Used car issue

[Wayne D]

Not sure if this is the right section for advice but I'd be grateful of any help on my issue.

Story so far is, I bought a Mk5 Pirelli Gti two weeks ago of a used car dealer on the Boucher road.
Looked at the car, drove it and loved it. One if the things I noticed was it had four Pirelli tyres on the car and I joked with the sales man saying good to see and laughed saying it would be rude to put anything else on. So we done the deal and he said the car would be ready in a few days after they prep'd and serviced it.

So collected the car and on the way home it was raining heavy and the roads seemed quite slippy, I just put it down to being dry for so long and the roads being slippy with all the heavy rain.

Next evening on the way home from work I noticed the rear of the car snaking all over the road and I pulled in as I was 100% sure I had a flat rear tyre.

Turns out that the Pirelli tyres that were on the car had been changed to four Haida tyres...

At this stage it was to late to ring the dealer, so the next morning I rang and explained all the above and said the tyres are really poor and car was all over the road in the wet.

So two weeks on to today and after a dozen calls I finally got an offer from them for the tyres to be up graded to what was on the car and it would cost me an additional £65 per tyre to replace them when returning the Haidas!

Firstly I paid good money for the car and the car is great, apart from the budget tyres!
Surly they can't legally sell me something and then expect me to pay extra on collection to have it how it was on the day of sale?

I wasn't notified of the tyre change at any time, not even on collection of the car. Surly unless they are replacing like for like they can't do this without asking me first?

The sales man doesn't seem to care any more.

What legal grounds can I take on this as I really don't think it's fair to ask someone to pay over what they paid for some to be as it was. Any advice would be greatly appreciated guys.

 

[Jason]

Sounds like cowboys!

 

[brocks]

I had a similar experience when I bought my first Impreza...went to view and noted the gold 18" alloys and thought they looked great....went to collect and the good 18's had mysteriously changed to some 17's, also decent enough wheels....when queried the sales guy stated the wheels had not been changed and I was mistaken...without photographic proof I knew I was snookered and the car was exactly what I wanted so it came with me ........lesson learnt

 

[Wayne D]

Yeah that's the only good point I had is the sales guy knows and agrees with me it had the Pirelli's on when I viewed it.

I think I need Ann Robinson on the case!

 

[Dub_cub 89]

That was a slippy move alright

 

[chris_b]

The pirellis must have been really low for them to change them. Most dealers would try and avoid that one where possible !! Shame now but I am not sure theres much you can do really. They fitted new legal tyres, the choice of which is was really theirs to be honest.

Id just suck it up and get some new ones myself and flog the cheapos, maybe not on here though

 

[Mark315]

When buying mine it had 4 continentals all round. Happy days! Went to collect and it had 2 acceleras on the back. Absolutely woeful tyre. Renault aren't allowed to sell them with 3mm or less on them. I would have happily taken the good tyres with 3mm on them then those utter doses of sh!te which can't grip at all in the wet.

Long story short its in with @KERR'S TYRES tomorrow morning for 4 new Hankooks )) Tyres are not something to cheap out on, its the only part of the car connecting you to the ground.


Personally I would persist them to replace them FOC!

 

[colin84]

Name & shame.

 

[chris_b]

Name & shame.

lol wheres the shame??? a used car dealer fitted 4 brand new tyres on a used car ???

 

[Nickyyy]

I think you'll have to chalk this one up to experience, I don't think you'd get anywhere legally with this, as said they put 4 new tyres on your car, fair enough, ditch finders but I couldn't see that standing up in court.

I'd maybe write a polite e-mail to the manager explaining it and see if there's anything he could do, don't be a **** and threaten legal stuff because you'll look like a t**t and whoever is dealing with you will instantly lose motivation to help you.

And next time buying a car from a dealer have them explicitly say or write down the full spec of the car before you buy it to cover off these instances.

 

[colin84]

lol wheres the shame??? a used car dealer fitted 4 brand new tyres on a used car ???

Well he bought the car with Pirelli's not cheap crap, and the salesman agreed.

Basically trying to pull the wool over his eyes, doesn't look like great service to me.

 

[chris_b]

Well he bought the car with Pirelli's not cheap crap, and the salesman agreed.

Why do you think they changed them ?

 

[colin84]

Why do you think they changed them ?

I have no idea, but if he was happy with the car and agreed to buy it, why would they go ahead and put 4 new tyres on it?

 

[Wayne D]

I'd maybe write a polite e-mail to the manager explaining it and see if there's anything he could do, don't be a **** and threaten legal stuff because you'll look like a t**t and whoever is dealing with you will instantly lose motivation to help you.

And next time buying a car from a dealer have them explicitly say or write down the full spec of the car before you buy it to cover off these instances.

This is part of the problem, they were more than helpful and easy to contact before the car was sold, now its a different story. Call after call and they can't seem to find time to return a call or deal with an issue. Very poor after sale service if you ask me.

I won't be threatening legal "stuff" as you put it, I paid more than a fair amount for the car, and I'm happy with the car bar them skimping and fitting the cheapest of the cheap tyres on it.
If they had of rang to say, listen the tyres need replacing, all we are willing to fit is budget tyres, if you want better then pay the rest. Then fine I would have paid more or asked them to leave as is.

It's the fact they never mentioned it at all and the tyres are a disgrace.

I plan on ringing the manager in the morning and sorting something with him.

 

[chris_b]

I have no idea, but if he was happy with the car and agreed to buy it, why would they go ahead and put 4 new tyres on it?

A car dealer has a legal obligation to only sell a car if it is 100% road worthy. The fact it is now running 4 Haida's would indicate that the Pirellis were below the legal limit hence 'legally' had to be changed. What they are replaced with is 100% the dealers discretion.

 

[Nickyyy]

Yeah you're right perhaps they should of rang you as a courtesy, as you know however, they probably didn't realise it would be an issue as most people over here don't give two ****s what make of tyres they have as long as they have legal thread.

I'd try and stay as calm and polite though, gets you a good bit further, when I worked in sales in the phone shops I always went out of my way to help people who were polite and respectful and was a complete **** to people who thought they owned you because they bought a 50 quid nokia... lol

 

[Wayne D]

Yeah you're right perhaps they should of rang you as a courtesy, as you know however, they probably didn't realise it would be an issue as most people over here don't give two ****s what make of tyres they have as long as they have legal thread.

I'd try and stay as calm and polite though, gets you a good bit further, when I worked in sales in the phone shops I always went out of my way to help people who were polite and respectful and was a complete **** to people who thought they owned you because they bought a 50 quid nokia... lol

Yeah I have been mate, but it's been two weeks to the day and it seems being polite and trying not to be rude has gotten me no where with them.

I think the biggest annoyance is having just forked out money for the car, I feel a bit hard done by that I'll now have to spend more money to get it to level I'm happy with.

 

[Nickyyy]

Is it a bigger franchise? You could try e-mailing the head of the group and see where that goes...

 

[Wayne D]

A car dealer has a legal obligation to only sell a car if it is 100% road worthy. The fact it is now running 4 Haida's would indicate that the Pirellis were below the legal limit hence 'legally' had to be changed. What they are replaced with is 100% the dealers discretion.

Something I must look at is the speed rating on the replacement tyres. I always thought they would have to replace like with like. If not the same make tyres, at least something to the same spec etc?

 

[Wayne D]

Is it a bigger franchise? You could try e-mailing the head of the group and see where that goes...

That's a good idea, I'm hoping when I explain all to the manager tomorrow he will help. If not then it will be my next sort.

I don't want to name the company, but yeah they are fairly big and funny enough have a tyre company as well with the same name.

 

[chris_b]

Something I must look at is the speed rating on the replacement tyres. I always thought they would have to replace like with like. If not the same make tyres, at least something to the same spec etc?

Yes if incorrect you can argue that your insurance company would not cover the car, which is true.

Hindsight is great but did you not check the tyres when you looked at it ? The dealer, any dealer will always try and keep costs to a minimum which is totally understandable, you will find they have an agreement with a local tyre dealership for three levels. Budget / middle of the road / top end
When your new car has been sent round it has fallen into the budget category I guess

 

[chris_b]

That's a good idea, I'm hoping when I explain all to the manager tomorrow he will help. If not then it will be my next sort.

I don't want to name the company, but yeah they are fairly big and funny enough have a tyre company as well with the same name.

Now knowing who you are dealing with, good luck !!!! Let battle commence

Know the manager in the tyre depot but he will just have been doing what he is told

 

[Wayne D]

Now knowing who you are dealing with, good luck !!!! Let battle commence

Know the manager in the tyre depot but he will just have been doing what he is told

Would that be a guy called Roy by any chance?
Spoke with him earlier and he said "the old tyres were removed because they where scrap". I said "no mate, what you fitted is scrap!" We both lol'd which broke the ice a little. He went on to tell me the Haidas cost around £38 each. So that might explain shy I'm not overly impressed with the tyres!

 

[VEN©M]

lol wheres the shame??? a used car dealer fitted 4 brand new tyres on a used car ???

I disagree. Sale was agreed with the car as it sat. If work was done that was not agreed upon prior to pickup then this is not ok.

 

[gsmith]

I know were the cars from as seen it myself I would say good luck as in my own experience were never easy to deal with. Not sure if it's been asked did the tyres look like they needed replaced? To be fair most car dealers aren't going to put 4 top spec tyres on for the fact that it don't make them money and again were I am it usually goes along the lines of if it needs anything well sort it if they seen the tyres needed sorted then they've done as they said. On a more positive note a very good friend of mine bought a used Bmw from them upon collection they found an empty bottle of wine under the seat they told the sales guy they wanted 2 new tyres on it they agreed when they got home they found the tyres to be cheap crap they kept on at them they then took the car down and told them they were leaving it they took the car and put the proper run flats on took abit of back and fourth but they finally got sorted. Good luck and let us know how you get on.