Found my way to your very helpful site this afternoon. I'm about to pick up a 56 plate TD6 Vogue SE from a main dealer but I have one worry - not made any better by reading RRUK's trials and tribulations in getting 4 new tyres fitted to his 2008 TDV8.

I checked the tyres on the car when I saw it and noted that these were 255/50 R19s. I didn't know any better at the time, but on checking into this I find that the correct tyre size is 255/55 R19s and, as far as I can work out, the tyres on the car may be RRSport tyres. My guess is that the tyres on the car were shot when the dealer took it in and they swapped them for whatever they had lying around. The tread on the tyres is ok (not great, but acceptable), but here's the thing...

When I phoned the dealer and pointed out that my research told me that the car has the incorrect tyres, they assured me that it DOES in fact have 255/55s all round! At first they just told me that I was wrong with my concerns about rolling radius and speedo error, but when I pressed further they then said that the tyres were the correct size and that's why they were saying there was no problem. Now I can't work this out all, because I wrote the tyre size down when I saw the car and I didn't know this was the wrong size until I was checking out tyre prices. They have assured me that they would never send a car out with incorrect tyres fitted and that all is AOK.

Now the bit that worries me is that I'm going to pick the car up on Friday and I have a horrible feeling that I'll find that I'm right and the car HAS got the incorrect tyre size fitted - unless I'm completely losing my marbles of course! I don't know what more I can do, I've asked the dealer twice about this and they've assured me that the tyres are right. I just have to go on what they say, but i can feel a ghastly dealer experience coming on that's rather going to spoil the experience of picking up my new car.

Admittedly it's only 5ml difference in aspect, but I think this can only speed up trye wear as well as knock the speedo out. I can't imagine that there's any real safety/handling issue, but I don't necessarily want to volunteer that. My other concern is that the tyres don't all have exactly even wear and, as I will want to revert to correct size when I change them, I'll need to replace them all at once (or at least one axle at a time).

Any advice or thoughts from others would be very much appreciated. Is there any definitive view on how these tyres (assuming they are the incorrect 255/50s) will behave and whether Landrover would indeed approve sending out a car on the wrong tyres?

All views welcomed, but I'll let you know how I get on!!!

Welcome!

Aha, been here before!

I think the tyre size you state are not as big a concern as the ones I had but still, (assuming you are correct) the wrong size.(my tyres were also odd makes and tread patterns)

You clearly read my long post so I can offer some abridged advice which you can choose to use or not

On a FFRR the 19" wheels should have a 255/55/19 111 V or H

Land Rover only supply this specification of tyre to a full size Range Rover. They may well stick the slightly lower profile 255/50/19 tyres on the RR Sport. That size won't really affect the speedo etc on your car but still, there's a point to be made, and that is that the tyres should be the ones that LR internded.

If when you go to pick up the car they have fibbed to you and the they are the wrong size and they've not swapped them since you raised your concerns, the chances are you'll have to take the car on the day, but you should press them to agree to swapping them ASAP.

The things that clinched it for me were the following:

1. I told them I had spoken to LR Customer Services and they had agreed that the tyre size, load rating and speed ratings were not the ones they fit at the factory, nor the ones stated in the owners manual as suitable for this model Range Rover.

2. I told them that as far as my Insurance company is concerned, they were deemed to be a modification and therefore invalidate my insurance.

3. I asked them to give me a WRITTEN letter, signed by the Head of Service or the Dealer Principal, that I could send on to my insurance company stating that although LR never fitted these tyres as standard to the full size Range Rover, they were willing to agree that they were perfectly safe and would not compromise the handling, performance and safety of the car. (That really did the job, I can't take the credit as someone else said to try it)

Check the load and speed ratings of the tyres too, and if they are not as above, gives you more ammunition.

The truth is that people put RR Sport wheels and tyres on the FFRR to no detriment, but for me, I wnated what was right, what looked right and also, didn't want to fork out £600 on tyres in week 2!

if you want to bounce any ideas off us, keep asking. Here to help, we can get these tyres for you

You may need to battle it with them, afterall, who wants to give away £600 plus fitting. you may need to involve the Dealer Principal too, but keep pressing, make a nuisance of yourself as no one gets anything for free! Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

hi welcome

what does the tyre infoplate say on the drivers door frame if remember correctly i have just checked mine abd acording to my info plate it says 19 inch profile is 55

i belive that this is the manufactures recommended tyres sizes from 18 trough 20 inch, also is there not an issue with insurance companies classing any other tyre apart from what the manufactures recommendation as modified and as a result of this any non declaration would make the policy null and void.

i would check the info plate on your new vehicle and if they dont match then perhaps you have an argument bring to the table, if nothing else the dealer is supplying a car that is not to the spec recomended and the dealers are saying it is



i too may be barking up the wrong tree completly if i am then some one will put me right


good luck in your quest hope this helps 02 Range Rover HSE Zambezie silver 4.4

You can mix and match any size wheels and tyres from the FFRR models with no effect to speedo etc.

i.e. You can put the FFRR 18" tyres on, the 19" or 20" tyres on and the car will basically perform the same. The rolling radius over the sizes is the same.

Don't misunderstand me, I am not advocating mixing sizes! I mean 4 x 18" tyres are ok, just as 4 x 20" would be ok (in the correct std sizes of course.)

BUT, the size you state of 255/50/19 are NOT the correct size. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Thanks for your thoughts guys - it's much appreciated.

I think you're right RRUK. As you experienced, the tyres on the car are a mixture of makes. However, I can live with that - it's the size of tyre that I'm unhappy with. I'll see what happens and use the tactics you suggest if I have to.

Other than that I'm looking forward to it and pleased with the car. It's a nice looking '56 plate td6 Vogue SE in Buckingham Blue on 36k miles, with two tone Parchment/Blue interior, sc grill/side vents and side pipes. All the usual kit. I'm just keen to get past the tyre debate!

Watch this space!

Make sure they are 255/55 R19 anything else other than 255/50 R20 is not Standard LR fitments.

As someone else has alluded to, use the tactic I use with engineers on my aeroplane. If you think you may be getting fobbed off, e.g. 'that oil usage is fine and within the limits' but you suspect it is cack, I say 'OK just seemed a bit high to me, can you show me the manual where it states that burn rate is within limits and I'll take the jet.'
Normally after a little scratching of heads the problem either gets fixed or 'if your going to be difficult we'll change the aircraft for you.'
Oh, Thank you very much and I am on my way!
Audi have had alot of this recently with people crashing their Q7s, etc and then insurance not paying out due to wrong tyres. You are doing well to spot it now.
Kind regards,
Ed

Quick update. Rather than face the problem tomorrow, I called the dealer again today to try and finally put my mind at rest. I know I've been told that the tyres are the correct size, but I still can't get my head around that I wrote down 255/50 when I viewed the car. I can't shake the feeling that I'm being told what the correct answer should be, but that no one's actually looked at the car.

Anyway, my sales guy not around today and I was promised that someone would check and call me back. One hour later, there had been no call so I chased again. I then got a call back 5 minutes later from the receptionist that I had spoken to - she told me that the tyres were... wait for it... 20"!!!

I suggested she check again and repeated the reg number of the car concerned. She was then gone for quite some time, but finally came back and said "Yes, we've had a look and they're definitely the right size." All very reassuring, but I asked her what size this actually was. This seemed to confuse her for a moment, but she checked and came back with "255 dash 55 R19." I asked if she was absolutely sure and she said that two of her colleagues had looked at the car and confirmed this. She then got a bit sarcastic and asked me if I wanted them to look again!

Nothing more I can do. They've told me the right answer three times now, but never in an assertive way that truly reassures me. If the car does turn out to have the wrong tyres then I will be somewhat more than miffed. On the other hand, if it does have the right tyres, they must think that I'm a complete lunatic. Hope its the latter!!!

All will be revealed tomorrow.

a;so you CANNOT just change two tyres on an axle and then do the others when they wear out the FFRR is full time 4x4 and you could damage a part of the transmission due to different axle speeds , so being as you have differnt size to std youll need to change all four to the correct size and check the spare  onto no6 Range Rover

Everyone needs a hobby

OK, so it's the latter - they think I'm a complete lunatic!

I have to say that I'm still not convinced though. I still can't beleive that I wrote down the wrong tyre info when I viewed the car and, whilst I cant recall the brands of the tyres, I'm pretty sure that there wasn't a pair of Hankooks on the front.

Who knows or cares now, but I'm pleased to report that all correct tyres are present and correct. Only a short 40-odd mile drive home today (30mpg!), but will have time to play with it over the weekend. Looking good!

Will post how I get on. Thanks again everyone.

Pictures! Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Will do, but it's done nothing but chuck it down since I picked it up. Wating for a bit of sun and a quick clean up and I'll take a few snaps. I'll even take a few of the tyres!