What would cause a used car to have 4 mismatched tyres?

lukester · 11-08-2011 10:52AM #1

I'm looking to buy used at the moment, and at the weekend went to see a car at a small indie garage. The car, while mostly clean cosmetically, had 4 mismatched tyres, all cheapo chinese ones. I asked the dealer why, and suffice to say that he just added to the already flowing torrent of BS that had been streaming from his mouth with some excuse about punctures and so long as the tyre ratings are the same...yada yada.

Anyway, leaving aside potential safety issues, what would cause a car to have mismatched tyres on the same axle? All I can think of is severe tyre damage to one of them, either from a crash or hitting a kerb at speed.

And 4 mismatched tyres on the car? All I can surmise is a crash. Any other ideas?

dingding · 11-08-2011 10:53AM

What sort of mileage is on the car.

lukester · 11-08-2011 10:55AM

About 100,000 kms.

YouTookMyName · 11-08-2011 10:55AM

4 mismatched brands or 4 mismatched sizes?

lukester · 11-08-2011 10:55AM

YouTookMyName wrote: »

4 mismatched brands or 4 mismatched sizes?

Brands.

Magic Beans · 11-08-2011 10:55AM

It may have had a set of alloys and tyres stolen from it and replaced as cheaply as possible from breaker's yard???

TestTransmission · 11-08-2011 10:56AM

A good way to judge a car and how it's been maintained in my opinion is the make/quality of the tyres been used.In your situation,I'd walk away.

Where To · 11-08-2011 10:56AM

Part worn?

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:00AM

TestTransmission wrote: »

A good way to judge a car and how it's been maintained in my opinion is the make/quality of the tyres been used.In your situation,I'd walk away.

I walked away alright. I already had a bad feeling about the car from the most nervy salesman I've ever met. The mismatched cheapo tyres on what was supposed to be a 'premium' brand car added to my misgivings.

Then he told me that the ballpark figure we'd discussed on the phone was wrong, and they were actually looking for 2 grand more than that.

Anyway, I was trying to figure out if there was ever a legitimate reason for having 4 mismatched tyres, or even 2 on the same axle, and couldn't come up with one.

YouTookMyName · 11-08-2011 11:01AM

TestTransmission wrote: »

A good way to judge a car and how it's been maintained in my opinion is the make/quality of the tyres been used.In your situation,I'd walk away.

I've seen Mercs,Bmw's and non felt spec Audis rolling on Sunnys, Triangles and Fullruns

I've seen Fords,Toyotas and Nissans Rolling on Bridgestones,Goodyears and Michelin.

Tyres wouldn't bother me if i got enough discount on the car to go towards a new set.

TestTransmission · 11-08-2011 11:02AM

What was the car anyway?

Anan1 · 11-08-2011 11:02AM

lukester wrote: »

I'm looking to buy used at the moment, and at the weekend went to see a car at a small indie garage. The car, while mostly clean cosmetically, had 4 mismatched tyres, all cheapo chinese ones. I asked the dealer why, and suffice to say that he just added to the already flowing torrent of BS that had been streaming from his mouth with some excuse about punctures and so long as the tyre ratings are the same...yada yada.

Anyway, leaving aside potential safety issues, what would cause a car to have mismatched tyres on the same axle? All I can think of is severe tyre damage to one of them, either from a crash or hitting a kerb at speed.

And 4 mismatched tyres on the car? All I can surmise is a crash. Any other ideas?

Poor maintenance. And if you don't want to be dealing with this on a regular basis then do yourself a favour and buy privately. That way you'll have a pretty good idea from the phone call of what the car's like.

johnos1984 · 11-08-2011 11:03AM

Sounds like they got cheapo part worns thrown on before displaying the car.

I've bought a car like that but haven't changed them yet as I'm barely using it and it's going to stand for the winter.

More cheap preparation than cheap maintenance by the owner I'd say

Anan1 · 11-08-2011 11:10AM

YouTookMyName wrote: »

I've seen Mercs,Bmw's and non felt spec Audis rolling on Sunnys, Triangles and Fullruns

I've seen Fords,Toyotas and Nissans Rolling on Bridgestones,Goodyears and Michelin.

Tyres wouldn't bother me if i got enough discount on the car to go towards a new set.

As Test Transmission said, it's not just about the tyres themselves (and make/model is largely irrelevant). Tyres are a good indicator of the general approach to maintaining the car.

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:11AM

YouTookMyName wrote: »

Tyres wouldn't bother me if i got enough discount on the car to go towards a new set.

It's not the tyres per se that bothered me. It was the fact that they were all mismatched cheapo jobbies, and what that said about the care that had been taken of the car.

johnos1984 wrote: »

More cheap preparation than cheap maintenance by the owner I'd say

What does that say about the rest of the preparation of the car, and the overall attitude of the garage? I don't want to buy my car from somewhere that takes that approach to preparing a car.

Anan1 wrote: »

Poor maintenance. And if you don't want to be dealing with this on a regular basis then do yourself a favour and buy privately. That way you'll have a pretty good idea from the phone call of what the car's like.

I'm coming round to the idea of buying privately. Either that or buying from main dealers. I'm sick of the smell of cheap aftershave, shifty salesmen and car lots that scream 'we cut corners'.

My only issue buying privately is the lack of comeback. Our last two cars were purchased from large franchised dealers and both had relatively minor issues, one of which proved costly (replacement of suspension components), and were handled under warranty with no quibble.

corktina · 11-08-2011 11:12AM

i bet if you went to the local supermarket car park and checkd a few cars you find most of them having 2 3 or 4 different brand of tyres, especailly the ones that have done 100k plus What would you expect people to do,? change three good tyres if they have a puncture in the fourth?

Anan1 · 11-08-2011 11:13AM

lukester wrote: »

I'm coming round to the idea of buying privately. Either that or buying from main dealers. I'm sick of the smell of cheap aftershave, shifty salesmen and car lots that scream 'we cut corners'.

My only issue buying privately is the lack of comeback. Our last two cars were purchased from large franchised dealers and both had relatively minor issues, one of which proved costly (replacement of suspension components), and were handled under warranty with no quibble.

The huge advantage of buying privately is that, even if you know nothing about cars, you can tell so much from meeting the owner. Out of interest, around how much are you thinking of spending?

johnos1984 · 11-08-2011 11:15AM

lukester wrote: »

What does that say about the rest of the preparation of the car, and the overall attitude of the garage? I don't want to buy my car from somewhere that takes that approach to preparing a car.

Could be cutting a corner that most people don't check as long as there is thread on the tyre. Most franchises cut this corner too by fitting a full new set of WANLI tyres to most cars. Again most folk are happy if there is thread on them.

You really took this experience at an indie badly and as was said yesterday I'd chalk it down to experience and buy private.

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:20AM

corktina wrote: »

What would you expect people to do,? change three good tyres if they have a puncture in the fourth?

No, change the punctured one with a matching tyre if possible. Or change it with a decent tyre.

johnos1984 wrote: »

You really took this experience at an indie badly

I did. I was asked over the phone would I 'buy' the car at the agreed price, to which I said I would if everything on it was ok. Then when I had made my way out to the garage and spent an hour looking over it, the salesman told me that they wanted 2k more than the price discussed on the phone.

Wasted 2 hours of my time and cost me 2 taxi rides.

Anan1 wrote: »

Out of interest, around how much are you thinking of spending?

About 10k. Why do you ask?

johnos1984 · 11-08-2011 11:22AM

lukester wrote: »

About 10k. Why do you ask?

If you put your needs and location down people would suggest cars for you and search the car sales sites.

EG: 10k, saloon, diesel blah blah blah you will get lots of suggestions

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:27AM

johnos1984 wrote: »

If you put your needs and location down people would suggest cars for you and search the car sales sites.

EG: 10k, saloon, diesel blah blah blah you will get lots of suggestions

I don't need suggestions

We know exactly what we want.

Anan1 · 11-08-2011 11:28AM

lukester wrote: »

About 10k. Why do you ask?

Also, buying from a main dealer makes (relatively) more sense the more you spend. What are you looking for?

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:29AM

Anan1 wrote: »

Also, buying from a main dealer makes (relatively) more sense the more you spend. What are you looking for?

True, the last two cars were closer to the 20k mark.

We're looking for a V70, possibly a V50.

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:36AM

Specifically- petrol V70 or V50, engine size no greater than 2 litre, preferably in SE trim with leather and cruise control.

I'm only seriously considering cars with FSH.

11-08-2011 11:43AM

lukester wrote: »

..........
And 4 mismatched tyres on the car? All I can surmise is a crash. Any other ideas?

Four mismatched tyres on a car and you think crash, that's a new one for me.

lukester · 11-08-2011 11:45AM

RoverJames wrote: »

Four mismatched tyres on a car and you think crash, that's a new one for me.

Perhaps a touch of over vivid imagination on my part. :pac:

Anan1 · 11-08-2011 12:01PM

Here's a good-looking 2007 V50 1.8 being sold privately. They're asking €12,000, but €10k mightn't be unachievable. The Dolby surround sound is nice! : http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201122202626964

Here's another, bit higher mileage but it does have FSH and four good matching tyres! : http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201114201874709

lukester · 11-08-2011 12:06PM

Thanks, will take a look at those.

If I can find the right one, I'd really prefer the V70, I like the 2.0T 5 cylinder engine.

Oral Surgeon · 11-08-2011 12:09PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ttKJwvFIgw&feature=related

Anan1 · 11-08-2011 12:10PM

lukester wrote: »

Thanks, will take a look at those.

If I can find the right one, I'd really prefer the V70, I like the 2.0T 5 cylinder engine.

There's only one V70 on sale privately in your price range that i'd even bother calling about. Here it is - it might be very good, but a little voice in my head is telling me it may be tatty. : http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201132203858565

Boskowski · 11-08-2011 12:11PM

corktina wrote: »

i bet if you went to the local supermarket car park and checkd a few cars you find most of them having 2 3 or 4 different brand of tyres, especailly the ones that have done 100k plus What would you expect people to do,? change three good tyres if they have a puncture in the fourth?

You're either having the puncture fixed or else you buy a new set of tyres for the whole axle and not the cheapest fkn thing you can get your hands on to replace just the one. I mean most of the time the one thats still good is not going to waste anyway. You can use it as a spare wheel refresher.

Good practice would be for instance to buy two new ones, move the new set to the axle thats connected to the drive and the old set to the passive axle (if its not that way anyways) and move the one thats been replaced but is still good into the boot as your new spare one.

Its not so much the brand or whatnot its the wear. It's bad to have a worn but 'still grand sure' tyre on one side and a new one on the other.

Its OK to have a different set on the front wheels to the rear wheels but all 4 tyres being different and especially showing different stages of wear reeks of patchwork/'don't give a ****'.

Tyres are your only connection with the road. Thats rather important I would have thought. Its amazing how many people think 'it'll be grand sure'.

What would cause a used car to have 4 mismatched tyres?

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