French OPC Tyre Rip-Off!!

[Richard_Hamilton]

Originally posted by nic1 in another thread, I felt this deserved a thread of it's own:

ORIGINAL: nic1
Has anyone had the misfortune of needing to buy a new tyre in France and if so did they complain about being overcharged and if so did they manage to get anywhere. I bought a Continental tyre (285/30/18N2) from an OPC in Paris after a blow out and was charged the equivelent of £584 .29 including fitment. Cant tell you how angry I am and feel I need to seek redress for a criminal overcharge but also warn others of this daylight robbery. I am told Porsche GB can do little apart from register my concern with Porsche Germany. Any information /advice would be very much appreciated.

 

[Nick_USA]

[FONT=arial"]Eeeek!!!

I just did a UK online quote for this ..... [FONT=arial"]£[FONT=arial"]246.40 fitted inc VAT.

 

[944s2]

May be outrageous and I'm in no way condoning it but wonder what price of tyre is in France at French equivalent of Kwickfit or similar and at an OPC if you did same here undaer same circumstances

 

[tscaptain]

Voyez ici mon ami

http://www.pneus-online.fr/pneu-auto-285-30-18.html

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

Beat me to it Alan!

Quel Rip-off!

 

[944s2]

Ditto[]

 

[tscaptain]

You've got to be quick to beat the Captain![]

 

[944s2]

Truth be told I was in it as I typed my response but you did post whereas I didn't[]

 

[tscaptain]

Mange tout - as Del Boy would say![]

 

[minny]

I suspect the OPC staff were saying something similar to the bit in the Monthy Python sketch The Holy Grail when the troops from the continent say" 'ee must be Engleesh so I fart in your general direction"

 

[pwebb]

Other side of the coin - had a tyre stabbed by a Moroccan scammer on the French border in our Cayenne a few years ago. Made it to Biarritz OPC (long story) who couldn't source a tyre (Bank Holiday, unusual size, etc) so kindly found a serviceable replacement from the pile of worn tyres out the back which got us home. No charge and free coffee... First option on the new Cayenne was a spare wheel []

 

[944s2]

Just at thought

Anyone know someone in Paris who could phone and out of curiosity and ask what they would charge as a Frenchman?[][]

 

[RSGulp]

Am I the only one who isn't surprised that an OPC in the centre of Paris charges more than we'd usually expect at our equivalent UK tyre centre? Imagine the overheads in a central Parisian Porsche centre (I'm assuming it's the Paris 16 OPC).

Perhaps the OP should have agreed how much the work would cost before it was carried out - then if unhappy he could have taken the car to a standard tyre fitting outfit? But, of course that isn't as convenient as having the car recovered to the nearest OPC and having them see to it straight away!

 

[tscaptain]

ORIGINAL: RSGulp

Am I the only one who isn't surprised that an OPC in the centre of Paris charges more than we'd usually expect at our equivalent UK tyre centre?

No, but when you are abroad, maybe not that fluent in the lingo, feeling a bit uneasy it's understandable that someone may just want to get the job done (and thus taken advantage of). Much easier in the cold light of day to be more analytical?

 

[GeoffB]

Not surprised just had a friend visit this week who lives in France and while here replaced all his tyres even though nowhere near limits. Reasoning, he would not be back to UK for another year and tyre so expensive in France worth changing now.

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

ORIGINAL: GeoffB

Not surprised just had a friend visit this week who lives in France and while here replaced all his tyres even though nowhere near limits. Reasoning, he would not be back to UK for another year and tyre so expensive in France worth changing now.

You need to tell your friend about pneus-online.fr as they about the same price there as here.

 

[GeoffB]

Richard will do, thanks