A chat with Pirelli

A chat with Pirelli

Author
Discussion

lady topaz

Original Poster:

3,855 posts

260 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Listening to the yays and nays of having my puncture repaired or not I emailed Pirelli to get their opinion.
I did say I wasn't after a definitive specific answer to my tyre, as I didn't expect them to comment on something they hadn't seen.
Surprisingly I got an email straight back asking for my phone number so the matter could be discussed.
I duly recieved a call, during which they said that they did believe it was AM policy not to repair these tyres and it was an action they concurred with, although they did say what others have said on here that there was a BS directive which confirms there is nothing legally stopping them from being repaired if the damage falls between the guidelines.
Upon closer inspection my tyre actually had a split too close to the wall for a safe repair. Fair enough I better get a tyre then.
The one that arrived didnt have an AM mark and a call to AM confirmed that fitting this tyre would invalidate the warranty as it was a tyre designed for Jaguar.
Ok I will order one.
Anything up to a three month wait.... yikes
Pirelli also confirmed this as they are now concentrating on winter stock and advised the only place I might get one would be from a large wholesaler who may have stock.
Long and short of it is that my tyre has been plugged, and should be ok unless I am too enthusiastic, and I now have a possibly long wait for a replacement.
Look after those tyres guys.

Di

tony russell

98 posts

170 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Invalidate the warranty in what way ?

lady topaz

Original Poster:

3,855 posts

260 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
tony russell said:
Invalidate the warranty in what way ?
Not sure. I am only repeating what I was told. At a guess I would think that if a non approved tyre was fitted and caused a subsequent mishap then Aston would waive any responsibilty. It may have just been a warning to me not to fit the tyre sent.

Di

bananarob

1,177 posts

187 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Im struggling to see what part of the warranty would be void here. I can understand chipping a car then the engine blowing causing such an invalidation but a tyre blowing causing a crash, surely AM wouldnt be responsible anyway...

Adam2S

5,124 posts

183 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
So your tyre had a puncture in the middle and yet they managed to persuade you that it had actually split the sidewall making it illegal to repair, which is a pretty significant split on such wide tyres. Now, once they realised they have no stock they have told you that it can actually be repaired providing you drive carefully whilst you wait for a new tyre - meaning that they are in fact now able to repair the previously illegal split.
confusedconfusedconfused

Di - I have some snake oil for sale which makes your tyres puncture proof and converts any tyre from Jaguar spec to AM spec and I am selling it at only £1000 a bottle. If you PM me your bank a/c details I will be happy to post you some in around 3 months. biggrin

lady topaz

Original Poster:

3,855 posts

260 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
No, the initial info I was given was that it was thought I had a very small punture hole. On closer examination when I returned to the fitters I was shown a small split caused by a piece of plastic nearer to the sidewall not in it. Sorry for confusion.

rick-derby-

1,105 posts

193 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Aston Martin are showing stock so the tyres should be able to be sourced through the Aston martin Dealer network or an independent,

JohnG1

3,485 posts

211 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Just a wee bit off topic....

What on earth is going on with Pirelli and these damn P Zero tyres? There appears to be a distinct shortage of them.

Although Rick shows that AML claim stock, I do not want to have a puncture on a Saturday afternoon and have to get a tow truck because I cannot get a spare tyre sourced sensibly.

Rant over!

mikey k

13,014 posts

222 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
lady topaz said:
tony russell said:
Invalidate the warranty in what way ?
Not sure. I am only repeating what I was told. At a guess I would think that if a non approved tyre was fitted and caused a subsequent mishap then Aston would waive any responsibilty. It may have just been a warning to me not to fit the tyre sent.

Di
I had this on a BMW 330d, fitted none "approved" rears.
It used to just power on hard accelration. The traction contol & ABS systems would go mental.
Took a few visits to track it down to the slightly changed rolling diameter frown
BMW refused to cover any work on that basis or any subsequent issue related to it.

Murph7355

38,719 posts

262 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
JohnG1 said:
...
What on earth is going on with Pirelli and these damn P Zero tyres? There appears to be a distinct shortage of them....
This is a trend on many cars now - very specific tyres for use with a model.

Great for the extra 0.1% on handling. Piss poor when the cars are such low volume that they don't bother making plenty of stock so owners go short. Challenge Stradales are the same.

I'd sooner they produced a generic tyre and the car maker tuned their car around it.

btw (not to John specifically) but I believe insurers can invalidate your policy if you do not use factory approved tyres. The non-AM marked tyres will not be factory approved. Have an accident on non-approved tyres in a car like this at your peril (and note that the aforementioned CS owners report evil handling with the incorrect marked tyre...not sure if the same applies with the V12V).

Tony V12V

2,465 posts

158 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Friend has a 10 plate Astra Turbo that was having traction control lights going off coming out of roundabouts for no reason - was tyres too - not the GM original spec but still good quality ones (Dunlops I think)

kabman

40 posts

166 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
It's not the quality of the tyres that causes problems, more their dimensions and characteristics. The ABS/DSC/TCS software is based on a mathematical model of a specific tyre. The more complex the model the more potential it has to be buggered up by small differneces in tyre dimensions or construction.

JohnG1

3,485 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
tony russell said:
Invalidate the warranty in what way ?
Same way that if you don't maintain the servicing schedule the warranty is invalidated. Or if you use the wrong engine oil. Or wrong gearbox oil. Seems totally reasonable to me.

Obviously it's a matter of personal preference - but brakes and tyres is one area where I would not be looking for cheaper parts. Then again, at £15,000 for pads and discs I really hope I am not in the market for them for a long time.

I've just hit 5,000 miles on my V12 and the tyres are looking good so hopefully I will not need to buy tyres any time soon but I guess I will have to be careful about placing an order in advance and storing until I actually need new boots.

Murph7355

38,719 posts

262 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
kabman said:
It's not the quality of the tyres that causes problems, more their dimensions and characteristics. The ABS/DSC/TCS software is based on a mathematical model of a specific tyre. The more complex the model the more potential it has to be buggered up by small differneces in tyre dimensions or construction.
Whilst I could be doing them a disservice, I'm doubtful that the company that couldn't sort an iPod connection in their cars until 2008 and fitted the godawful SatNav they did until 2011 would have employed Stephen Hawking/NASA to programme the traction control to that level of granularity smile

tony russell

98 posts

170 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
Quinny said:
So if you have a tyre repaired and the engine blows up the following week the warranty is invalidconfused
here here!

JohnG1

3,485 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
Quinny said:
So if you have a tyre repaired and the engine blows up the following week the warranty is invalidconfused
Potentially but not usually.

The warranty will probably allow for exclusion from claims based upon reasonableness.

So - if you fit a non-approved clutch and next week the gearbox goes kaboom - well, they are linked. If you fit a non-standard numberplate box or remove it and then the petrol tank springs a leak, well they are not linked.

Since the wheels are linked to the engine it's debateable.

It's really a matter of contract law - I am not going to review the warranty contract and offer an opinion on it here, but I would expect that there will be requirements around servicing, use of approved parts and so on.

I offer an analogy. If you have a home insurance policy that requires a burglar alarm and the alarm is off and you get burgled - you may have a hard time making a claim...

mikey k

13,014 posts

222 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
Murph7355 said:
kabman said:
It's not the quality of the tyres that causes problems, more their dimensions and characteristics. The ABS/DSC/TCS software is based on a mathematical model of a specific tyre. The more complex the model the more potential it has to be buggered up by small differneces in tyre dimensions or construction.
Whilst I could be doing them a disservice, I'm doubtful that the company that couldn't sort an iPod connection in their cars until 2008 and fitted the godawful SatNav they did until 2011 would have employed Stephen Hawking/NASA to programme the traction control to that level of granularity smile
No but they may have altered the settings on a Volvo or Ford system to suit wink

LordBretSinclair

4,294 posts

183 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
Probably a daft point Di, but do you need to inform your insurance company that your car has now been "modified". If the "Jag" tyre had a blowout and you had an accident would your insurance company try and wiggle out of any claim. Just a thought (maybe a stupid one though)
regards LBS

Fullmel

146 posts

171 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
Insurance company's can void claims if tyres are the incorrect speed rating or load rating not the specific make of tyre.

LordBretSinclair

4,294 posts

183 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
Even with this quote? "The one that arrived didnt have an AM mark and a call to AM confirmed that fitting this tyre would invalidate the warranty as it was a tyre designed for Jaguar."