I ordered some Tigar Cargospeed Winter tyres for our motorhome for a fully fitted price of just shy of £150 for 2. I know, not a premium brand, but I looked at what is on offer, and the fuel consumption / wet grip ratings and made the above choice based on a ‘C’ wet grip rating.

Today my wife took the van in to get them fitted. Apparently the tyres we ordered were not in stock so “they fitted some others that are just the same.”

The replacements are Minerva Ice Plus 110S. These have a rating of ‘E’ for wet grip and came 51st out of 51 winter tyres tested by AutoBild.de. Most definitely not the same.

I’m minded to phone the tyre place in the morning and ask them to let me know when the tyres I ordered will be available for fitting, as the difference between C and E wet grip ratings is significant and very relevant to a Scottish based motorhome.

What would STW do?

You already know the answer don’t you. If you don’t do anything you’ll be mildly irritated for the next five years.

I think whatever happens the irritation will remain. I’m trying to avoid annoyance…

Go back and ask them to fit the tyres you ordered.

I wouldn’t have accepted the alternatives in the first place, but still go back and ask them to fit what was originally ordered.

Your plan sounds spot-on.

Imagine if you’d popped the bike in the LBS and asked for Minions, but they fitted Conti Vert Pros instead.

but they fitted Conti Vert Pros instead.

But that would be like getting an A* rated product instead of a C so not the same surely?

I think whatever happens the irritation will remain.

Well… you married her . 🙂

If you’re lucky they’ll help you out but it doesn’t really seem like you’ve got a leg to stand on. The problem you’ll have is you ordered a certain tyre but unless you expressly specified exactly why you ordered them then they were probably being quite correct offering you another tyre thats ‘the same’ if by ‘same’ they mean about the same price and winter rated. They offered you an alternative instead of sending your wife away empty handed, which was polite, and it was accepted.

From the retailers point of view you now want to return the tyres because in offering a deal, and having it accepted, they’re guilty of failing to read your mind.

You ordered a specific tyre, they fitted something else. they have no leg to stand on. Take it back and get your money back. Go to a reputable fitters.

I would do what TJ said.

You ordered a specific tyre, they fitted something else. they have no leg to stand on. Take it back and get your money back. Go to a reputable fitters.

Except it gets a little less black and white at the point at which his wife accepted the alternative tyres, paid and drove away?

She accepted because she was given false information. Hence its not a valid excuse.

Hopefully paid on a credit card so you can get them involved. I’d bet my house the tyres fitted gave a much bigger profit to the fitters.

And get a whole set, not just two…

Don’t let it slide 8)

Thanks for the advice/support/opinions. Just to reassure those worried, this is a replacement axle set. The other pair are winters too.

I can see this going either way depending on the good will or lack of it at the tyre place.

Any outcome?

Yep. Phoned up and the fella was spot-on. Despite the online sales section of the company running an ongoing promotion on these tyres, the branches have no stock. He has tracked some down on the Isle of Wight (!) and had them couriered to Perth. I’m going to give him a call tomorrow to arrange for fitting.

A good, if slightly inconvenient, outcome.

Nice. Ta for the update

The best outcome imho.

Hmm. They tried bait & switch but did right in the end.

Unless I have misunderstood what you said, I’d probably still try to avoid the outfit in the future.

Great result!