Dealer swaps my wheels or something

[st4]

So I checked my tyres this morning.

The front tyres are Good Year efficient grip tyres. Had them since I got the car, then one got punctures so got another "Good Year efficient grip" tyre so both sides of the car had the same tyres.

Imagine to my horror 10 days after having the car at the dealers, that staring back at me on the Passanger side is a Good Year Eagle F1 tyre.

Now:

Goodyear Eagle F1 tyre has same tread as the other one, 6mm. I am not short changed on wear. Its a good brand (same as other one) and the Eagle F1 is a good tyre, so not short changed.

However thats not the tyre that was on the car when I took it in. I assume they got someone elses 211 sport wheels mixed up when they took my wheels off.

It gets worse,

I go into MB Glasgow to buy some touch up paint so I raise this. The service desk Lady is actually very helpful and nice to deal with, and she gets someone from the workshop out to see me.

I said it must have been when the wheels were taken off that they got mixed up. He says we don't normally take the wheels off. I said you'd need too, to change a Ball joint. He said the Ball joint was changed on the other side so the wheel with the eagle F1 on it would not have been taken off :lol::lol::lol: I informed him that they checked the brake bad wear and tried to make me change a pad thats 40% worn so they took the wheels of my car to work this out.

He didn't actually work on the car, the guy who did is on a course (presumably to make sure he keeps the wheels for the job near the car) and then on holiday, so they cannot speak to him until he is back. A week on Monday.

I work a "backshift" so can only take the car in on Saturday. I'll ask for the Service manager.

I even offered them a way out by asking "you did a diagnosis run in the car, perhaps it got a puncture and you took a goodyear tyre off one of your used cars". Nope sir "we'd tell you if we changed the tyres".

So there you have it, I have someone elses Alloy and tyre and they have mine.

Thankfully the alloy I have is in good nick, but imagine, their f*** up would have left me with someone elses alloy in a shabby state with a cheapo worn budget tyre out, i.e. £500 the poorer to bring my car back to the state before I let them loose in it.

Its minor, but a real dent in confidence in MB Glasgow, unable to diagnose my car, and me prompt them with the fix for the GBOX, now a difference wheel on the car, and when they fixed the car they got me mixed up with another customer and called me to say car fixed, when they hadn't even done anything to it. I had to advise them the issue was covered by warranty.

Not one visit there has gone smoothly or to plan.

Its very dissappointing.

I need some advice.

What should I do:

I am left with a car with a different tread pattern on one side of it. Its not dangerous to drive or anything, but not as safe as with two tyres with same tread/compound etc.

One tyre will wear differently to the other. I'll notice the effect of this.

What should I ask for?

New set of fronts when they are worn, maybe just a contribution towards a service or tyres when I change.

 

[keysl]

I'd be asking them to contact the other owners that had work done that day to get your wheel and tyre back.

What absolute imbeciles...

 

[speedybiker]

Mercedes Glasgow are a total nightmare and so is Mercedes Hamilton, both same dealership.

They have ****** me off so much that I get all my work done at Mercedes Grangemouth, even though it 4 times the distance for me to go to Grangemouth.

I would kick up a fuss and ask their head office to contact you, I for one would not want a wheel and tyre that are not up to the same standard as yours was and from another customer's car.

Alex.

 

[st4]

I'd be asking them to contact the other owners that had work done that day to get your wheel and tyre back.

What absolute imbeciles...

I have done. IMHO I feel its unfair for me to ask them for 2 new tyres for a matching axle, and this is the simple fair option for me, and their other customer.

Mercedes Glasgow are a total nightmare and so is Mercedes Hamilton, both same dealership.

They have ****** me off so much that I get all my work done at Mercedes Grangemouth, even though it 4 times the distance for me to go to Grangemouth.

I would kick up a fuss and ask their head office to contact you, I for one would not want a wheel and tyre that are not up to the same standard as yours was and from another customer's car.

Alex.

I will go in next Saturday with the car, and if they do not offer me anything at all, (like the solution above or maybe 20% off tyres when I change them) I will complain to MB HQ and also MB Glasgow's own head office.

 

[clk270]

The date stamp on the wheel may be different enough the other 3 to substantiate your case, more so if the wheel is older than the others.

 

[219]

I've only bought parts from them , last time I used an MB dealership was about 15 years ago , then in Edinburgh .

A couple of friends who use them rate Glen Henderson in Ayr pretty highly - they lost the franchise as main dealers , but managed to be appointed as 'authorised workshop' or suchlike - they look like a main dealer , do everything else , I think the only thing they cannot do is sell you a new car . They're pretty good for parts for older models too .

 

[st4]

The date stamp on the wheel may be different enough the other 3 to substantiate your case, more so if the wheel is older than the others.

I could, but its one of the 1st E320cdi sports. Chances are this one is newer, but thats not the point, someone else is driving about with something lesser. May not be me, but by that argument someone has been minorly f*cked over by them.

The alloys on my car are spotless, never seen a kerb, I will clean this wheel (covered in pad dust) and its shabby, I will insist on a full refurb/brand new wheel.

I've only bought parts from them , last time I used an MB dealership was about 15 years ago , then in Edinburgh .

A couple of friends who use them rate Glen Henderson in Ayr pretty highly - they lost the franchise as main dealers , but managed to be appointed as 'authorised workshop' or suchlike - they look like a main dealer , do everything else , I think the only thing they cannot do is sell you a new car . They're pretty good for parts for older models too .

I'd love to go, but Ayr is full day off work for me alas.

 

[markjay]

It is not illegal to have different makes or models of tyres on the same axle, as long as they are of the same 'type' (i.e. you can not mix radials with cross-ply).

But... my 2006 owners manual says that all 4 tyres must be of the same type AND make because the ESP can be confused by tyres with different tread pattern.

Whether this is the case or not is a different discussion - the point is that if you show the dealer the relevant section in the owners manual they can not dispute it.

The only problem is obviously to convince them that this actually happened in their workshop...

Good luck with you case.

 

[st4]

It is not illegal to have different makes or models of tyres on the same axle, as long as they are of the same 'type' (i.e. you can not mix radials with cross-ply).

But... my 2006 owners manual says that all 4 tyres must be of the same type AND make because the ESP can be confused by tyres with different tread pattern.

Whether this is the case or not is a different discussion - the point is that if you show the dealer the relevant section in the owners manual they can not dispute it.

The only problem is obviously to convince them that this actually happened in their workshop...

Good luck with you case.

Thanks, will get the book out, can prove easily, they took the wheels out and supplying garage can say what tyres was sold with.

 

[219]

I'd love to go, but Ayr is full day off work for me alas.

MB Glasgow offer an uplift/return service for customers' cars ( my GF's cousin works for them doing just that ) ; I'd be surprised if GH didn't offer the same service : driver brings up courtesy car , leaves it with you while yours is taken away and serviced .

Alternatively , lots of nice eating places down Ayr way

 

[Druk]

Forget the 20% malarky. They would give you 20% for the asking anyway so that's nothing to them. 50% for your trouble or it's not worth having.

 

[st4]

Alternatively , lots of nice eating places down Ayr way

Next time I'll go on a satuday or a day off my work and make a day of it.

 

[st4]

Forget the 20% malarky. They would give you 20% for the asking anyway so that's nothing to them. 50% for your trouble or it's not worth having.

Thanks, will push for this.

 

[crockers]

Silly question but are you 100% sure you had a Goodyear efficient grip tyre fitted? Check your receipt.
A new tyre comes with approx 8mm so that must back up your point as 2 mm has been worn.
The F1 tyre is a better tyre though.....

 

[st4]

Silly question but are you 100% sure you had a Goodyear efficient grip tyre fitted? Check your receipt.
A new tyre comes with approx 8mm so that must back up your point as 2 mm has been worn.
The F1 tyre is a better tyre though.....

Yep checked it. Check tyres regularly so when checking this time, got a real surprise

I am sure the F1 tyre is, but its not the tyre I wanted, I want the axle to have the same tyres on it, I want them to wear the same so they can be replaced at the same time and the handling of the car not adversely effected.

The F1 tyre is a better tyre for performancem but not for wear and rolling resistance. The tyres on before this seemed to give a good front grip, minimal wear, and good handling, nothing changed, but it will as one will wear quicker than the other, and its only by luck they swapped it with a tyre with same level of tread on it, I could have been given anything and I would have a adverse handling car.

Its the principle of the matter.

And what about the other owner who paid a bundle more for Eagle F1's, to have them swapped for a "lesser" (to him/her) tyre from my car.

 

[Toodeep]

Mate, there is an undercurrent of reasonableness in your posts. The tyre's good but not yours. The alloy is no worse than yours was. It's minor. You almost sound like the dealer's representative! Unless you are outraged and convey the impression you feel seriously short-changed, they'll just fob you off with some polish kit or a 'free winter check'. The engineer virtually called you a fool or a liar . . . . You could be looking at a b*gg*r*d alloy or budget tyre and be met with the same reaction.

Tell them you can feel the difference and won't rest until you have two identical (in terms of wear) GY efficient grip tyres with a minimum of 6mm tread. How they achieve this is their challenge. Then assess what they actually offer to do instead against your demand. You have already been inconvenienced so even if a guy turned up this evening with your original wheel and tyre you would have lost out. Whatever the final resolution, you need to feel pleased with the outcome.

 

[Londonscottish]

Mate, there is an undercurrent of reasonableness in your posts. The engineer virtually called you a fool or a liar . . . .

+ 1. Time to get ANGRY

Tell them you .... won't rest until you have two identical (in terms of wear) GY efficient grip tyres with a minimum of 6mm tread. How they achieve this is their challenge.

+1. This is 100% THEIR fault, not yours

Then assess what they actually offer to do instead against your demand. You have already been inconvenienced so even if a guy turned up this evening with your original wheel and tyre you would have lost out. Whatever the final resolution, you need to feel pleased with the outcome.

+ 1.

- If you let them roll you over now, you will regret it for the whole time you have that car, maybe longer.
- Every time you look at it you will see the wrong tyre and kick yourself for not having pushed harder.
- Or you'll end up shelling out your own hard earned for new tyres early to get them matched again
- And what about the rim? Has it been heavily kerbed in the past? Any hairline cracks? Will it fail at some point? How can you know - it's not yours.

I personally think that wheels and tyres are massively important. I would NEVER run mis-matched tyres on ANY car - especially 2 tons of E Class that can hit twice the national speed limit. This is YOUR car. One you searched high and low for and which means a LOT to you. Don't let the a couple of MB staff acting like back street spanner monkeys spoil it for you.

My advice; run through your argument a couple of times, work up a head of righteous indignation then call them up. Angry, but rational and firm.

Good luck

 

[corned]

Hi Steve,

So, your car could not be diagnosed properly for some fault. Your brake pads were advised to be changed at 40% wear, they were looking at the wrong ball joint, and now you have someone else's wheel on your car.

Are you sure that ANY of the work you commissioned was actually done on YOUR car, and not the one parked next to it?

 

[PXW]

Worth a REALLY good look at the cuckoo wheel...is it in perfect nick? Inner and outer rims OK? Has it been heavily refurbished (not sure how you'd tell though....). Take it off the car and examine it very closely for any cracks/signs of abuse. I assume it is proper OEM...

 

[blondebier]

+ 1 - I agree with PXW here. The face of the wheel may look fine, but there's no way you can tell if the wheel is really ok without taking the tyre off. Who knows what kind of life it has had?

I'd be after a new alloy and tyre at least.