19" Bridgestone RF's issue rejected - advise please.

[sinly]

I have had inside wear problems on 2008 335i with the 19" Bridgestones which meant 1st set of rears shedding at 11k (literally on inner edge)and after buying new ones and having BMW KDS done to ensure no blame could be pointed there drove 4,500 on them before significant wear again on inner edge.

Basically tyre pressures checked weekly, very well looked after car a lightly used (no wifie or kids etc). Bought from Kwik-fit as was over £200 cheaper than through BMW and so was told had to go direct to Bridgestone (through KF) although BMW UK were aware of problems and there was a new compound version out which had resolved problems. Spent another £540 (which was cheapest around)on 2 rears and sent part worn back.

So basically Bridgestone have written back rejecting the claim saying 'The tyre has been run in an underinflated/overladen condition, evident by accelerated wear on shoulders and compression chafing around the bead. Also noted was creasing/discolouration of the inner liner. Continued service in this condition has increased heat build up and stresses within the tyre, causing a premature deterioration of the rubber compound (seen as cracks).

'Operational factors beyond their control....' means no compensation.

Any previous experience/advise on challenging this would be appreciated taking into account:

4,500miles wear
KDS done within 50miles of fitting
Pressures regularly checked & approx 5 visits to BMW who check pressures too
Light use...its a convertible and really can't get much in if tried!
Old compound tyre before recised introduced later last year.

At work today with no net access, but any help would be appreciated...over 10p/mile for just rears is surely not acceptable!!

Thanks, Charles

[phumy]

Just a question which would help in one of the issues, when you checked the tyre pressures on a weekely basis, were the pressures ok or did you have to top them up, if you did what was the pressures before and after topping up?

Have you checked the wheels as there is history on BMW alloy wheels cracking and losing pressure?

[wheels-inmotion]

The rear camber angles on your car are very deep (negative) offering a sport geometry calibration, the negative position would distort the tyres sidewall problem is the run-flat sidewall cannot distort so the inner is subjected to,to much weight during the suspensions transitions. The manufacturers data on the KDS is a suggestion not the law, if they dial out 15'- 20' of camber the tyres will wear fine.

Tony

[sinly]

Not that mechanically minded, but the camber angles has been menmtioned a few times...17k miles now and had 2x KDS and apparently out both times. Tyres have only required very minor top up a couple of times and not loosing pressure through crack, though did have that issue and bought a wheel last year which BMW eventually paid for after watchdog!

I'll see how I go then, though not sure if I should now take it up with the credit card company, Kwik Fit or Bridgestone....plenty of other stuff on to be thinking about, but hey ho..let you know if get any joy as might be the same for other people on here.

[TheEnd]

sinly said:

not sure if I should now take it up with the credit card company, Kwik Fit or Bridgestone.

i think only BMW are the ones you could try to go after. there is nothing to say the tyres caused a problem

[StuB]

You can try and battle these knobbers technically and by evidencing your data and get all stressed when you get nowhere or you can vote with your wallet and your mouth and tell people about your experiences of these 'brands' and their 'customer service'.

Perhaps a letter to someone in Marketing and a GM/Director first, stating your initial experiences of their 'service' after their 'product' proved itself not fit for purpose and then state your level of disappointment and what your planned next steps would be, passing on "your experiences", via the power of the internet.

Personally, I will not buy RFT's again!

[sinly]

BME don't want to know as didn't spend another £200 buying the tyres from them, though told me that each case they dealt with had been compensated by Bridgestone and the new compound tyres had not received any problems after fitting which is the frustrating part...BMW and Bridgestone know the old spec tyre was not up to the job which is why the new one was developed!

Anyway, as you say stu..

StuB said:

Personally, I will not buy RFT's again!

...although no doubt BMW will lok to pass on warranty work as running non-spec tyres!!!

[Jonny671]

How about getting the alignment done elsewhere rather than BMW? Wheels In Motion are very highly regarded I've heard on here..