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1. digidoll
   Member Profile

   

   This is WS-related if only by the facts that 1) it happened in WS, 2) I live in WS, and 3) my tire shop is in WS. Good enough.

   I called roadside assistance (part of my insurance policy) to get my car towed. The tow company that was assigned the job dropped my car, doing cosmetic damage and puncturing a tire.

   Long story short: the tow company is going to pay for the damage, and a new tire.

   Here's my problem: I can't have differing tire diameters on each side of the car (due to different levels of wear), and the new tire won't match the one on the other side anyway (tires are tough to find for this vehicle, there's usually only one option--either Yokohama or Hankook--at any given time, so the new tire is going to be not only "new" but also a different brand). It is unsafe, and potentially damaging to the vehicle/steering.

   Apparently, I'm stuck with the $125+ for the second tire. WTF? They damage my vehicle and I'm out $125? Compare this to somebody crashing into me: their insurance should pay for getting me back on the road safely, and being one tire short would not qualify.

   Does anyone know if I have any recourse, or how I might go about convincing them to pay for two tires? The tires have (had?) over 50% life left in them. I reported the incident to my insurance company (via roadside assistance), and they tell me that under WA state law, a 2nd new tire would be considered "improving the vehicle" which is not covered. Again, WTF? I can't drive my car safely until I pay for something that wasn't my fault?

   Posted 1 year ago #         

2. moxilot
   Member Profile

   I would get a statement from your tire shop stating that it is unsafe or detrimental to your vehicle to drive with tires of uneven wear (or of a different brand). Follow that statement with something along these lines "By ignoring this valid safety concern, you are accepting responsibility for any further damage caused by not repairing my vehicle to a safe state." I'm sure they'll have something to say about that.... You can also try talking to the tow company directly, since they are the ones that dropped your car.

   Posted 1 year ago #         

3. Ken
   Member Profile

   

   http://theseattleinjuryattorney.com/insurance-coverage/court-rules-insurace-policy-covers-diminished-value-to-vehicle/

   http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4007356.html

   strouds has a radio show you can call into on Sat morning on am1090

   Posted 1 year ago #         

4. MrJT
   Member Profile

   

   If your car is that sensitive, you probably should never take it out of the garage.

   Posted 1 year ago #         

5. KBear
   Member Profile

   $125 seems a petty amount for an insurance company to quibble about in a case that is clearly their contractor's fault. Since you need the new tire for your car to be safe, you should go ahead and buy it yourself. But keep after the insurance company until they compensate you. Maybe the state insurance commissioner's office can help you.
   http://www.insurance.wa.gov/consumers/auto/AutoAdvice.shtml

   Posted 1 year ago #         

6. CMP
   Member Profile

   Did you check your owner's manual in the tire section? I had to replace a tire on my car after only 3,300 miles and Costco advised replacing all four at once for my Subaru. I think it's common knowledge at tire shops that AWD cars require similar tread on all four tires so I'd just round up some evidence stating such and present it to the tow truck company. I ended up getting just one Yokohama at Discount Tire and they didn't try to sell me three other tires. Good luck!

   Posted 1 year ago #         

7. digidoll
   Member Profile

   

   Thank you all (except the troll, yeesh). The wear on my remaining tires is only 15k, so there won't be much difference in tread wear/tire diameter... I'm more concerned about the difference in brand and tread pattern, which would interact with the road surface differently - I have a full-sized spare of a different brand and condition on it now (in the front), and I can feel the vehicle pulling to one side. I don't want that to be a permanent thing. It is rear wheel drive, so replacing all 4 isn't necessary - just the ones on the same axle. I have heard there are some newer vehicles that will void your warranty if you don't replace all 4 at once, so there is some merit to the uneven tread wear argument (mine's a 91, so no warranty to void!).

   I will purchase the 2nd tire myself, and keep after the insurance company and tow company. It's the unfairness and inconvenience of this whole thing that irks me - and the fact that I have better things to spend $125 on - Maybe a taxi, so that my sensitive car can stay in the garage? :).

   Posted 1 year ago #         

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