My Focus has just been in for a service at a main dealer which included changing the two worn front tyres.

Anyway, I’ve just got the car back and they’ve fitted two different tyres – they put an NCT-5 (the same as the car originally came with) on one side and an Efficientgrip on the other. They’ve got different tread patterns and a different wear rating (240 vs 340) so will presumably wear and grip differently.

Is it just me or is this a bit shoddy? I always thought you were meant to fit matching tyres on each axle. Is it something I should kick up a fuss about?

It’s not you, it’s taking the pish.

YES ….
unless he gave you a mahoosive discount

Is it your wheel? Could have been changing someone else’s tyres at the same time and just got the wheels mixed up. As they’re a Ford main dealer I’d expect them to potentially have more than one Focus in the workshop at the same time. Might be worth a polite query “Hi guys, I think you’ve put the wrong wheel on the car”, before going all guns blazing.

Theyll prob use a local tyre place. Local place had run out so fitted what they had. I’d expect matching tyres if I was paying a main dealer.

A 1k car maybe not

Who on earth gets a main dealer to put new tyres on? They probably drove it straight round to KwikFit then added 20% onto the bill.

Tomorrow I forsee they’ll insult your intelligence..

Who on earth gets a main dealer to put new tyres on? They probably drove it straight round to KwikFit then added 20% onto the bill.

Me. I used to get a BMW main dealer to replace the tyres on a 1-series. They were as cheap as e-tyres and many other web prices. They were changed on site. So, in answer to your question, I (on earth) got a main dealer to change my tyres. A few times.

Thanks all – sounds like I should give them a ring in the morning.

As for price – they’re actually ok. Last time I got the tyres changed their initial quote was the cheapest I could find locally or online. Although not the very cheapest, they were pretty reasonable this time round too.

What I don’t understand is why anyone with even a modicum of intelligence wouldn’t just call them and ask why they done this, and when were they going to make it a matching pair. Not post on an online forum…

😆

our local ford dealer (furrows) is also a massive tyre dealer so pretty much all the local car and tyre dealers use them.
they are pretty cheap. but not the cheapest.
as for your original question yes they are taking the pee

What I don’t understand is why anyone with even a modicum of intelligence wouldn’t just call them and ask why they done this, and when were they going to make it a matching pair. Not post on an online forum…

Because not everyone (including your local MOT test centre and the Police) recognises that mixing brands/types/tread patterns is inherently unsafe. I would have thought anyone with a modicum of intelligence could have deduced that themselves.

Edit: I should just add that I DO consider it unsafe.

“What I don’t understand is why anyone with even a modicum of intelligence wouldn’t just call them and ask why they done this, and when were they going to make it a matching pair. Not post on an online forum…”

Er… because they’re shut? Mainly though, if they drag their feet when I call I want to know if it’s worth pushing. There’d have been no point hassling them over something which might not matter in the first place.

deadlydarcy has a point. The MB dealer fitted Contis for less than I could get them elsewhere.

What I don’t understand is why anyone with even a modicum of intelligence wouldn’t just call them and ask why they done this, and when were they going to make it a matching pair. Not post on an online forum…

On THIS Earth, it was the OP…Oh and Lord Darcy. 🙄

You struggling to read the posts patriotpro?

I don’t see why mismatched tyres are a problem. You don’t turn left and right at the same time. Road camber means each turn has its own characteristics you need to anticipate.

My OCD would demand matching tyres if nothing else did.

some Ford dealers are also “proper” tyre shops but are as murky as the rest of them – I had one put two new tyres on a Galaxy once – I assumed they’d fit identical tyres to the factory fit as i’d put in for service as regular as was a high mileage company car and they got a lot of business not just mine – they fitted un-reinforced tyres and I blew one out on holiday with the kids – seriously considered suing them – lesson learnt now I always check every wheel before driving away

I don’t see why mismatched tyres are a problem

Had mis-matched tyres on an old car, it was fairly small car with a big old diesel lump and it used to spin the nearside front all the time in the wet…and under heavy braking the left would lock fairly easily. The left one was a cheapo.

Did they also fail to align the mouldings with the valves?

spooky_b329 – Member
I don’t see why mismatched tyres are a problem

Had mis-matched tyres on an old car, it was fairly small car with a big old diesel lump and it used to spin the nearside front all the time in the wet…and under heavy braking the left would lock fairly easily. The left one was a cheapo.

Likewise, I’ve got 3 Conti Sport Contacts on my Focus and the (main dealer) tosspots stuck on one Pirelli P6000 on the passenger side. 🙄 Rotated it to the back now, but every time pulling away from a junction in wet/cold weather it would spin up.

It must be a rock hard compound as well as it is showing virtually no wear where as the others are coming up to replacement.

I didn’t answer the question. I’d be back for a matching pair.

It must be a rock hard compound as well as it is showing virtually no wear where as the others are coming up to replacement.

Ah, a Pirelli ditch-hugger. Yup, impossible to kill, and consequently also offer about as much grip as an arthritic OAP to a greasy pole.

DP

Main dealers are very often equal or better to the cheapest quotes out there including the likes of Black Circles etc.

In fact, Kwik Fit tend to be the most expensive.

Does no one else remember:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrRz_ItWWDw[/video]

Oh the humanity!

Frankly when this was on TV I didnt have a clue what the difference was between crossply and radial, but I was terrified Dad didnt know either 😀

Gave them a ring this morning and they agreed it didn’t sound right, so they’ll be swapping one over. Happy days.

What I don’t understand is why anyone with even a modicum of intelligence wouldn’t just call them and ask why they done this, and when were they going to make it a matching pair. Not post on an online forum…

What I don’t understand is how anyone with a modicom of intelligence would continually post negative, critical comments about people they don’t know on an online forum.

You must get something out of it though.

“Did they also fail to align the mouldings with the valves?”

recently i asked a tyre fitter “do you know what the red dot is for?”
unsurprisingly his answer was no.
I explained and the 2nd tyre balanced up without any weights, funny that.

What red dot, and how does it help?

I don’t see why mismatched tyres are a problem. You don’t turn left and right at the same time. Road camber means each turn has its own characteristics you need to anticipate.

You use an air brake for deceleration do you?

I don’t see why mismatched tyres are a problem. You don’t turn left and right at the same time. Road camber means each turn has its own characteristics you need to anticipate.

So…. You think having a ton-and-a-half of blunt metal with varying levels of grip at each corner is a good idea? Even when it’s perfectly possible to have, at the very least, matching tyres on each axle? Some people can’t even drive past a car on the other side of the road without stamping on the brakes. You think they’ve got the cognitive capacity to anticipate a corner’s individual “characteristics” whilst taking into account the delicate balance of traction their four different ditchfinders afford?

Speshpaul – Member
“Did they also fail to align the mouldings with the valves?”

recently i asked a tyre fitter “do you know what the red dot is for?”
unsurprisingly his answer was no.
I explained and the 2nd tyre balanced up without any weights, funny that.

Ooh, I had wondered about that…the nerd in me loves that fact.

*goes off to check tyres*

You want two of the same and they were out of stick or a bit poo on service!

Make sure the efficientgrip is the performance version if they charged you £60+

After my experience with Ford – I’d Never buy another. Service and faults is terrible.

Used to be a Ford fan.

Would never use a main dealer for tyres unless I was rich! My GF uses BMW for their run flat tyres.

Out of interest did they put the new tyres on the front or swap them to the rear?

Out of interest did they put the new tyres on the front or swap them to the rear?

oh heavens no

should be new on the rear, but that’s a whole different argument

efficientgrip is the performance version

what does it do the non-performance version doesn’t?

mrmonkfinger – Member

Out of interest did they put the new tyres on the front or swap them to the rear?

oh heavens no

should be new on the rear, but that’s a whole different argument

New on the rear?? Why?!?! Are you just trolling?