Bought an "Approved Used" car with dodgy tyres...

[marv]

Hi all,

I've owned my B6 S4 for about 2 months now, and just had it in for its first service with the dealer who I bought it from.

They're saying that the tyres are all on the limit, and one or two are "dangerous" such that they wont let their driver return the car to me until the tyres are fixed.

Do you reckon I have any comeback/goodwill on the cost of the tyres, given that I've only driven about 2000 miles on them, and I bought the car so recently as an "approved used"?

I realise now that I should have cast a more critical eye over all aspects of the car, but I foolishly assumed that the dealer would be selling the car with decent tyres.

[no_RS]

Marv,

Was it bought from an Audi dealer?

Ask if it will pass an MOT, if they MOT'd the car when you bought it and the tyres were that close there should have been an advisory notice and I think you should be able to obtain some contribution to the cost of new tyres. Assuming it was offical dealer that you bought from, my Multipoint Preparation checklist states 2 tyres with 2mm tread and these were replaced before sale as less than 3mm (sheet states min 3mm). Unfortunately I think it is a buyer beware situation. My 1st S4 had new tyres fitted before purchase but were actually the wrong size, they didn't believe me until they read the numbers, muppets!!

It could also be that the wheel alignment is out and this will shred your tyres very quickly so this could an honest situation but do not agree to them changing them at your cost without seeing what they say is wrong.

And they should have at least given it the service it needed within 2 months, tight bar stewards...

Hope this helps.

Pete

[nihc]

Hi Marv,

I wonder if there is an approved used charter or something explaining about tyre serviceability for approved sale? I'm sure they can't sell you something with tyres so close to the legal limit without imforming you at the point of sale. I would get angry and really push it.
I bought my S4 from Crawley Audi and they were absolute con-merchants. The pre-delivery checklist had just been ticked without looking at the car. I'm sure a lot of the dealers do this and wait for anything to come back. The reason that I know this is that when I received the car in Newcastle, water was leaking from the thermostat - easily seem by opening the bonnet The lights were pointing the wrong way - I found out a few month later when car drivers were flashing me. Anyway, "check headlight aiming" has been ticked on the PDC. There was also a screw sticking out 1" from the door in to the rubber door seal !!!!
I had to threaten to get Audi UK involved - then it was all sorted.

I would say that they should have mentioned that the tyres were low on tread as that is a big safety point and makes the tyres they sold to you on the car not fit for purpose, of low quality and potentially un-safe, which is all part of the new sale of goods act.

Ooo, a bit of a rant.
Hope it helps a bit - bust their balls.

BTW, what tyre make have you got on at the moment?

Regards, Chris.

[HYFR]

if its an Audi dealer, its 3mm min, as said....you will not become illegal in 2 months unless you've been to the 'ring

[marv]

Thanks guys.

After speaking to the dealers a bit more, it turns out the tyres aren't as bad as they made out to me on the phone, but something funny's still going on I'm sure. This is the tyre treads on the tyres according to the Pre Delivery Checklist, vs. what they are now:

N/S/F: was 5mm, now 2mm (at the edges only)
O/S/F: was 5mm, now 2mm (at the edges only)
N/S/R: was 4mm, now 2mm
O/S/R: was 7mm, now 7mm
Spare: was 4mm, now 2mm!! (I haven't looked at the tyre for more than 2 minutes, let alone driven on it!)

So, it seems to me that they're measuring the best part of the tyre for the PDC, and the worst for the service in order to flog me new tyres. Now the three tyres that are fitted that have dropped to 2mm are only Federals (who?!) so they may not be the best tyres, but to lose 3mm & 2mm in 2000 miles? Seems like quite a lot.

Another thing I noticed as I was checking the PDC is that it states that on Quattros: "All four wheels must be fitted with tyres of the same type, make and tread pattern".

The car was supplied to me with one odd tyre!

Now that I know that the tyres are not illegal, the main problem is that the dealers wont drive my car back the 100 miles to me, as they state that their policy is that tread this low is too dangerous for their drivers to drive on. I'm sorely tempted to just drive down there myself and pick up the car. I certainly don't want to be giving them the business for new tyres!

[BlingBling]

They are trying to fleece you. I think you are right that during the PDC they used the highest depth and are now using the lowest. I find it difficult to believe that you have taken off 3mm of tread in only 2K miles. Also I would point out to them that they provided you with a car that did not comly with their own PDC. I.e. same type, amke and tread pattern for the tyres.

[HYFR]

i'd get the shot gun out

[Phil3103]

Sorry to bust in on your forum chaps but I was just having a nosey. I had a similar thing with my RS4. PDC stated that all tyres were 5mm. It then went in for an MOT about 3 weeks later (when I realised that the mileage on the MOT certificate done well before I bought it was still higher than was on my car - they missed that on the PDC too) another Audi dealer said the treads were just below 3mm. How I wore off 2mm of tyres in under 500 miles still confuses me. More to the point, the tyres were right on the acceptable line so they told a porky on the PDC thinking nobody would pick it up until the next MOT in 12 month and by that time it would be reasonable to expect some wear.

Took it up with Audi UK and they wouldn't budge on money off for the tyres. Did get a complimentary alignment out of them though and as a result ended up with a full tank of RON99 fuel as apparently the quattro needs a full tank for the readings to be accurate. Audi UK paid for that too and as it was nearly empty when I took it in (I never give it the stealer with more fuel than they need to drive it around the forecourt) I did ok out of it.

Next car I get I'll be checking the tyres myself. Frustrating but I'll live and learn.

[pegbox7]

there has been many threads on the other forums about the quattro systems needing the same rolling circumference on all tyres for the quattro system to work without doing dammage. Some have aledged that it needs to be accurate even down to tyre depths, if this is the case then the dealer has documented for you that they have not done this and have sent a car out knowingly that could cause dammage to intelegent 4wd system.

With regards to tyre depths it will be very difficult to prove wear as they could just turn around and say that you have done a track day, been to the ring driven excessively hard etc and worn them out yourself ( Even if you haven't it would be difficult to prove otherwise)

[B6S4John]

I've only driven about 2000 miles on them,

Only?
My last set of P Zero rosso's only lasted 10,000 miles, so at that rate, you've had 20% of the wear rate.

[marv]

I've only driven about 2000 miles on them,

Only?
My last set of P Zero rosso's only lasted 10,000 miles, so at that rate, you've had 20% of the wear rate.

Yeah, that is a fair point - the tyres on it are pretty crap, so it may well be that they've worn a fair bit. However the spare tyre apparently wore down by 2-3mm, and that hasn't been looked at, let alone driven on!

I'm awaiting official info from Audi UK regarding the speed & load rating they specify for this car, along with confirmation that the 4 tyres need to be identical (not that much confirmation of that one is required - it says so on the pre-delivery checklist!). Depending on what they come back with, I may pursue the dealer for new tyres/goodwill against new tyres based on the fact that they a) supplied the car with non-matching tyres, and possibly b) that they may have supplied the car with tyres which don't meet the recommended ratings.

Thanks for your thoughts so far guys, I'll let you know how I get on.

[HYFR]

i picked up my RS 4 on saturday and took it straight o kwik fit for them to tell me how much mm was left

turnout out Audi were telling the truth

this time...

[marv]

Just thought I'd update you all on what's happened on this;

After speaking to Audi UK to confirm their official line on the exact tyre specs required for the S4 (this took several attempts before I got a full spec) I contacted the dealership involved, stating that the car was sold to me with mismatched, inadequately specced tyres. (Thanks VERY much to Micalee for the correct words to use regarding the Sale of Goods Act).

The dealership took a few days to respond, but ultimately agreed to stump up the cost of 4 new tyres! The cheque arrived in the post today, so I'm very chuffed with this, and I think pretty lucky that I got as much as I did. But it goes to show, it's always worth taking the time to write an email/letter.

For reference, the tyres Audi UK specify are 235/40/R18/95Y Extra load (XL).

[no_RS]

It is always nice to hear someone get a good result, what bugs me is that they do it in the first place..

[MICALEE]

The dealership took a few days to respond, but ultimately agreed to stump up the cost of 4 new tyres! The cheque arrived in the post today, so I'm very chuffed with this, and I think pretty lucky that I got as much as I did. But it goes to show, it's always worth taking the time to write an email/letter.

For reference, the tyres Audi UK specify are 235/40/R18/95Y Extra load (XL).

Marv, that is brilliant news and I am well chuffed for you - glad I could of been some help - it pays to persist and be patient.