Mechanic changed tires - car now bouncing

[boonta]

Hi all, got my EK4 serviced today and had to get my tyres replaced as they were worn. After replacing the tyres to michelins, mechanic took it for a test drive and rang me to say that my shocks were worn or seized and the car was bouncing. This never happened prior to the tyre change and when I drove it home, it was very evident that this bouncing was pretty bad.

After I got home I looked at the tire size and realised that the wrong tyre size was fitted. Instead of 195/55/R15 being fitted, it was fitted with 195/60/R15.

I'm wondering if this is this is causing the bouncing or whether it's tire pressure or something else?

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

[grifty]

A badly balanced wheel along with blown shocks can cause this.

Go back to the mechanic and get them to fit the correct tyres and see how that goes.

[beeza]

Yes,their mistake,they need to fit the CORRECT tyres FIRST then go from there. Tell them that needs to happen FIRST.

Don't let them stand over you.

[boonta]

Ok, so I spoke with my mechanic and he said he followed the previous tyre size which he's already dumped. I can't remember myself what profile was previously fitted. He said that the profile wouldn't be causing this bouncing and it could be coincidence that after the car was raised and fitted with new tyres that this issue has come about.

He said he's happy for me to get the correct profile fitted elsewhere and he'll refund me OR he can replace the shocks for $585 (front only) (KYB shocks)

I'm still in two minds about what to do. Car never used to bounce before getting these new tyres.

[YeahByuddy]

I bet they don't have a balancer and just fitted the tyres.

[beeza]

It's the tyres not the shocks . There's a problem with one or more of the tyres like yeahbyuddy said or a bubble in the tyre,fracture in the wall etc.

NO WAY is it the shocks AND they will have a record of the tyres they sold you.

This smells of BS all the way.

Take it to a reputable place,get them to find and tell you the problem. Then go back to your mechanic and tell them to fix it or you will be going to the department of fair trading.

[beeza]

He knows he's at fault and instead of admitting or fixing it he's trying to palm it off AND he's trying to get more money out of you with a BS story about the shocks . While he's replacing the shocks he'll fix the tyre and wollah problem gone.

Shockies take time to fail,you will notice it.They don't just die when you leave it at your mechanic for a couple of hours lol

I would now make a mark on your shocks to identify them incase he swaps one out.If you are able to check to see if he hasn't already done this.

[boonta]

Thanks for your input Beeza. much appreciated mate

Can anyone recommend a reputable mechanic in the lower north shore area of Syd for a second opinion? Happy to travel a bit if required

He wouldn't have aligned the wheels as he doesn't have the equipment. He told me get them aligned, but since I "need to get the shocks replaced" better off to get alignment after shocks are installed.

[beeza]

Your welcome mate,I've been done like this before you can probably tell . Sometimes when they see an opportunity,they go for it. He can always be like 'oh I was wrong,I thought it was the shock' but you can catch him out.

It's not alignment,it's balancing by the sounds of it,he doesn't have a balancing machine.

You do not need shockies mate,that's a straight up lie.

Need to go to a reputable tyre shop,not a mechanic and get them balanced. Then go back to your mechanic and say 'there was nothing wrong with the shocks at all,the wheels needed balancing,wheels always need balancing,you should know that. It cost me $$ to have them balanced so I believe you owe me half of that for the problem you created plus an apology for lying'.

Show him the receipt.

[EKVTIR-T]

Beeza is correct,I bought a car with unbalanced wheels and it bounced. Changed to new tyres and proper balancing the bounce was gone straight away...

[beeza]

It's these events that make learn more about the car and that's a good thing.

[boonta]

i'm looking at taking my car to Jax Tyres (in Artarmon) to get their opinion. They seem to have good reviews

[Blaze]

Boonta, I had the same issue a week back after I had jacked up the car. After I lowered it back down it was bouncing all over the place and I couldn't understand what happened cause I didn't mess around with the wheel or tyre. My shock absorber was acting up but after a few days it settled again and it's driving like normal. Changing the tyre size on the wheels won't make it bounce unless they aren't balanced correctly.
If the guy fitted tyres which you did not select yourself and he fitted a size which is not recommended for your car and wheel then he needs to replace them immediately at no cost to you. Changing the tyre size without changing the wheel size will throw your speedo out (maybe not much, it depends on how big the difference is in the overall rolling diameter).

Like the others have said, get the tyres replaced and the wheels balanced first by someone reputable and then go from there and see if that corrects the car's behaviour.

[u mad?]

He knows he's at fault and instead of admitting or fixing it he's trying to palm it off AND he's trying to get more money out of you with a BS story about the shocks . While he's replacing the shocks he'll fix the tyre and wollah problem gone.

Shockies take time to fail,you will notice it.They don't just die when you leave it at your mechanic for a couple of hours lol

I would now make a mark on your shocks to identify them incase he swaps one out.If you are able to check to see if he hasn't already done this.

beeza's spot on

[boonta]

So I got a second opinion and the guys at Jax Tyres told me that the front shocks were gone, probably due to the car getting lifted and the shocks getting extended more than usual which meant a loss of gas. There was basically no 'give' in the front anymore.

So in the end went back to my mechanic as Jax Tyres weren't able to match his price. I just need to get wheel alignment done now.

Thanks for everyone's input and this has definitely been a learning experience.