Step in tyres? eBay worries
Step in tyres? eBay worries
Author
Discussion

TheArchitect

Original Poster:

1,238 posts

208 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
Sold some tyres on eBay and the buyers tyre fitter has said the tyre is out of shape. They came off my car fine and had no issues. The buyer has said the fitter said "each of the breaks in the tread pattern is one block up and one block down"

Can this happen? I've had some bad eBay experiences and am concerned I'm going to be out of pocket again as the postage wasn't cheap!

TheLordJohn

5,746 posts

175 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
TheArchitect said:
Sold some tyres on eBay and the buyers tyre fitter has said the tyre is out of shape. They came off my car fine and had no issues. The buyer has said the fitter said "each of the breaks in the tread pattern is one block up and one block down"

Can this happen? I've had some bad eBay experiences and am concerned I'm going to be out of pocket again as the postage wasn't cheap!
I'd reply in the fashion of, "fine when fitted to my vehicle for X time/mileage. No damage occured during removal. Sold as seen".

V8RX7

28,982 posts

292 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
Yes it can happen.

Usually causes a noise in use.

To avoid issues I usually offer a refund or a discount - if they get Ebay involved it's a disaster.

barker22

1,037 posts

196 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
Hmmm. Could the buyer be sending you back his 'old' tyres of the same brand/model that needed replacing

anonymous-user

83 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
The buyer pays the return postage... Check out the T&Cs

cuprabob

19,596 posts

243 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
Tread.stepping is very common on the rear of VAG cars. You get a rumbling/droning noise similar to a wheel bearing on it's way.out.

TheArchitect

Original Poster:

1,238 posts

208 months

Sunday 29th June 2014
quotequote all
Hmmm could be fun then! I'll wait and see but I feel like their was no issues when I had them. Hopefully they'll just accept them as opposed to kicking up a fuss.

I hate eBay, far too much hassle.

Riley Blue

23,205 posts

255 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
Tread.stepping is very common on the rear of VAG cars. You get a rumbling/droning noise similar to a wheel bearing on it's way.out.
That's exactly it, I had it on both my A4s.

Mound Dawg

1,925 posts

203 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
Had this on a new AD08 fitted on my Alfa. Tyre looked like it had a big flat spot. We took it off and moved it 180 degrees around the rim so the flat spot was on the other side and now it's fine.

Something to do with the way the tyres seats when it's fitted apparently.

Could also be the stock EBay ruse to wangle a discount out of you though.

Driver101

14,451 posts

150 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
TheLordJohn said:
TheArchitect said:
Sold some tyres on eBay and the buyers tyre fitter has said the tyre is out of shape. They came off my car fine and had no issues. The buyer has said the fitter said "each of the breaks in the tread pattern is one block up and one block down"

Can this happen? I've had some bad eBay experiences and am concerned I'm going to be out of pocket again as the postage wasn't cheap!
I'd reply in the fashion of, "fine when fitted to my vehicle for X time/mileage. No damage occured during removal. Sold as seen".
Sold as seen doesn't apply to ebay sales.

Having has issues myself lately and it seems if the buyer isn't happy, you're in real trouble.

rek

145 posts

152 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
I Had this on a golf.. Changed the tyres and what was a thump on every rotation went away.

HaloGen8

1,413 posts

158 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
Unfortunately sounds a legit 'claim' frown

Going forward it seems the old punch line of 'Sold as seen - no returns' needs to be included in the advert albeit stuff isn't "as seen" Ahem.

Buyer protection and distance selling laws etc. make it all very safe as a consumer, but puts the squeeze on the seller and allows the less honest folk to exploit these safety nets.

V8RX7

28,982 posts

292 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
In fairness - the buyer has bought a tyre that presumably was described as good usable condition.

He has not received that so has every right to complain.

Goods have to be accurately described as the buyer does not have to opportunity to inspect them.

I've recently had to start claims on Ebay because sellers blatantly lied or excluded items that were shown to be included - whether mistakes are made deliberately or not why should the buyer suffer for YOUR mistake ?

Zoobeef

6,004 posts

187 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
If he complains he will win.
The only thing you can do is get him to send them back as at least he's lost the postage cost the same as you but you have your product back then.

Snowboy

8,028 posts

180 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
I realise it's a bit late for this advice.
But whenever I sell old tyres on eBay I demand collection only and cash.

If someone asks for postage (someone always does) they get a polite response saying.
Yes.
But it's cash or bank transfer before collection.
They provide the courier.
I won't pack the tyres beyond gaffa taping them together.
If they are choosing to buy without viewing then they need to agree that they won't try and argue any sort of refund if the tyres aren't exactly as expected as once they have left my possession I have no idea what's happened to them.

It might help next time.

TheArchitect

Original Poster:

1,238 posts

208 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
Hmmm will see what he suggests next as they were absolutely fine on my car with no thunking etc for over 12k so I am a little dubious. The guy has said it can't be seen by eye on the tyre so surely if it was bad enough to cause issues it would be photographable?

I agree if the tyre isn't as described then fine but it was described as a used tyre with no issues during my use but if it has a fault then I'm 50/50 as buyer beware it's a used product but as said its distance eBay selling. Ahh well aslong as I don't end up out of pocket for the postage etc.

Such a shame it's difficult to 100% trust people these days and take their word for it.

TheArchitect

Original Poster:

1,238 posts

208 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
Hmmm will see what he suggests next as they were absolutely fine on my car with no thunking etc for over 12k so I am a little dubious. The guy has said it can't be seen by eye on the tyre so surely if it was bad enough to cause issues it would be photographable?

I agree if the tyre isn't as described then fine but it was described as a used tyre with no issues during my use but if it has a fault then I'm 50/50 as buyer beware it's a used product but as said its distance eBay selling. Ahh well aslong as I don't end up out of pocket for the postage etc.

Such a shame it's difficult to 100% trust people these days and take their word for it.

Kentish

15,169 posts

263 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
Snowboy said:
I realise it's a bit late for this advice.
But whenever I sell old tyres on eBay I demand collection only and cash.

If someone asks for postage (someone always does) they get a polite response saying.
Yes.
But it's cash or bank transfer before collection.
They provide the courier.
I won't pack the tyres beyond gaffa taping them together.
If they are choosing to buy without viewing then they need to agree that they won't try and argue any sort of refund if the tyres aren't exactly as expected as once they have left my possession I have no idea what's happened to them.

It might help next time.
Good advice is this.

CAPP0

20,858 posts

232 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
Tread.stepping is very common on the rear of VAG cars. You get a rumbling/droning noise similar to a wheel bearing on it's way.out.
That's interesting. I travel to Prague on business a lot and every single taxi out there is VAG. I have commented a few times on how almost every taxi I take seems to have a noisy wheel bearing - so maybe this is the explanation?

What causes it?

Superhoop

4,911 posts

222 months

Monday 30th June 2014
quotequote all
Front-wheel-drive vehicles are more subject to the heel & toe wear because the rear tyres can only receive braking force from one direction. As a result, a road noise from the rear tyres becomes louder according to the mileage accumulation.
Tyre pressures out of manufacturers specification, in particular below manufacturers specification, has negative impact on generating uneven tyre wear.