getting new tyres can be confusing, but fitting the wrong ones for your car can have severe consequences.
When Darren Craven made a decision to get some new rear tyres for his BMW, he was used Dunlops at first, before the merchant suggested a more affordable Goodyear alternative. Darren, from Cleckheaton, W Yorks, selected the more affordable option, but claims at no point was he told the tyres were different.
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After three months and 3,000 miles, he observed the Goodyears had worn heavily. “I saw the wear and thought they could be faulty,” said Darren. “Then I looked at them closely and knew the load index was much lower than my previous tyres’.”
The load index is the amount of weight the tyres can take, and it’s normally provided on a plaque on the inside of a car’s door. The original tyres on Darren’s BMW had a load index of 95Y, but the new ones were 87Y. Darren went back to his local fitter, Alba Tyres, to get them changed, but it wanted him to pay for a new pair in full.
A Goodyear spokeswoman told us: “These tyres shouldn’t have been fitted to this car, full stop. having a lower load index to what the maker recommends can invalidate your insurance.” There are also safety implications, affecting managing and stopping distances, and this could also void the car’s warranty.