TYRE TROUBLE

[flipnflap]

Had my car serviced today. They told me I needed new front tyres and gave me a frightening quote. So I go into one of those quick tyre places and get a better deal on the same make/size of tyres. I go for a wander while they do the job, then they tell me my wheels need realigning - saying that's probably why my tyres got worn - and that'll cost me another £30. I explained I'd just had my car serviced. They said wheel realignment is not part of a car service. As they probably suspected, I know nothing about cars. So much for my bargain tyres! Was I ripped off? Did I need my wheels realigned? Were they just recouping the money they lost on giving me a good price for the tyres?

[Zacs-Master]

Impossible to tell. Were the gyres worn more on one side? Wheel alignment is not part of a service.

[VHG]

If tyres are worn on one side more than the other (say on the inside of both or the outside of both) then almost certainly your wheels would need realigning.

And if they had fitted the tyres WITHOUT realigning them then the tyres would have worn out far far quicker.

So while you may have saved some money by not having them realigned you would have had to buy new tyres far sooner than normal.

[Canary42]

Your service garage should have identified the misalignment IMO.

[TWR]

People are so bloody Gullible, Quick tyre places! would that be Kwik Fit by any chance? the garage that serviced your car should have advised you about your tyre Alignment.

[sinderella]

money well spent.the alignment will improve the life of the tyres
but they should have told you from the outset.let them know you werent happy.....says mr sin

[Hopkirk]

.. or use these people

http://www.tyre-shopper.co.uk/

Don't even slow the car down if you are near a Kwik Fit.

[CW1]

Look like a couple of very good websites there, thanks.

195/45R16 V 80 are fitted on mine now (rear, anyway), but I checked the Vehicle Registration Number Search & that's thrown up completely different ones, even the upgrade option ones. They're (original Ford spec) 195/50R15 V 84, (upgrade options) 195/50R15 V 82 or 205/40R17 W 84. The handbook doesn't mention any R17 or speed rating or load index. Have I had the wrong ones fitted all this time ?

Sorry to "highjack" ... back to op, I'd get the wheel alignment done elsewhere. The service centre will (probably) load any routine work anyway, 'specially a dealership.

The last place I bought tyres from (an independant) didn't do alignments but told me it needed to be done as the tyres'd worn unevenly. I went to ATS (I think), who found the tyres had been put on inside out and they were gonna charge for switching them round ! Needless to say, I went back to original garage, gave mechanic a right flea in his ear (he's a friend of me other 'alf), but he'd got his apprentice to do them. Haven't been back since ...

[paddywak]

Normally I wouldn't use Kwik Fit for a gold pig, unfortunately Motobility wont use anybody else. The last time we had a puncture my nephew changed the wheel, one off those red emergency things, while I checked on line for the closing time as it was getting on and found closing was 18.00hrs. Off I went and arrived after a 10 mile trip at 16.45 to find all the staff lounging about drinking tea/coffee. They spent 20 minutes trying to persuade me to go home and come back the next day as they had "Cleaned Up" for the day. It was only when I got the phone out and told them that I was getting on to Motobility that they grudgingly got off there arses and did the job which took the lot of them working together about 10 minutes. Talk about Kwik Fit they'd spent longer trying to get out of doing the job them it took to do it.

[CW1]

No, i wouldn't use KwikFit ever again either.
Had an exhaust fitted years ago, but something was still blowing when I left. Suddenly the catalytic converter had a gaping "hole" in it - I know for sure it wasn't there before my visit, they'd checked that (with a screwdriver, a-hem) before they changed the exhaust. Took weeks to sort out, getting the manager involved. At one point I was using HIS private car, that's when it finally got sorted 'cos he didn't want that indefinitely !