NationalTyres destroyed my car

Bogdan10

Hello all,
First, I want to ask apologies for my English and for the long post.
With 1 month ago, I've been at National Tyres Gloucester and I bought 4 new tyres and tracking 4 wheels. I paid with the debit card in the same day. They carried the work and I took the car. After couple of days, with mixed journeys (motorway and national roads) I realised that the car was pulled to the left side (just a bit more than the inclination of the road) and the steering wheel was not in the middle. (In the day of purchasing the goods, I request a printed diagnosis of the tracking but they said the printer was not working)
Because I had 30 days to return for a re-check of the tracking, (with a booking of course) I went back to them and I told them the issues. They started to work on the car, and they fixed the steering wheel and they done the tracking again. I took the car for a road check, and I realised the tracking was worse (pulling left very bad) so I went back to them. They was very kind and they checked again. On this occasion, they gave me a printed diagnosis of the tracking, all the values was on green (but not in the middle, but they said this was in the tolerance) so I took the car again for a road check. On this occasion, the steering wheel was not again in the middle (a bit on to the right side) and car still pulled to the left side. Because I didn't have time to go back to them, I called them, explained about what's happening, and they advice me to drive a longer distance, and in case the issues are still on, to go again to them to have a look.
After 4 days and over 200 miles, I went back to them, and I asked to send one of their guys to drive the car, because I dont want to be considered a lier. That guy he admitted what I've told them, so they started to work again on the car.
Three times in that day they check and they adjusted the tracking, and after each time my car is still pulling left (much more than normal) but at least they fixed the issue with steering wheel. After the last adjustment of tracking, I ask them to explain me why is not alright, what's wrong with this car and if is something that I have to change on that, to tell me and I will do it. They checked the suspension (all good), articulation (all good), brakes (all good), so I told them that they destroyed my car and I want a refund for everything I paid to them (£535 for tyres + tracking) but they told me they are unable to refund me for the tyres, they can refund me for the tracking (£50). Of course I said NO, obviously I dont want to take the risk to waste almost £500 for 4 tyres and to destroy them in a shorter time than normal. 
I request them to change the wheels (left to right) to see, maybe is a problem with one of the tyres, and the answer was "they don't believe is possible to have a defect from manufacturing at a premium brand - Pirelli). I said alright, but to swap the wheels, so, they lift up the car and they haven't swap them, and one of the guys come at me and start to explain something about the brake calipers that they can be problematic. Once again, I said alright, and I asked them to make me a price to change the brake pads (even there are worm almost half). They gave me the price, but the manager (I guess) he told me that he is not guaranteed that this will fix the problem. In that moment I realised that they have a clue about what they did, and they can't fix it, and now they are trying to find another causes for the tracking problem. 
In the end, I said I will change the brake pads at them but only after 2 weeks and I will see how my car will be after a longer journey (about 3000miles).
Somewhere in France, I stopped the car in a petrol station, and there I was talking with a friend about my tyres, so, when he had a loom at the rear right wheel, he showed me a gap in between the wheel and the shaft (I think this is the right word for it, but I will attach a picture of it). In that moment, I took the wheel key to check the studs, but they was tight enough. In the end, I took the wheel of and I put it back, properly and I continued my journey.
So, the car was still pulling to the left side, even the road inclination in France, Switzerland and Italy is orientated to the right. 
Now, I'm back in UK and I want to raise a complaint against them to fix my car, because everything was started to be faulty from the moment when they put the steering wheel in the middle (as it should). I'm saying this, because in that day, I saw one of their guys, a young one, quite confused when his boss asked him to perform this and he went 2 times at him and talked something (maybe about how to do it). As well, I can say they put my life and my family life in danger because of the rear wheel (I have no idea how they can put it like that, you will see).
What you are suggesting?
I'm NOT after compensations, I just want to fix my car and I want to replace the tyres with anothers because (even is not observable) they could be worm more than normal. And as well, about how they "mounted" the rear wheel. Thanks God, nothing happened, but this is unacceptable to put a life in risk because of their incompetence.
Please if someone could advice me on what I should do, and how I can approach them. 
Many thanks,
Bogdan

Bogdan10

I forgot to attach the pictures. 

missile

Not sure what is going on here. Why did you ask for tracking. Was there a fault, before you changed the tyres?
In the photo, it looks like the wheel nuts were loose and you need new brake discs. I would suggest you take it to a Mercedes dealer.

dogshome

Rather odd print out - There is no marker for the Front wheel Camber, unless it's the one on the extreme inner edges of the scales which is miles outside tolerance - ( Misaligned  Camber will effect the steering ).

Do a web search to find your nearest 'Hunter' wheel alignment centre - The cost will be around £50 and then they make a charge for any adjustments they make, but they issue TWO print-outs, the first for wheel states as found, and a second after they have made  adjustments

My first thought was to opt only for the 1st print-out as evidence of Nat.Tyres incompetance, but would be better to let Hunter do the whole job rather than rely on the monkeys at Nat Tyre to get it right - Then demand the cost from Nat Tyre   

Bogdan10

missile said:

Not sure what is going on here. Why did you ask for tracking. Was there a fault, before you changed the tyres?
In the photo, it looks like the wheel nuts were loose and you need new brake discs. I would suggest you take it to a Mercedes dealer.

Basically I've done the tracking/wheel alignment because I bought 4 new tyres and I said is better to make sure I have everything alright.
Before to buy the tyres, the car was alright, never pulled to any side, and how I explained earlier, after they put the new tyres and done the tracking, my car was pulls very slightly to the left (on top of the camber of the road) and the steering wheel was not in the middle position. This makes me to return to the garage for a re-check of the tracking and to ask them to fix the problem with steering wheel. After they worked on, it starts to pull very bad to the left.
Regarding the wheel nuts, there was NOT lose any of them.
The brake disks are quite acceptable so will be alright for one more set of pads.
Trust me, always I perform service only at Mercedes or an mercedes specialist, but on this occasion I found there a better price for tyres.
My question was how I can make them to repair what they broke.
Thanks

dogshome

So the steering was perfectly OK till Nat Tyre re-set the tracking, and they now have had 3 goes at getting it right and failed each time, so the possibilities are that:

1) The staff are ill-trained and don't know how to use the machine

2) The machine itself is faulty

3) A combination of both 2 & 3

With this history why are you still persisting with them? -  A Mec Benz is an expensive car and which you care for by always useing MB for it's servicing.

Get the car to someone who knows what they are doing, ( A Hunter centre? ), and stick Nat Tyre with the bill

couriervanman

As above why get it done when fine

Takmon

couriervanman said:

As above why get it done when fine

It's always best to get the wheel alignment checked and adjusted when getting a set of new tyres because the amount of potholes on the roads it's easy for it to get knocked out a bit and not even know. 
But i only ever take it to a decent garage with Hunter alignment equipment (as mentioned above) because it's the most accurate.

Bogdan10

dogshome said:

So the steering was perfectly OK till Nat Tyre re-set the tracking, and they now have had 3 goes at getting it right and failed each time, so the possibilities are that:

1) The staff are ill-trained and don't know how to use the machine

2) The machine itself is faulty

3) A combination of both 2 & 3

With this history why are you still persisting with them? -  A Mec Benz is an expensive car and which you care for by always useing MB for it's servicing.

Get the car to someone who knows what they are doing, ( A Hunter centre? ), and stick Nat Tyre with the bill

Thank you for your reply.
I left today the car at ProTyre for a check (basically it's a free check for everything they can do). At least, I want to know from another garage if the suspension is fine (as National they said, and what I believed as well). 
After, I will take the car to Kwit Fit because they have the Hunter.
The only reasone why I went back to them so many times, is because I paid for something and they should do what I'm paying for (unfortunately, they are not able or they don't).
What I'm afraid now is, if they broke something when they put the steering wheel in the middle? It's very strange for me how everything started after that job.
They told me are happy to refund the tracking cost, but of course I'm not happy with this and I want my car to be how it was.
Regarding the tyres, is possible to ask for a refund? Honestly, I dont want them anymore, even I can't see any worm on them, I mean to be worm more in a side. The boss from there, told me is not possible this.
So, if I'm going to anothers to fix it, I can ask later National to pay me what I spend at another garage?

What do you think about how they left when back wheel? I havent done absolutely nothing and I have hit nothing to cause that, plus the wheel nuts was very tight, all of them.

Bogdan10

Takmon said:

couriervanman said:

As above why get it done when fine

It's always best to get the wheel alignment checked and adjusted when getting a set of new tyres because the amount of potholes on the roads it's easy for it to get knocked out a bit and not even know. 
But i only ever take it to a decent garage with Hunter alignment equipment (as mentioned above) because it's the most accurate.

Perfectly correct. 
The reason why I chose National is because they had on stock the tyres and I'm never after cheap things for the car, in especially when is about tyres, breaks etc.

waamo

Don't take it to Kwik Fit. That will be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.