Dodgy Mechanics

[Agent]

Just had my sis come back with a bit of an unusual one.

Long story short: Her tyres needed changing not too long back. She went for some used ones, but they had a puncture in the wall (so not a nail or anything) recently / just noticed.
She took them back to the place to get it repaired / replaced. She was expecting to pay and wasn't going to kick up a fuss about it. After treating her very rudely and just being general arses she decided to go elsewhere.

Upon going to another garage the bloke said two things:
1) The tyre should not have been fitted as the wall showed signs of wear to the point where it was borderline MOTable.

2) And more worryingly, the tyre was fitted backwards. The arrow showing the direction of travel / the part which says "outside" was wrong. How dangerous is this?

Its one thing getting done by a dodgy mechanic. It happens, and she will just take it in her stride, but what about the second point? How dangerous is this on a car? I know a bike would fail its MOT on it, same?
Worthwhile reporting to anyone, and if so who?

Thanks guys

[TiG]

First place i'd go to is trading standards. It's shocking that stuff like this still happens though

TiG

[hitman67]

The wrong way bit could be lethal. Especially sports tyres are designed so the V in the pattern directs water away when running forwards, if that's backwards then it will be in effect dragging water into the centre and highly risking the car aquaplaning.

[Tumble]

Tyres is one thing you never skimp on. Yes, they can be expensive, but they are the only things sticking you to the tarmac. Braking efficiency is 100% about your tyre's ability to grip the road and not skid.

As for your sister's case - tiG's dead right. Get em noticed by trading standards, preferably with receipts for work done and a report from the people that sorted the mess out - that way you can give TS a "professional" viewpoint on the first place's [lack of] standards.

[Howard]

Tyres is one thing you never skimp on. Yes, they can be expensive, but they are the only things sticking you to the tarmac. Braking efficiency is 100% about your tyre's ability to grip the road and not skid.

Completely agreed. Decent ones aren't even that expensive unless you're running low profiles on big wheels

[Agent]

I know lads and I'm not looking for a lecture on tyres As a biker I am fully aware of the situation and false economy, but sadly for some people its the only option they have given the cost. Not everyone has decent jobs

I think I'll get her a letter knocked up to Trading Standards then

[Howard]

I know lads and I'm not looking for a lecture on tyres As a biker I am fully aware of the situation and false economy, but sadly for some people its the only option they have given the cost. Not everyone has decent jobs

Don't wanna make this personal mate but I felt compelled to respond to this...

Surely if you can afford to buy, fuel, insure, service, MOT and tax a car, you can afford £80 or so for a pair of tyres? And if you're checking them periodically like you should, then you'd think "ooh they're getting a bit low, better budget for a new set in a couple of months"

What does she drive?

[Agent]

Don't wanna make this personal mate but I felt compelled to respond to this...

Surely if you can afford to buy, fuel, insure, service, MOT and tax a car, you can afford £80 or so for a pair of tyres?

What does she drive?

And not being personal either, but you don't know her situation so its hardly fair to imply that she could "afford" the £80 for new ones.

£80 is a lot when you don't have it. Going for a 2nd hand tyre could be the difference between being on the road or not for some people. But again, Its not my car and I have no intention on getting into a debate on this. Its not my choice and tbh its not relevant to wanting to know how dangerous the tyre being on backwards is Shouldn't even have mentioned it in hindsight.

She has a bog standard PUG206.

[Rave]

The wrong way bit could be lethal. Especially sports tyres are designed so the V in the pattern directs water away when running forwards, if that's backwards then it will be in effect dragging water into the centre and highly risking the car aquaplaning.

Yes, but then surely the tyres would be side specific? A tyre that has the outside marked would have the V facing a different direction depending on which side it was fitted.

AFAIK tyres have the outside marked because the outside wall is thicker (and possibly armoured) to withstand damage from kerbing (which might be why the tyre in question got punctured), and/or to resist cornering forces. I don't think it'd be dangerous from a tread clearing water perspective.

Although I'm carrying on the debate against your wishes Agent, if I were broke I'd go for a good set of new budget tyres or retreads. A 206 is not exactly a banger, it seems a bit perverse to have a recent (and quite heavy) car and then run it around on shonky tyres (although I drove my MR2 on a tyre with a (very) slow puncture for about 4 years, so I can hardly talk ). I've just put £94 worth of Continentals on the back of my mum's Mk1 Clio, which is at least 15% (probably 20%) of the car's value. I'd rather drive an old shed on decent tyres than a newer car on tyres of questionable provenance.

Anyway, as annoying as the situation is, I'm not sure that it's worth expending any great amount of energy on trying to report these cowboys. I don't think that Trading standards are going to expend a lot of energy investigating a dodgy deal on some secondhand tyres valued at (I'm guessing) £30-40, especially when (again AFAIK) they strongly advise against buying secondhand tyres anyway.

[Agent]

I would do the same Rave, but this isn't my car and she's the kinda girl that will do what she wants regardless of what we all tell her.

Its not the fact that it was punctured. Live and learn - more due to the wrong fitting.

I'm in 2 minds what to do now. A letter would only take 15 mins I guess.

[SilentDeath]

Wrong fitting doesnt really matter. If it was a different situation like tyre not properly mounted on teh wheel than that is a different story but the rotation direction doesnt matter so much.

Ive spoke to a few respected garages about it when it happened to me and really they just said it will wear quicker, it wont do too much to the handling - ie you have to be driving like you deserve the accident - its not going to cause any for somone thats slow and sensible.


This also happens all the time. My fiesta, and brothers celica were both like it when bought (my saab just needed 4 new tyres all round, not really legal).

The wall wear is the far bigger concern, however if it could pass an mot at the testers descretion then noone will care. Its either good or its not. IF you want to stop something it has to be far in the not catagory or nothing will happen.

[eshrules]

I would do the same Rave, but this isn't my car and she's the kinda girl that will do what she wants regardless of what we all tell her.

Its not the fact that it was punctured. Live and learn - more due to the wrong fitting.

I'm in 2 minds what to do now. A letter would only take 15 mins I guess.

Whilst I note the other lads' comments about always fitting new tyres only, I also understand how being on a low wage and struggling to keep a car on the road, in order to get to your job, is a constant struggle, I'm at that point with my own and the missus' car and it's not easy, so i totally sympathise with your sister Agent

in regards to the letter/complaint, I'd most certainly get one knocked up.... speak to consumer direct (like customer services for T/Standards) first and ask them what they would suggest, they often get involved off the back of a phone call (they did with my car) so you could be surprised. One thing I'd be after, is my money back from the original cowboys

[kalniel]

Quick email/web form fill-in to trading standards is worth it, incase they get enough complaints to take action.

(Like a lot of replies, I also question the actual value in second hand tyres when you can easily get new budget tyres+fitting from an e-trader for not a lot different in price, and then puncture repairs are free thereafter as well, saving you money in the long run).

[GoNz0]

i think she got what she paid for, cheap 2nd hand tyre fitted by a minimum wage ex con no doubt who has had no formal training and probably couldn't give a s**t anyway.

i wouldn't waste your time as they wont do anything once you remove the car from the garage, they will just turn round and worm out of it anyway as its your word against theres.

chance is a budget tyre at kwik fit would have cost a couple of quid more and the service would have been 10x better

fill in the trading standards form and walk away m8, put it down to experience, I'm sure your sis has.

maybe point out the return journey fuel cost would have been better spent on a decent tyre in the 1st place, after all she had the money to drive back to the garage ?

so all in all it was a case of false economy and maybe next time she will know better.

[Zak33]

Wrong fitting doesnt really matter. If it was a different situation like tyre not properly mounted on teh wheel than that is a different story but the rotation direction doesnt matter so much.

Ive spoke to a few respected garages about it when it happened to me and really they just said it will wear quicker, it wont do too much to the handling - ie you have to be driving like you deserve the accident - its not going to cause any for somone thats slow and sensible.

oh no....you were told wrongly there, big boy!

Directional tyres are pooh when fitted wrong way around. Pooh. So pooh in fact that drifters deliberately fit them wrong way round for sliding!

I have driven cars with directionals arse about face, and it's very obvious, to the point where I got out and checked for a puncture cos the steering was horrible in fast bends....and by fast, I mean legal speed fast slip roads.

[Rave]

Do 'directional' tyres have 'rotation direction' rather than 'this side facing out' on them then Zak? Or are they sold specifically to go on one side of the car?