I`ve got a problem with tyres and maybe more

[Alastair]

As you know I bought a Jaguar sovereign XJ six in March this year. The water board had the road for a long time so I was unable to get out in it.

I've been on one or two fairly brisk trips in it and I find that I'm getting wheel patter at about 50 to 70 miles an hour. I started to investigate this weekend and checked all the tyre pressures and to my amazement I found that the two front tyres are totally different brands. The Jaguar owners book does say they should be the same brand and tread. I spoke to the previous owner of the vehicle at weekend and he said that he'd hit a big pothole in Portugal, and the only tyre that was available was the one that he had fitted prior to selling it to the retailer. I'm having the car checked over tomorrow by an independent, and hoping that there is no damage to the tracking or anything else to do with the suspension. My thoughts also now are to go back to the original retailer and request that they put matching tyres on the front as recommended by Jaguar as they are Jaguar dealers. Am I asking too much?

I'll let you know the outcome of the checks tomorrow

[Steve]

Hi Alastair

I reckon you will have a hard time, unless it is deemed dangerous then they may get away with it.

The tread on the car does matter, and is recommdended to keep the same tyre brand a ype on the same axle, but it wont make you un-roadworthy

I also think that you could have a buckled alloy. But since you bought it in march there is no proof that they sold it to you like that. They will use any excuse in the book.

[Alastair]

Hi Alastair

I reckon you will have a hard time, unless it is deemed dangerous then they may get away with it.

The tread on the car does matter, and is recommdended to keep the same tyre brand a ype on the same axle, but it wont make you un-roadworthy

I also think that you could have a buckled alloy. But since you bought it in march there is no proof that they sold it to you like that. They will use any excuse in the book.

[Alastair]

Well it's all been a fairly happy ending, I took the vehicle in today and left it with Kwik-Fit who checked over this suspension shock absorbers and balanced up all four wheels. They did check the tracking and that was slightly out.

I'm taking Steve's advice and what I'm doing is I'm replacing the Michelin tyre with a matching Pirelli one, Kwik-Fit didn't have one on their web site, but the local Kwik-Fit on Harrogate Road in Leeds have done me a deal and sourced one which should be with them tomorrow.

I'm loving the car and if it continues to perform well then next year I think I shall buy the new XJ – – new – – gulp! I shall not buy it from the same retailer who obviously bought the car at a very discount price and sold it to me as a bit of an inflated price but I shall go and buy it elsewhere. One of the problems that happen on delivery was that the nearside passenger door lining was badly damaged and they did take that back and replace it with a new one but I feel that they've just done a quick mechanical service and not looked at the vehicle in its entirety.

I know car dealers are next to horse dealing, but the price you pay for a Jaguar one expects better than the average. Hopefully the new tyre will be fitted tomorrow and it's going to be many happy miles of motoring.

Best wishes to all members

Alastair :-)

[Alastair]

Well it never rains but it pours, I checked with Kwik-Fit and would you believe they'd still have NOT a matching Pirelli tyre,none with other supplies either. Pirelli have stopped making them at the moment; and on further investigations with Pirelli, they're not going to start manufacturing this particular tyre again until the beginning of August.

Anyway, I'm stuck with a Pirelli on one side and a totally different configuration of a Michelin on the other side. The report back following the balancing of the wheels, was that there is no question about it the car has been "kerbed" and these indentations which are only slight are on all four wheels. Heaven only knows what's happened to the tyres but there are federals on the back. All the actual rims have been checked and they are fine.

I've had a bit of a windfall, so I've decided to put two new Michelins on the front and ordered them at a substantial discount on the Internet from Kwik-Fit hopefully these should arrive at my local Kwik-Fit branch tomorrow and will be fitted.

What a Palaver.

Best,

Alastair

[Steve]

great to hear you are getting things sorted alistair!

if you ever have different brands in future just make sure they are either both directional tyres of standard tyres, shouldnt have too many problems.

[BigAl]

Hi Alistair, I would just like to add that when I went to buy a used car, I had an independent inspection done on the car and they found on the front tyres to be different makes and said that if I had an accident the insurance may not pay out, so the dealer replaced one of the front tyres, glad you are getting your car sorted out. :D

[Alastair]

Many thanks for that response to my posting, I've not gone back to the garage yet but I shall do and indicate to them that my next Jaguar will not be bought from them. Their predelivery inspection was absolutely pathetic, I had a large piece of the nearside rear door lining about the size of a dinner plate missing. It was only when I pointed it out to them that they decided that they would replace it. Putting the two new Michelins on the front has cost over £500, I'm sure it's not the salesman's fault, it's the mechanical people in the workshop who just have not looked at stuff prior to delivery.

I got the impression that the car had come into them and they were frantic for a quick sale, once they get to sixth of April in the motor trade which is the new financial year something weird happens and everything goes back to a low value.

I spoke to the previous owner of my car, and he confirmed that he damaged the front wheel on a holiday in Portugal. He couldn't get a matching tyre so got home on the Pirelli. On further inspection the Michelin on the other side was damaged and the report back from Kwik-Fit said the entire car had been "kerbed" there are small dents on the rims of all the wheels and the tracking was "Out". I'm not going to reveal the retailer's name yet but will do before this is all over. They are supposed to be reputable Jaguar dealers

[Alastair]

Well interestingly enough, would you believe the dealer rang me up with a "courtesy call". I told the problem that I been having and that there was a damaged tyre which was dangerous which had gone through their workshop and predelivery inspection. They just said that they would look at the file and I don't think they really believe me but I can assure you I shall not buy another car from them and I certainly wouldn't have a vehicle go through their workshop which is as slipshod as this. When I spoke to the previous owner who admitted he'd had problems with potholes in Portugal, he even told me how much the garage had given me for his car, they made a £3000 profit, and he also told me how much he paid for his new car and what sort of discount he got on it so we were talking on very friendly terms. Basically he wanted to get rid of the car as he knew that there were problems and he didn't fancy one of the new models and had got money to spend – – like £50,000 :-)

if there are any developments from this I will keep everybody posted.

I wish I had approached Jaguar direct, because Jaguar UK have got a reputation to keep and obviously the dealer who I dealt with was just after a "quick profit". Though having so said that the actual representative that I dealt with was highly professional and I think was unaware of the problem with the vehicle, I feel I need to be fair to him.

Alastair

[BigAl]

Sorry yo hear you have had a bad time with this Alastair, some dealers never learn and just offer bad service, then wonder why sales fall off, because customers can communicate in these forums or Facebook etc, hope they offer you some sort of compensation, good luck.

[Alastair]

To be quite honest, I've made up my mind that I didn't want compensation as such, the message that will go back to the dealer if he ever communicates with me again is that I will never buy another Jaguar from them, and no Jaguar of mine will ever go through their workshop. I remain financially independent of them.

I'm not quite sure if we should be naming and shaming dealers on here, I'm quite prepared to do so

Best,

Alastair

[BigAl]

Hi Alastair, Sorry you never got this resolved

we are trying to update the this site, so owners become more active, maybe looking at where people get good sales, after care and servicing etc could be a start

hope your Jaguar experience gets better.

Alan

[markc]

when I bought my car , private sales , it had new MOT with two new (budget ) tires on the back which was quite good fun going sideways round corners in the wet but couldnt really afford to replace them .

One of the front tires was a bit worn so looked around for a pair but then got a bit suspish when i went by the " your speed is " signs and I was doing 35mph but clock was reading 40mph , as i have xj8 17inch wheels on I did a bit of research and found the size hadnt been worked out right for the car so need to replace all 4 grrr

Luck for me though my mechanic races in the toyota sprint series and races with Jonny Milner motorsport who has a huge tire place a few miles from Hull

so I got him to work out the right size and I got 2 x toyos with 7mm tread and 2 x dunlop sport with 7mm tread for £165 fitted and balanced bargain, handles like a mini now lol

J

[Alastair]

I'm afraid it's a bit late in the day markc, but many thanks for the location and name of the supplier that you got your tyres from – – I shall keep that the Mac my mind when the two utility tyres at the rear decide to die

Best,

Alastair