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032520#Comment_122032520

Giving 2/1 odds on linglongs or triangles!

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032522#Comment_122032522

I think back in the day of radial and cross-ply tyres, it was illegal to mix them on the same axle. I think you were ok front and back though.

Mehaffey1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032497#Comment_122032497

I worked in a solicitor's specializing in the motor trade. I can refer the O.P if needed. He's like Robert Downey Jr. on the stand. After 12 month's of winning cases he walked out and bought a brand new Porsche. Was a very Goodyear in fairness

tabby aspreme

I'd check everything that the garage recommends to be replaced, my OH gets her Toyota serviced with the local Main Dealer, they send an email of things that need doing after they carry out the basic service, that includes the dept of thread left on each tyre, on one occasion they recommended the two rear Firestone tyres be replaced , even though the car had 4 Goodyear tyres on it, another time one of the rear shocks was supposed to be worn, it's still there and has been fine for the two services since.

Mehaffey1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032537#Comment_122032537

Got 3 Triangles on at the moment and 1 Michelin remaining on the rear passenger side. Car keeps wanting to spin clockwise because of the extra quality.

chrisd2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058347382/bought-2nd-hand-car-with-4-different-tyres

Save yourself the hassle and money by forgetting about a solicitor, the opportunity to complain is long gone, you needed to check the car before you collected it. No one trusts a car sales garage so much that they now look over the vehicle at collection.

GerardKeating

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058347382/bought-2nd-hand-car-with-4-different-tyres

How would you prove they were the same tyres as when you bought the car eight months ago…

Flinty997

Its a sad but accurate reflection on the car trade and main dealers that they can't be bothered to put matching tyres on an axle.

Also another failing of govt that is is not a legal requirement to have matching tyres in Ireland. Or decent tyres.

Duffycon

Well we can’t all be as knowledgable as you can we! I thought this forum was about discussion and not about making people feel stupid for posting a genuine concern. Your comment is more a reflection on you than it is on me. I pity your loved ones when they come you you for advice!

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032597#Comment_122032597

If you're going to reply to somebody, please quote them so we know who it is you're replying to.

Duffycon

will do

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032597#Comment_122032597

Don't ask such stupid questions then. Your question is more a reflection on you than the other poster.

For some reason you feel angry over something you admittedly don't have a clue about and start threatening legal action..

There was most likely nothing wrong with any of your tyres and you have just been done out of 600 quid.

Tyres do not have to match and on a regular car will make absolutely no difference to the performance of the car once they are not cheap tyres.

I would prefer a dealer selling me a car with 4 different decent brands of tyres on it than 4 matching Chinese tyres

Donald Trump

This is why the experts always make sure to give all the tyres a good kick before buying a car.

You think you have it bad OP, I once got a car where the dealer had put the tyres on backwards. So I had to put the car into reverse to drive it forward until I swapped them around.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032597#Comment_122032597

HiDuffycon, ignore the negative posts and shite talk.

You should be able to ask questions that others think are obvious. Just maybe don't jump straight to calling in the solicitors. If you reframed your post to say, I am.a newbie, need some advice, tyres etc etc. You would prob get less dicky posts.

The internet is vicious! Don't read too much into what gets posted here.

But YouTube should be your first stop, it's fairly simple to check tyres out

bobbyD1978

What the sweet jesus?!?!.

Who knows how to check tyres? I would hope most adults do. It's hardly a complicated act.

Why you felt the need to change them just because the didn't match is beyond me, sounds Like you should have bought the low pressure insurance as well

dobman88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032365#Comment_122032365

..

Duffycon

Thea Cool Femur- Thought this forum was for asking questions good and bad! I don’t know cars or tyres any more than I know about plumbing. What’s wrong with asking a genuine question and why are you shouting me down?

Duffycon

Thanks Atami. Much appreciated

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032674#Comment_122032674

Because you were talking about legal action.

It wasn't a question you asked really, you were looking for validation from a forum to engage a solicitor against a dealer and you disguised it as a question.

Duffycon

dobman88- sorry I woke you from your sleep sweetheart!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032722#Comment_122032722

Are you a dealer? Why so angry with simple innocent/nieve question's? Did you sell him the car?

Flinty997

From the RSI.

"…Do all four tyres have to be the same?No. However, under testing laws, a vehicle will fail if the two tyres on the one axle are not the same size or type e.g., radial vs. cross-ply, run-flat, winter or summer. For best performance, the same type of tyre should be fitted on all four wheels positions…"

From Michelin

…Can you put tyres of different brands, treads, depths or seasons on the same axle? 

This is generally prohibited by law.  

On the same axle, tyres should even be of the same model. However, there is a tolerance if the use is temporary. For example, if you have a puncture and are driving with your spare wheel. In this case, you should go to a professional as soon as possible to have the tyre replaced. 

Why is it forbidden?

If the circumference on the left and right is not the same, there will be a difference in rotation speed and the sensor, interpreting that a tyre is under-inflated, will send a warning. In addition, this can cause the vehicle to pull to one side of the road or have a different response on wet roads depending on whether you turn left or right. 

Duffycon

Thea Cool Femur- I could have phrased it differently - fine but a lot of answers here could have been phrased differently too