Tyres

Gambler

Just bought a nearly new vauxhall under network q and paid £10K. Have now noticed that the car has continental tyres apart from the front passenger side which has a pirelli fitted. The tyre patterns are different.

Shouldn't the two front tyres be the same?


Thanks

mr_accountant

I thing that’s legal, it just good practice to change in sets i.e. front two should be the same, ando the rear to.

As you’ve found out all the guarantees of these types, (network q in this case) mean nothing, they all get away with what they can.

I would ring up the place you brought it from, tell them you want the same tyre on the front, if they refuse, they may want reminding the local paper is read by many people, and they’ll be reading about them if the tyre is not changed, esp on a 10k car.

xycom1

Could just have been that the original tyre had a puncture or something so they (or the previous owner) just replaced one tyre.

It may have a small difference (IMO the grip with Continental tyres is much better than Pirelli - I have Pirelli on the front and Continental on the back, and will be having the fronts replaced soon).

Gambler

this is off the networkq website

Wheels & tyres

84 Condition of front brake discs
85 Condition of rear brake disc/drums
86 Front brake pads
87 Rear brake shoes/pads
88 Wheel cylinders/callipers
89 Tyres (min 3mm over whole surface)
90 Ensure correct tyre specification
91 Ensure all-round tyre compatibility
92 Check tyre side walls
93 Check tyre pressures
94 Check wheel rims & trims
95 Check for wheel bearing play
96 Check wheel alignment
97 Re-torque wheel nuts to spec.


Should they have picked this up on point 91?

rrockettman

As long as you have two radial tyres of the same size on the axle, it is legal.
They don't have to match or have the same amount of tread, one can even be a remould. They are all legal
At one time you could have had crosssply on the front and radial on the rear, or a wider tyre to the rear axle. This is what was meant by non matching.

A_Doonhamer

Its worth a try asking for something to be done but dont be alarmed if they dont.

As pointed out its all legal and as long tread levels are similer on both tyres you are unlikely to ever actually notice anything. If they refuse a new tyre perhaps ask them to swap the odd tyre to the rear, I would expect them to do this gratis to keep you happy as it will only take them a couple of minutes and then you can have peace of mind at matching front tyres.

david29dpo

this is typical of most garages, vote with your feet next time and take your business elsewhere.

AlanCollier

Different tyres on the same axle probably won't cause you any problems, until that time when you have to brake a bit hard on a slippery road and one grips better than the other. A friend of mine experienced this when she span her car down a motorway slip road and ended up facing the wrong way.

I would ask the garage to change it, or pay for it yourself.

--Alan