Tyre Fitter Damaged Alloy
Discussion
Hi guys,
Just before lockdown I had to replace a tyre. The tyre fitter damaged the wheel (gouging the lip, rear and marking around the bolt holes). No dispute by the garage and blamed user error. They offered to rectify without question (with a refurbishment). Lockdown happened within the week and I was advised all the Refurb places were closed (fair enough).
I chased them again this week asking if there's now opportunity to get this sorted but I'm getting similar responses to when it first happened. I'm starting to get a twitchy bum as these wheels are over £1k a piece from Audi and I have genuine concerns a refurbishment won't be able to accurately replicate the remaining wheels.
Am I being unreasonable if I start applying pressure as I don't want this dragging on longer than needed. Additionally should I be pushing for a new wheel?
Just before lockdown I had to replace a tyre. The tyre fitter damaged the wheel (gouging the lip, rear and marking around the bolt holes). No dispute by the garage and blamed user error. They offered to rectify without question (with a refurbishment). Lockdown happened within the week and I was advised all the Refurb places were closed (fair enough).
I chased them again this week asking if there's now opportunity to get this sorted but I'm getting similar responses to when it first happened. I'm starting to get a twitchy bum as these wheels are over £1k a piece from Audi and I have genuine concerns a refurbishment won't be able to accurately replicate the remaining wheels.
Am I being unreasonable if I start applying pressure as I don't want this dragging on longer than needed. Additionally should I be pushing for a new wheel?
Edited by EnthusiastOwned on Tuesday 9th June 16:07
EnthusiastOwned said:
Hi guys,
Just before lockdown I had to replace a tyre. The tyre fitter damaged the wheel (gouging the lip, rear and marking around the bolt holes). No dispute by the garage and blamed user error. They offered to rectify without question (with a refurbishment). Lockdown happened within the week and I was advised all the Refurb places were closed (fair enough).
I chased them again this week asking if there's now opportunity to get this sorted but I'm getting similar responses to when it first happened. I'm starting to get a twitchy bum as these wheels are over £1k a piece from Audi and I have genuine concerns a refurbishment won't be able to accurately replicate the remaining wheels.
I would think it'll get sorted, just keep on them. Yours won't be the first wheel they've damaged, nor the first wheel they've had refurbed.Just before lockdown I had to replace a tyre. The tyre fitter damaged the wheel (gouging the lip, rear and marking around the bolt holes). No dispute by the garage and blamed user error. They offered to rectify without question (with a refurbishment). Lockdown happened within the week and I was advised all the Refurb places were closed (fair enough).
I chased them again this week asking if there's now opportunity to get this sorted but I'm getting similar responses to when it first happened. I'm starting to get a twitchy bum as these wheels are over £1k a piece from Audi and I have genuine concerns a refurbishment won't be able to accurately replicate the remaining wheels.
EnthusiastOwned said:
Am I being unreasonable if I start applying pressure as I don't want this dragging on longer than needed. Additionally should I be pushing for a new wheel?
Yes, completely unreasonable, IMO.If this is a 'special' wheel it's probably very big, and wearing very low-profile tyres that are a b
d to fit. Very, very easy to cause minor damage to the wheel. If you'd said 'any damage and I want the wheel replacing', then I expect they'd have declined your business. RobM77 said:
Sadly this is quite common. There's a tyre fitter and four wheel alignment centre near me that have inflicted damage to my car on three separate visits to them. They just denied it each time. :-/
"Wasn't us Rob! Same as it wasn't us the last time or the time before that! See you again next time! Cheers!"You're a good customer. Would you like to be a customer of mine? Please?
SpeckledJim said:
RobM77 said:
Sadly this is quite common. There's a tyre fitter and four wheel alignment centre near me that have inflicted damage to my car on three separate visits to them. They just denied it each time. :-/
"Wasn't us Rob! Same as it wasn't us the last time or the time before that! See you again next time! Cheers!"You're a good customer. Would you like to be a customer of mine? Please?
Thanks for the input everyone.
These are 19" Black edition wheels. 35 profile tyres. I wouldn't say special. But not fitted to many vehicles in this spec; hence hard to get hold of.
For context, when I informed the place, they advised I was the 4th person that morning with the same complaint, the last being an Aston at about £3k a piece. I think someone got a smacked bum that morning
The reason i'm getting concerned is that I managed to get some wheels refurbished during lockdown, the place advised they've done some wheels for the fitters before and confirmed it'll never be right - The wheels have decals which can't be replicated and the way these wheels are cut from the factory can't be replicated by the machines as the lip will be deeper and wider.
The fitters have been open all lockdown and most refurb places have been open a while now. I have low confidence that without pressure nothing will happen.
These are 19" Black edition wheels. 35 profile tyres. I wouldn't say special. But not fitted to many vehicles in this spec; hence hard to get hold of.
For context, when I informed the place, they advised I was the 4th person that morning with the same complaint, the last being an Aston at about £3k a piece. I think someone got a smacked bum that morning
The reason i'm getting concerned is that I managed to get some wheels refurbished during lockdown, the place advised they've done some wheels for the fitters before and confirmed it'll never be right - The wheels have decals which can't be replicated and the way these wheels are cut from the factory can't be replicated by the machines as the lip will be deeper and wider.
The fitters have been open all lockdown and most refurb places have been open a while now. I have low confidence that without pressure nothing will happen.
It's a tough one, and they should do what they can to put it right. But nobody is going to be willing to change a tyre for £8 (or whatever they charged you) if any damage is going to cost them £1000.
Fitting 35-section tyres is a horrible job, with lots of force required just 1-2 mm from a 'diamond-cut' surface.
The wheels with finishes like this are not really fit for real life. They might look great in the brochure and the showroom, but they are too easy to damage, and have a finish that isn't really repairable.
Failure and disappointment fitted as standard.
Fitting 35-section tyres is a horrible job, with lots of force required just 1-2 mm from a 'diamond-cut' surface.
The wheels with finishes like this are not really fit for real life. They might look great in the brochure and the showroom, but they are too easy to damage, and have a finish that isn't really repairable.
Failure and disappointment fitted as standard.
Sy1441 said:
From experience I've found a refurb is better than a replacement in some instances. I had a 20" BE Audi wheel replaced for a new one after about 40k and it stood out like a sore thumb as it was perfect and the others had some wear.
The remaining are immaculate. Had the car professionally detailed not long before with the wheels polished and ceramic coated. Hence being a bit on edge about it all. 
Edited by EnthusiastOwned on Tuesday 9th June 16:50
In the future to avoid this happening again, buy your tyres online and get them fitted by a company that sells alloys wheels as they will take better care of your alloys compared to any of the fast fit chains.
I use a local alloy retailer to fit my internet supplied tyres - they sell alloys worth thousands of pounds that would be purchased by a supercar owner so I have faith that they won't damage my alloys.
PS: OP, I too have an Audi with those same Audi Sport logos on my alloys.
I use a local alloy retailer to fit my internet supplied tyres - they sell alloys worth thousands of pounds that would be purchased by a supercar owner so I have faith that they won't damage my alloys.
PS: OP, I too have an Audi with those same Audi Sport logos on my alloys.
RobM77 said:
Sadly this is quite common. There's a tyre fitter and four wheel alignment centre near me that have inflicted damage to my car on three separate visits to them. They just denied it each time. :-/
OK. I'll ask.Before the second time why no pics of wheels before?
Third time I would be getting them to note down all damage prior to touching it
Sir Bagalot said:
OK. I'll ask.
Before the second time why no pics of wheels before?
Third time I would be getting them to note down all damage prior to touching it
deBefore the second time why no pics of wheels before?
Third time I would be getting them to note down all damage prior to touching it
I've had 3 s
t experiences with tyre fitting specialists recently because my usual tyre fitter has been closed so I thought let's try some places with Pro an Tyre in their name.. I simply cannot understand why there are so many muppet at these places, it's always the same, some bloke in his 40s who thinks he knows everything and a team of 16 year olds who dont know their ass from their elbow let alone the difference between a £20 steel wheel and £500 worth of 3 piece BBS Rs. That's what gets on my nerves.
I must have had too high expectations when I take a £2000 set of wheels and a £1000 set and ask to have some tyres swapped over and am asked "do you want us to scrap the old wheels" to which I said No I expect them back and without a mark on them, oh says the guy "would you like us to take care with them"? I should have left right then. However I'm now £130 lighter and have 4 tyres fitted the wrong way on staggered wheels and they cocked up the tracking to so now I have to get that redone to.
Even dishing out the 1 star reviews and slating them online I'm still raging.
Op keep pushing them to sort it! It's amazing they admitted that they have had other wheels to refurb due to their negligence / incompetence, it's this kind of arrogance from these places that does my head in.
SpeckledJim said:
It's a tough one, and they should do what they can to put it right. But nobody is going to be willing to change a tyre for £8 (or whatever they charged you) if any damage is going to cost them £1000.
Fitting 35-section tyres is a horrible job, with lots of force required just 1-2 mm from a 'diamond-cut' surface.
The wheels with finishes like this are not really fit for real life. They might look great in the brochure and the showroom, but they are too easy to damage, and have a finish that isn't really repairable.
Failure and disappointment fitted as standard.
Sadly, mainly this!Fitting 35-section tyres is a horrible job, with lots of force required just 1-2 mm from a 'diamond-cut' surface.
The wheels with finishes like this are not really fit for real life. They might look great in the brochure and the showroom, but they are too easy to damage, and have a finish that isn't really repairable.
Failure and disappointment fitted as standard.
dhutch said:
£130 to swap some wheels around? And when they got them wrong you still paid? Really?
I paid for 4 tyres to be removed from one set of wheels and fitted/balanced (I provided new valves) to another set of wheels which were all in the boot of the car, then do 4 wheel alignment to "my" spec. The alignment was £70, when it went in the car ran in a straight line with the wheel ever so slightly to the left(I'd replaced the steering rack +track rod ends, lower arms, top mounts and lined the car up by eye to drive it there)Pre alignment I had - 2.3* camber on the front on one side and - 1.1* on the other with 1* on the rear.
After alignment instead of - 1.5* front - 1*rear I asked for I have - 1*front and - 2* rear
Asked them why and was told I couldn't get 1.5* on the front as there "isn't enough adjustment "even though their print out shows - 2.36* so is there any point arguing with someone who can't even read their own sodding alignment report.
I can go back and get them to try again but since I waited 2days for an appointment last time and it took them 3 hours to do both jobs, I'd rather put up with it until my mate can do a proper job and tell friends /family not bother taking their cars to the place.
This is why I really feel for the OP and everyone who feels completely let down by crap garages.
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