Depressing story from yesterday

[SimonsMerc]

So, last week I was in costco, debating whether to put new tyres on my existing wheels or buy some new alloys. Offer (20% off a set of 4 michelins, as mentioned on here) was valid until Sunday, but decided against as we figured we'll get some new wheels with new tyres at some point soon.

Come monday afternoon, on my way to the shops with the wife (heavily pregnant with twins) and baby (well 2 year old), when bam! bam! two tyres on the right hand side both destroyed. Seems I either hit a pothole in the road or the side of a traffic island - I'm guessing the pothole tho cause the traffic island didn't have a mark on it. But anyway - nightmare. Spare steel tyre in the boot, but still not enough to get mobile!

So I call the AA, tell them I'm missing two tyres, they say they'll send someone with tyres out (they even ask me for the sizes!) and say that they'll make it a priority call because I have wifey and kid in car.

An hour and a half later, the yellow van pulls up, and says "well, what do you expect me to do? You've only got the one spare!". Great. So...well, it's getting late now - almost 6pm, so all the tyre places are closed. The AA van they sent out has no way of towing my car (would have to wait another couple of hours for a recovery vehicle). So I get him to change one of the broken tyres for my spare, drive me to the only tyre place that's open (Costco), I get a new tyre put on the wheel, drive back to my car, change the other broken tyre for the new one, drive back to costco and get the second new tyre put on.

Absolute flipping nightmare, finished around 8:00pm (we left the house at 4pm to go to the shop). And the worst bit?

2 x 215/55/16 Michelin Primacy = £200 (£220 but minus the £20 mail in rebate which I'll claim).

4 x 215/55/16 Michelin Primacy when offer was on THE DAY BEFORE = £316 (£440 - 20% = 356, -£40 mail in rebate).

So if I'd have bought the new tyres, or if this had happened the day before, I'd have picked up 4 new tyres for £116 more than I paid for the 2 :-(

It's funny how life is at times, no?

-simon

 

[Brian WH]

Arrr but you could have destroyed two new tyres mate,

Some consolation eh.

 

[miro]

If the if wasnt an if then if would still be an if

 

[marc777]

Arrr but you could have destroyed two new tyres mate,

Yeah, but then he'd have been so broke having paid for 4 tyres he wouldn't have gone shopping...!

Marc

 

[splang]

If you take phots of the potholes and they are suitably deep you can sue the council for the damage--

seriously - i've heard of people who have done this - the council normally just settle out of court anyway(small claims)

Worth a go ??

 

[silverclk230]

I have successfully claimed from my local council on two separate occasions. You will to send them a photo of the pothole along with the invoice for the tyres.

 

[Iyse]

Wait a minute... You can buy tyres in Costco?! Damn it! I've gotta get someone to pretend I'm part of their business so I can get one of those friggin' cards!

 

[peterchurch]

Not good at all was your wife OK?
I had a similar episode last year, I was belting down the outside lane of the M5, when a car ran up along side of me hooting and flashing like mad and pointing at me I thought something must be wrong so I pulled on the hard shoulder, and got out to find my rear passenger side was flat and quite badly damaged by now. I put my space saver on and continued down the motorway at 50 kmh. Not a good feeling 10 miles down the road (Junction 2 by that stage) the bloody space saver went. Thus I was stuck on the motorway with cars / lorries wizzing past my car at 90 junc 2 is very tight and so the gap between me and the passing traffic was inches... I had to join the AA and they pulled the same stunt. They can claim that they was successful because they got somone out in the first time slot while they are finding you the correct vehicle. I clearly told them that I could not be towed and needed lifting onto a flatbed. But thats not the name of the game for them. The are a relay service which means that they will pass you from truck to truck to get you where you want to be but that can mean hours for you spent at relay points waiting for the next van to turn up
I am with the RAC now, and I would never fit a space saving tyre again