Dealer fitted the "wrong" tyres on the car.

[SmartMAC]

Not as dramatic as it sounds but when I took the car for a service last October, they did the front brakes and fitted new tyres at the back.
When I got the car back, car had the winter wheels fitted so I did not checked what tyres they had fitted.

Now, a few months after, I have taken the summer wheels out to clean them before I put them back in the car in a few weeks. Looking at them, Mercedes have fitted continental SportContact 5 when the fronts were continental SportContact 3 same as were the old rears before they changed them.
To be fair, I did not check with them when they quoted me for the tyres but I would have thought Mercedes would have checked and fit the same tyres all around. They thread is different and it upsets my OCD knowing that they are not the same.

I don't know what to do or even if I should do anything. Should I leave things as they are or go back to the dealer and get them swapped?
Tyres are obviously still unused and will not go in the car for a few weeks yet.

 

[Doodle]

Sorry, but that's your OCD taking over. Provided they are of the right size and rating for the car (which I'm sure they will be) there is nothing inherently incorrect about that combination. Did you explicitly specify the exact same make and model of tyre? I'm guessing not.

The dealer might change them out of goodwill, but ultimately you've had the tyres for several months now so they would be well within their rights to refuse.

 

[SmartMAC]

I thought so. I just wanted to hear it from somebody else.

 

[Simon_M]

5s are a better tyre aren't they?

 

[BTB 500]

Possibly 3s not available in that size any more.

 

[jaymanek]

3's are being phased out now... 5's are better IMO.

 

[markjay]

The Owner's Manual says all tyres should be of same make and model (check the ESP/ABS section).

But there is no legal requirement to do so.

In reality I think you would have had an uphill struggle convincing MB that they should have adhered to the owners manual recommendations, especially if they quoted for SP5 and you accepted. And 6 months after the event it is even more unlikely that they will accept your claim (even if you do have a valid reason for not noticing it so far).

As for myself, I always have four identical tyres (currently Conti PremiumContact 2 MO) with same tread depth. But I accept that this is pure OCD and in practical terms it would have made no difference whatsoever to handling or the ESP if this was not the case.

 

[SmartMAC]

I will probably change the front ones to sc5s next time the car is in for a service. They have been in the car for almost 4 years and although they have plenty left, they are beginning to crack and then it's my ocd anyway.

 

[gIzzE]

I have never had a Merc feel that different with mixed tyres front and rear, and driven a few approved used cars with mismatched tyres, where as BMWs get very, very twitchy.

Not sure if it has been luck with Mercs or just not as sensitive as BMWs in this regard.

Tread pattern on the CS3 and CS5 is so similar I can't see it being an issue anyway.

 

[gIzzE]

I will probably change the front ones to sc5s next time the car is in for a service. They have been in the car for almost 4 years and although they have plenty left, they are beginning to crack and then it's my ocd anyway.

I hate Contis, they go very hard quickly and do crack, sidewalls and between treads.

I complained about my last set, as it was the second time it had happened, and Continental picked them up and examined them, they were less than a year old and had over 6mm left.

Their response? I had left them outside in the sun.

It's a car, it should able to be left outside!!


Never again.