Do you think im within my rights to demand new front tires?
 

Hi this is a bit of a moan but i would like to hear your views

I bought a BRAND SPANKING NEW Sti from my Local Dealer Sparshatts in Botley. I cannot complain about the actual sales side because that was all great.

Shortly after actually recieving it i complained about the steerling being slightly off and the lack of grip from the front of the car, it was taken in and apparently sorted out and i was told by the service manager its how it should be and it drives just like the Demonstration car. Me believing him took it for thats how it should be and got on with my life..

Recently a fault has developed with my gear box where it grinds as it goes into 4th.. and sometimes 2nd at high revs... its also becoming very knotchy in all the gears... I informed them off this and its taken them 2 months to get the parts together and arrange a time to book my car in ( 29th this month )

I took it back there last week just to get its 10,000mile service, while it was it i asked them again to look at the geometry .. it felt better this time after i got it back. A bit more grippy and in control but far from what i would expect from an STI.
While giving it a really good clean on the weekend i turned the steering full lock and discovered the inside of my front wheels are bald both sides.. but plenty of tread left on the rest of the wheels.. (12,000miles normal driving, suspension is not modified in anyway) Im sure tires should last longer that this!

I feel they should replace these tires

1. Because the obviously did not set up the geometry originally
2. Good will for selling me a brand new car and a faulty gear box

What do you people think am i right to be pissed or is this just something Subarus do?

Anyone had similar?

Cheers

Mat

don't know how you drive but, i go through a paid of part worn's a month, and the inside do tend to go cos of power steering, so i've been told.

but you should try it on with then, if you don't ask you don't get!

worth a try but I think you will need the luck of the gods to get a good result.

Mat,

i've just replaced the front tyres on my WRX03ppp after 5000 miles for precisely the same reason. Seems like a lot of them suffer from incorrect geometry set up when new.

It certainly wont hurt to ask them for some new tyres but i'd be surprised if you get anything out of them, from what you say they sound preety clueless.

with regards to the gearbox, i also had a similar problem with mine in 5th gear. awfull grinding noise when slotting under heavy load. took it to a different dealer and they said that the new scooby gearbox for some reason comes partly filled with gear oil, they just topped it right up and i've not had a problem with it since.

12,000 miles really isn't unusual for a set of tyres on a scooby - although my MY00 came with rock-hard Bridgestones that it took me 30,000 miles to wear out.

It certainly also used to be the case that cars tended to come from the factory with all four wheels pointing in different directions. Most garages (including your dealer who carried out the PDI) simply don't have the equipment to check and adjust them properly. A trip to somewhere with a really good laser alignment rig like Powerstation in Cheltenham would be well worthwhile.

Personally I'd change the tyres (making sure to rotate them front to back occasionally - it's best to replace all four as a matched set) for some decent ones, let them sort your gearbox under warranty, then enjoy your scooby. I just don't think this one's worth the fight, sorry :(

I'd argue that the badly setup geometry is the cause of the uneven wear so I would fight to get a replacement set of tyres. I'd also fight to get them to pay for you to go to Powerstation to get the geometry done properly. Then, you shouldn't have any uneven tyre wear issues....

Good luck!

Matt.

Just got 14,000 miles from my front tyres on wrx 03, geo has been set correctly from powerstation for the last 4,000 miles. So I think that 12,000 from a performance car is not that bad rearlly especially as the front of the car suffers tremendous cornering loads, which will make either the outside or inside shoulders wear out first.

John

Does anyone else do really good geo settings?
I take it that the likes of kwik-fit aren't really up to the task.

12k mls from a pair of tyres. Not good but not too bad. What are the back tyres like?
15k is average and 20k on a sensibly driven car is pretty good.
Bight the bullet and get the geometry set up by a specialist with Subaru knowledge. Even if dealers have the right equipment how often do they use it and are their technicians adequately trained.
Others will be able to advise you who that is in your area but they need to be four wheel alignment specialists. Properly set up, you will be amased how it can transform the car.

Cheers for that .. Will let you know how i get on..

Im gonna get the car lowered at Power Station or TSL, before i get new tires...

Might even splash out and get 18s :D

Ahhhh the boys in Botley. Only been there once and not going again.
12000 miles doesn't sound terrible for tyre wear but then again a lot of that would have been running in. Try and see if you can get anywhere with them.
Micheldever tyres do Geometry settings (did mine) as well as cheap wheels and tyres.

If you get it set up properly at Power Station, they will also remove the bump steer which is what wears out your tyres unevenly and also causes understeer as you report. A set of Whiteline solid rear anti roll bar links-same place-will revolutionise your car.

I had all this done and the handling is superb. I have done 16K miles on the fronts and they are wearing absolutely evenly. I expect another 2-3K out of them and I like fast cornering too!

Les

I don't think you will find that a new age suffers from bumpsteer and there is no mod for it on these models.

John

PS stand to be corrected though!

Getting the whole lot done!!!

4 wheel alignment
Eibach spring kit
Rear roll bar
Rear roll bar heavy duty links
Front suspension antilift kit

Will cost a fair bit.. but will be worth it..

PowerStation Here i come ... ( Bank Balance Allowing :S)

Just need to work out now weather to get new 18 inch Alloys ... Just to stand out.
Or Get new tires on my Sti's 17s ..
If i get lower profile ones its not going to mess anything up is it?

Bah.. its all so complex :P I just want a scooby that i can throw into a corner and know it will come out smiling like my old WRX used too :P