Wrong Tires - Dealer Responsibility ?

[Kalos]

had new snow tires with new rims mounted on my Focus SVT a few days ago. The new wheels are +45mm offset (49mm is OEM Standard). The tires are 205/55/16, which is slightly larger than the 215/45/17 tires originally on this car and slightly larger than the 205/50/16 alternate size.

I didn't notice until I get home how small the clearance was between tire and fender lip. The combination of slightly insufficient offset plus slightly large tire moves the front tires quite close to the front fender upper lip.

The dealer is a 4day/week operation, so I couldn't get back to him for 48 hours. When I saw the dealer, he assured me the clearance was enough (~1.5") and that he'd fitted the same 205/55/16 tire to many Foci, but I should try some hard stops to find out for sure. Well, I tried a few moderate stops - actually just turns out of my downward sloping driveway, and sure enough the tire rubs. I called the dealer today (another 48 hours later because he was closed another day), and he tells he might mount the smaller 205/50/16 tires, but that now he considers my 205/55/16 tires used...

So who bears responsibility here: me for not insisting on the smaller tires right away when they were fitted, or the dealer who sold me tires+rims which turned out to rub ? (I live ~40miles from the dealer, so just going back and forth plus 4 days daily usage has already put 200 miles on the tires).

[Sponsor]

[whiteboyslo]

technically, you bear the responsibility bc it's your car and you have the final say for what goes on, BUT.....

if you made your decision based on the recommendation of that dealer, i'd push to get a little more. did he also recommend the wheels? if yes, then your case is even stronger, but if you chose the wheels, than it's more ammunition for them against you.

in all, i wouldn't expect to get full compensation, but argue it out and see what they do.

Mike

[hotfocus]

I'd say since they're the expert and you relied heavily on their advice to make your decision...you might be able to get your money back.

[Kalos]

Originally posted by whiteboyslo
technically, you bear the responsibility bc it's your car and you have the final say for what goes on, BUT.....did he also recommend the wheels? if yes, then your case is even stronger, but if you chose the wheels, than it's more ammunition for them against you.

He recommended and sold me both the wheels and the tires and has been insisting all along they were appropriate for my SVT "because he's sold many of them before". I suspect he's sold the wheels and the tires separately, and probably the combination of both, to Focus owners but not specifically to Focus SVT owners.

[Ripinosu]

Keep us updated, please.

[Kalos]

Originally posted by Ripinosu
Keep us updated, please.

Will do. This is an intolerable situation

The dealer is Cheap Thrills (!), in Milton. Talked to them an hour ago. They said the Distributor doesn't have the 205/50/16 size in stock - though they'll look around some more. This is bad because every day that goes by puts more wear on these tires I don't want. Cheap Thrills offers another Hankook Tire, the studdable W404, but the W404 is more expensive, and I really like the responsiveness+stability and quietness - and cheap price - of the W300 Ice Bears.

It's a shame really. Good looking wheel, good performing tire, and at a good price. Only problem is the tire size is wrong for the SVT...and fixing the problem is going to be expensive for someone - either me or the dealer.

[zappaMan]

Originally posted by Kalos
fixing the problem is going to be expensive for someone - either me or the dealer.

If the dealer recommended the wheels and tires stating that they would work fine and that he had performed the upgrade on numerous other cars then I don't see how the dealer could possibly have a charge back for used tires.

He made the recommendation and performed the work. It is his responsibility to ensure that they will work with your car. If he had told you that he wasn't sure this was going to work then absolutely you should have a charge back for used tires. I would not settle for anything less then him correcting the problem at his cost.

[BONOMAN5064]

If dealer recomended the tires, then the dealer should train their staff to do research so they can do better recomendations.Screw that used tire non-sense.Its their recomend, they can eat it and provide you with the correct tire.Use the old tried and true......Safety issue.Ford has a real good track record recomending tires.....NOT!!!!! Just ask explorer owners!!!

[Kalos]

Originally posted by Kalos
It's a shame really. Good looking wheel, good performing tire, and at a good price. Only problem is the tire size is wrong for the SVT...

I notice 1010tires, Tirerack, TireTrends all recommend 205/50/16. It looks like my dealer sold me the wrong size.

[Ripinosu]

Originally posted by Kalos
I notice 1010tires, Tirerack, TireTrends all recommend 205/50/16. It looks like my dealer sold me the wrong size.

It pays to do your research.