S4_marv Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 You're responsible for checking the car over when you buy it. They will have been legal when they sold it to you. If I were the Audi dealer, I would say "sorry, but you were asked to check the car over when you picked it up" - and you will have signed a form to say everything was OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Agree, think its a case of buyer beware I'm afraid. Sorry. BMW (under their approved used scheme) are obliged to replace any tyres with less than 3mm tread on them. Longshot would be to request a copy of the inspection report and hope it shows the tread being too low - so unlikely though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 The dealer will, unfortunately for you, have reasonable grounds to argue that anything could have happened to those tyres in the last 2 months (wheelspin, drifting, you changed the set over) and that they were fine when you collected the car.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 When you bought the car you should have been given a checklist and the tyre tread depths should be stated on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4_marv Posted December 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks for the wisdom guys. I suspect that you're correct and I'll just have to cough up the cash for a new set. I seem to remember that there was an inspection report with the car. I'll have to check that tonight. Part of the problem is that the car's being serviced about 100 miles away from where I live, and as they wont let their driver drive my car home on these tyres, they've got me over a barrel really. I think my best course of action would be to order some tyres to be delivered to the dealership for them to fit, rather than paying dealer prices for tyres. Do you think they'd be open to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 They would, but they'll charge you for fitting. Find a good price from someone like blackcircles.com and then go back to the dealer and ask them to match the price - it'll be a shed load less hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks for the wisdom guys.I suspect that you're correct and I'll just have to cough up the cash for a new set. I seem to remember that there was an inspection report with the car. I'll have to check that tonight. Part of the problem is that the car's being serviced about 100 miles away from where I live, and as they wont let their driver drive my car home on these tyres, they've got me over a barrel really. I think my best course of action would be to order some tyres to be delivered to the dealership for them to fit, rather than paying dealer prices for tyres. Do you think they'd be open to this? Or get a mobile tyre fitter to do it if they can. If the dealer whinges and says they can't do that, ask them if they fit tyres at the delaership. If not, then how will they get the car there.......... Also, ring up seperately (or ask some-one else to) and ask for a tyre quote from the dealer. Then they won't suspect it's you and have you pay RRP for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Jeez - you make it soooo complicated Cruiser! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quattroman Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 I got a full set of new tyres from the Audi dealer I bought my B5 from when I pointed out the notice in the owners manual that said the quattro system required identical tyres on all 4 corners (it didn't when they sold it so me). This was a few days after I picked it up so there is some scope for getting them to do the right thing even if you didn't notice it at the time you took delivery. If that fails, out of sheer bloody mindedness I wouldn't let them get the business, even if you have to flatbed it to another tyre fitter! -Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Jeez - you make it soooo complicated Cruiser! Well, if it saves him some cash and stops the dealer from bending him over........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 This was a few days after I picked it up There's a big difference between a few days and after 2000 miles though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Having recently bought my approved used A4 B7. I spotted the front tyres wanted replacing. I was assured they would be done anyway as the approved used policy states they must be replaced if wear is below 3mm. So yours should have been done before you got the car. By the same token, when I got the car, a day after i realised the rear tyre pressures where low. 22psi!! and they'd supposedly been checked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 But that's assuming they were below 3mm when the car was collected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 true. but even in my tyre shredding book thats a lot of wear for road usage, eitherway its worth throwing that at them and see what can be got out of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 There's a big difference between a few days and after 2000 miles though... <pedant> Not if you drove 1,000 miles a day. On two consecutive days </pedant> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4_marv Posted December 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 Blimey, a flood of replies since I last checked!! the owners manual that said the quattro system required identical tyres on all 4 corners That's interesting, as mine did not have identical tyres when I got it. But I suspect that 2 months and 2000 miles may be a bit long for them to accept doing anything about that. What's interesting is that they told me that the spare tyre was also "shot", but I'm sure the pre-delivery report said that it was fine, and it hasn't been touched since I got the car!! I have a courtesy car from them at present, so I'm tempted to just drive the 100 miles to them to pick it up, and sort the tyres myself. Only thing I'd lose out on is the free tank of V-Power they promised me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 I have identical tyres usually - but I replace them 1 axle at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 <pedant> Not if you drove 1,000 miles a day. On two consecutive days </pedant> But S4_marv says it was 200 miles in 2 months, not 2 days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 I have identical tyres usually - but I replace them 1 axle at a time! Not a great idea - the difference in rolling circumference between new and worn (or even part worn) tyres can be quite large. IIRC there's been posts from guys in the US saying that the advice from AoA is that the tread depth should be within 3/32" - or about 2mm. Since a new tyre has about 8mm of tread, that means if your part-worn tyres have less than 6mm of tread you will be putting extra load on the Torsen centre diff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micalee Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 I had aissue with tyres from an approved dealership: http://www.tyresmoke.net/forum/audi-technical/118727-xl-tyres.html Long and short of it, they were the incorrect tyres fitted. I quoted the sales of goods act in as much as Under the Sale of Goods Act, it is the responsibility of you, the seller, to ensure that the product that you are selling, in this case Audi S4, [reg plate] is of Satisfactory Quality. **To be of a satisfactory quality, goods should be free from defect, fit for their normal purpose and for any particular purpose specified at the time of sale; correctly described; of a satisfactory appearance and finish; safe and durable. I also spoke to Audi UK to confirm the correct tyres and after a few emails i had 4 new tyres fitted. I agree with all the above points in as much as in the time you have had the car, you could have technically worn the tyres down due to your driving style (not suggesting you have) which would be Audi's argument and hard for you to prove. I would check that you have the correct tyres on there for the vehicle as per the manufactorers specifications. If the speed rating or load is incorrect, you can go down the same line as me regardless of whether the car is used or not. (I have my letter if you wish for a copy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4_marv Posted December 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 Thanks again 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, probably 3mm or better over the middle 3/4) O/S/F: was 5mm, now 2mm (at the edges only, probably 3mm or better over the middle 3/4) 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 part 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". (As someone has also previously posted). But 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. Even 2mm at the edge of the tyres is apparently considered dangerous on a car like this because it can take corners quickly - but should their driver really be pushing the car to its limits in the corners when delivering it back to me?! 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! Sorry for the rant! Your thoughts and advice are much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlot Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 Depends on how much of a row you are after. S4 tyres should always be extra load (is a 95Y from memory) and the same tyre all round. They are prone to wearing the inside of the fronts badly so it is worth checking your tyres with the steering on full lock regularly. Personally I would ring the dealer and say they supplied the car with different tyres front and back and see what they say. Trying to get them on tread depth after two months is a no hoper IMHO. Enjoy the car! PS Make the OSR the spare and buy four new tyres - I changed mine from Sport Contact2's to P Zero Rossos last year and it was a good move with much better wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maersk Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 You MAY find they are the cheapest deal for a quality tyre...... I have found that to be the case in the past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 I would be asking them how the hell the spare has lost 2mm!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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