Again buy a real landrover that can cope with a few mm tyre difference.....my disco ran tyres half an inch out for a week and was happy doing about 30 miles before I changed them all over to the right size (home to tyre shop and back then back to shop)

what he really should've done is what we (freelander owners who don't want it to go wrong and make damn sure we do all we can to ensure it doesn't) do, namely stand over anyone doing work on our motors to make sure it's done right :p

and at least check it before allowing it to be driven hundreds of damaging miles
 
Whilst there hasn't been much sympathy, I don't think you have a case. Remember if you go to the small claims court you will be sat in front of a judge (probably retired policeman or lawyer) not a mechanical engineer. You would need to prove beyond doubt that the tyre co were negligent in carrying out their duties. The tyre co doesn't need to prove anything. They don't even need to turn up.

I think the issues you have are:

- I think that you would need to prove that you instructed them to put the new tyres to the rear and I doubt you issued written instructions that you still have. As has been said they are tyre fitters - they got that bit right, it would be difficult to argue that they need to know about the idiosyncrasies of every car they fit tyres to.

- You bought and fitted the wrong tyres anyway, your said that your car was shod with Synchrones and you fitted Latitudes. Even though they are the same make and size range, as they will come from different moulds, probably different factories, you might as well have fitted a different brand - fact. I've measured in the past 4 Cooper tyres of same size, model and tread depth but different manufacture dates and seen significant differences. I have 4 New Insa Turbo's at the minute and two of those are diferent sizes which would equate to a 2mm tread wear difference (they are remoulds tho...)

- I expect that it will be argued that at 75k a gearbox/IRD failure could occur anyway due to age, wear and tear. You would have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that this was down to the tyreco's negligence and that I think will be difficult.

Not trying to dismiss your case for the sake of it but as others have said, put it down to experience and move on.
 
Been reading this and you have waited a year+ and bitching. YOU SHOULD OF TAKEN FIRM ACTION WITHIN 30 days. Not a leg to stand on this point in time
 
The National Tyre Chain fitted the two new tyres to the front axle. This I can prove as 1. The car was serviced the following day and depths were recorded (although the issue wasn’t noticed) and 2. I photographed them in situ five days later (when I noticed).
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So why didnt the chap who was servicing your car a day later notice that the new tyres were on the front? should whoever serviced your car have known about this - why dont you sue him?
How come it took you five days to notice by the way? anyone who was conscious at the time would have known this..... oh I see you noticed after the event (failure)....was it at this point that you looked up Freelanders and their problems and thought you might be able to sue someone?
 
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At the end of the day , its 8 years since the last production freelander one came off the line , so any one in the trade could not give a toss about it , its left now to us , enthusiasts of the freelander to prevail :D
 
The National Tyre Chain fitted the two new tyres to the front axle. This I can prove as 1. The car was serviced the following day and depths were recorded (although the issue wasn’t noticed) and 2. I photographed them in situ five days later (when I noticed).
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So why didnt the chap who was servicing your car a day later notice that the new tyres were on the front? should whoever serviced your car have known about this - why dont you sue him?
How come it took you five days to notice by the way? anyone who was conscious at the time would have known this..... oh I see you noticed after the event (failure)....was it at this point that you looked up Freelanders and their problems and thought you might be able to sue someone?
Dont waste our time anymore :mad:

That is generally how people respond to problems! If all's sweet then just get on with things, when there's a problem research it. In this case he's found that putting new tyres on the front is a no-no for Freelanders and thinks the tyre shop shouldn't have done it. So he's posted for advice - specifically if there's any LR docs to show it was wrong. Turns out nobody knows of anything that can help him and have pointed out a few reasons why he may have (unwittingly) contributed to the problem. Fair use of the forum I'd say.
 
If you can find the info uve got a a chance of getting paid out id say but u wouldnt win they would just payup as it would be cheaper than paying their legal team to defend the claim..
 
That is generally how people respond to problems! If all's sweet then just get on with things, when there's a problem research it. In this case he's found that putting new tyres on the front is a no-no for Freelanders and thinks the tyre shop shouldn't have done it. So he's posted for advice - specifically if there's any LR docs to show it was wrong. Turns out nobody knows of anything that can help him and have pointed out a few reasons why he may have (unwittingly) contributed to the problem. Fair use of the forum I'd say.

The handbook does not say that catastrophic failure can result ...the op is correct.

But the handbook does say what to do and the OP should have had the tyre fitters follow Land Rover instructions....end of advice end of story.

The rest of my thoughts Ive said already.
 
If there's a positive to come out of all this it's that hopefully folks new to the Freelander1 such as me take note and hopefully prevent this happening to them.
 
Needed a couple of front tyres month or so ago, local tyre depot had never heard of the new to rears Freelander requirement so swapped them myself when I got home as depot wanted extra to swap them round.
 
Needed a couple of front tyres month or so ago, local tyre depot had never heard of the new to rears Freelander requirement so swapped them myself when I got home as depot wanted extra to swap them round.

I'd have walked ;)
If they can't be arsed to swap a couple of wheels in order to sell two new tyres, then my cash is to good for them.
 
1 - National tyre chains are generally staffed by surly minimum wage teenagers, and the thick kid from your school days who liked to eat crayons is probably the assistant manager. They are "experts" at fitting tyres to wheel rims and nothing more. It is utterly unreasonable to expect them to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every make, model and variant on the roads.

2 - You are not going to find the information you want from Landrover. As mentioned by someone else earlier, you can find a balance of proof in your favour from various aftermarket freelander garages, which will go some way to helping. However, this is a moot point because.....

3 - A year ago? As soon as this occured, you should have sought proper legal advice*, who would probably have told you to have the vehicle inspected by an independant vehicle engineer.

4 - Looking at this from the garages point of view, you knew and had proof that the tyres were the wrong way round, yet you continued to drive the car. That did you no favours.




*Proper legal advice - a lawyer, preferably one experienced in such matters. this would probably have cost you money, but would have been a good investment.
When my teeth hurt, I see a dentist. When my roof leaks, I speak to a builder. When I need legal advice, I speak to a lawyer who knows the facts. Its a simple philosophy that means that when I encounter situations in life that I cant deal with myself, I am guaranteed to get accurate, relevant, timely information rather than a bunch of ramblings from strangers on the internet.
 
He's had a rough time of it but we don't want to scare him oft. He should stick around and learn more with us as we work together to keep our Freelanders going.
 
1 - National tyre chains are generally staffed by surly minimum wage teenagers, and the thick kid from your school days who liked to eat crayons is probably the assistant manager. They are "experts" at fitting tyres to wheel rims and nothing more. It is utterly unreasonable to expect them to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every make, model and variant on the roads.

Sure, the staff fitting the tyres will not need degrees to do their job. Shame the management though aren't clued up enough at organising procedures to safeguard the actons of their employees.

2 - You are not going to find the information you want from Landrover. As mentioned by someone else earlier, you can find a balance of proof in your favour from various aftermarket freelander garages, which will go some way to helping. However, this is a moot point because.....

True, LR won't want to distribute this type of info, cos it makes the cars look ****e.

3 - A year ago? As soon as this occured, you should have sought proper legal advice*, who would probably have told you to have the vehicle inspected by an independant vehicle engineer.

4 - Looking at this from the garages point of view, you knew and had proof that the tyres were the wrong way round, yet you continued to drive the car. That did you no favours.

Fair enough on the time delay, if they weren't playing ball something should have been organised sooner, but what you're saying would have cost $$$. The "proof" was only recongised after the event, understanding the tyres had been fitted wrongly and looking back at the service history - the IRD had gone bang by then.

*Proper legal advice - a lawyer, preferably one experienced in such matters. this would probably have cost you money, but would have been a good investment.
When my teeth hurt, I see a dentist. When my roof leaks, I speak to a builder. When I need legal advice, I speak to a lawyer who knows the facts. Its a simple philosophy that means that when I encounter situations in life that I cant deal with myself, I am guaranteed to get accurate, relevant, timely information rather than a bunch of ramblings from strangers on the internet.

So, if you don't know anything about tyres, where do you take your car to get tyres fitted? erm... A Tyre specialist!
 
He's had a rough time of it but we don't want to scare him oft. He should stick around and learn more with us as we work together to keep our Freelanders going.
The OP bought his Freelander in 2007, just after joining this, and at least one other Landrover forum, he's bleating on that one as well.
In that time he has not read the owners handbook re new tyres being fitted to the rear, or read forums about the same, VCU's, or using half witted tyre chains.
 
Needed a couple of front tyres month or so ago, local tyre depot had never heard of the new to rears Freelander requirement so swapped them myself when I got home as depot wanted extra to swap them round.

I'd have walked ;)
If they can't be arsed to swap a couple of wheels in order to sell two new tyres, then my cash is to good for them.

Really in business, time is money. have them swap tyres expect to pay for it.
 
Sure, the staff fitting the tyres will not need degrees to do their job. Shame the management though aren't clued up enough at organising procedures to safeguard the actons of their employees.



True, LR won't want to distribute this type of info, cos it makes the cars look ****e.



Fair enough on the time delay, if they weren't playing ball something should have been organised sooner, but what you're saying would have cost $$$. The "proof" was only recongised after the event, understanding the tyres had been fitted wrongly and looking back at the service history - the IRD had gone bang by then.



So, if you don't know anything about tyres, where do you take your car to get tyres fitted? erm... A Tyre specialist!

Management do what they can, but that amounts to little more than checking wheel nuts are torqued properly*. There are just too many different variations of vehicles on the road for them to know everything. If they have access to the Autodata system for wheel alignment specs and so on, then perhaps they would know a little more about the cars, but from what I remember of Autodata, information like where the fit the new tyres is not on there. However. a minimum wage teenager doesnt care enough about stuff like that. New tyres on....wheels back on....out the door....next job. There is often no time for much else and all they are really bothered about is getting their paycheck at the end of the month. Stuff like customer satisfaction rarely enters their heads.


While it would have cost him at the time for proper legal advice and a vehicle inspection, if he had done this in time, he might have had a case, and if he had won that case he would probably have got his costs back.

I totally see what you mean about going to a tyre specialist though, but the sad truth is that the knowledge levels in most garages is appallingly low....not just fast fit places but many general garages too where staff are no longer mechanics, they are fitters.....fit a new part and see if that fixes it. In an ideal world, the staff would have said "ooh, a Freelander, need to fit these tyres to the rear" but that just isnt reality and unfortunately many people find themselves on the end of wrong advice and poor workmanship as a result. The only thing people can do to avoid this is research things themselves, find out their vehicles weak points and make sure work is done to their satisfaction. If the O.P. had done a little research after buying his car - hell if he had even read the owners manual, this could have been avoided - assuming that the ird wasnt just on the brink of failure anyway!!



*and when I say torqued properly, thats often a load of toss too. I fit my own tyres, but need to get them balanced at a garage. Last time I was in one I watched as the fitter working on some blokes car wanged the wheel nuts on with the impact wrench, then picked up a scabby looking torque wrench from the floor, which was already pre-set to some mystery value and he got another chap to watch as he leaned on the bar and it clicked on each wheel nut....as far as they were concerned the nuts were torqued correctly and witnessed - liability ends. Never mind the fact that they were almost certainly massively over-tightened and the torque wrench that probably never gets wound back to zero will be so hopelessly out of calibration as to be useless.
No initiative, no real knowledge of mechanical principals and a blind ability to follow instructions regardless of how relevant they might be..... thats the guy who is responsible for the safety of peoples cars on public roads!
 
You get what you pay for....

Cheap tyre place...cheap tyres, (allegedly fitted to wrong axle)

Landrover dealer....product knowledge....but it costs £££....saving you money in the long term. :)
 

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