Tyres

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
Its that time again. I need to replace the rears for the second time now the mileage has gone above the 20k mark. A quick 20p check shows that I'm near the limit. I'm planning on sticking with the Pirelli's but taking advantage of the Maserati Club cash back offer, which should be £50 getting the tyres down below BlackCircles prices.
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
Tyres fitted. Managed to almost get the dealer down to BlackCircles fitted prices and I get a £50 cash back from Pirelli courtesy of the other Maserati place. All in all good.

My TPMS sensor still hasn't gone off though. Will put a few more miles on it and if I doesn't disappear its time to call the dealer, again.

I did get a free tracking check done with the following results:

tracking-feb-2017.jpg

They tried to get me to pay to get everything moved into the green, with promise of a two year warranty on the work if I brought it back every 3 months. I don't know enough to judge what this is being measured against. Is it against 'true' in which case does the Ghibli have some of these things deliberately set off 'true' or is there a problem that needs fixing? My gut feel is to wait and see on the TMPS sensor and if that doesn't go out to get the dealer to check the tracking when they sort the sensors out.
 

P R

Member
Messages
1,382
I've got my printout but it's in the car. I deliberately had mine toed out a tadge as my fronts had badly worn on the inside. I guess if tyre wear is even I'd just leave it...
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
That's pretty close as far as I can tell
Front is out about 2 ' from spec each wheel, but they are both pointing dead ahead, which is what I have mine set to by choice. Toe out will make it turn in sharper, but wears the front inner edges.
Rear toe possibly a bit more worrying. The wheels aren't pointing in the same direction and your nearside is what I *think* is quite a bit out. So if it was *me* I'd probably get it done, but maybe not there. Not sure about the warranty aspect. What are they looking to charge?
C
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
They were looking at £120 with free updates for two years as long as I got it checked every 3 months. Not something I've dealt with before so I was after a second opinion. The thing that struck me was that the wheels were set different.

Turns out the MGT tyres did fix the TPMS issue so no free second opinion from the dealer as I don't need to go there for another few thousand miles. Probably the start of the summer. If this is going to give me uneven wear then I'll book it in and get it done.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
I recall we paid £150 for a full set up in the Summer. I expect to have to go back (apart from anything else my drop links are being done). So that sounds like a pretty fair deal.

Who are they?

C
 

Contigo

Sponsor
Messages
18,376
I recall we paid £150 for a full set up in the Summer. I expect to have to go back (apart from anything else my drop links are being done). So that sounds like a pretty fair deal.

Who are they?

C

That's cheap for any car which is shimmed.
 

Contigo

Sponsor
Messages
18,376
Well they didn't need shims to set up mine (or Blu's) suspension.

C

Then they haven't done it properly.

From another poster on here.

"My car has been off the road for 10 days following a botched alignment/geometry- caused by a national tyre company that does many Maseratis in my area and should know better.

I have since become something of an unwilling "expert" on Maserati wheel alignment : In the hope that it doesn't happen to anyone else I'll relate the story;

It started simply with a front tyre badly worn on the inside edge (very common apparantly on GT's)
I had two new tyres fitted and naturally asked for wheel alignment to be carred out at SETyres, who have the right equipment to do Maseratis (Hunter) and do many geometry checks for a local Maserati specialist.
They should have known what they were doing.

There is lots to go out of adjustment on the Granturismo and I can see why yearly alignment checks are recommended by Maserati.
The job can easily take 3 or 4 hours to do properly.
One adjustment (think its toe-in?) is on the lower track control bush, which is fluid filled. Adjustment is by the way of inserting Maserati special shims, and by a variable thickness sort of washer on the bolt that runs through the rubber bush which sits in an aluminium housing.

The problem is that as these cars age the bolts seize up. In my case the technician at SE Tyres was turning the bolt to adjust but in fact was twisting the bush. These bushes are OIL filled- result was two ruptured bushes-oil leaked out- result 2x new bush sets required (three each side, £250 a side + labour 10 hrs)

They admitted liability and the car went to my local Maserati specialist in Kent to do the job. All 6 track control bushes have to be changed (bushes come as a set)
This is a ten hour job. Special tools are needed to press the bushes into the arms.
Retail cost is nearly £2k. Every single bolt was seiized and had to be cut off. This took hours/days to do.
While it was apart the drop links and strut bushes had signs of wear (my car has only 19,000 miles) so I agreed to do this to whilst it was apart.
Finally the car has to have another 4 wheel geometry check of course.

Phew- So anyone having alignment being done it must be done by someone who has not only the correct equipment and knowledge of our cars but also knows that the bottom track control arm bushes must not be twisted or...£££££££mega!

SEtyres bill £2000 My bill £1000 (one front spring was also broken- apparantly also not unheard of) Oh well at least I have a completely overhauled front suspension now should be good for another 20,000 miles......
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
Well somehow they managed to get toe right without any shims. In fact they managed to get everything to move without any. Of course they are interdependent.

Tracking.jpg

C
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
What I'm worried about is whether a tyre place will do the job right. If I'm going to get a specialist to do it then the local MD is the closest.

I've dropped them a note and will see what they come back with. I'd rather not do anything that will cost me later.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
What I'm worried about is whether a tyre place will do the job right. If I'm going to get a specialist to do it then the local MD is the closest.

I've dropped them a note and will see what they come back with. I'd rather not do anything that will cost me later.

Not sure many MD's have the kit. They can probably recommend someone though, or come down to Northants :)

C
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
The place that did mine are in Ferryhill. Very good reputation

They have a geometry rig at the MD. it wasn't working when mine was sorted for the front wheel so they took it around to the Bentley dealership!


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David White

New Member
Messages
1
parelli cash back

Its that time again. I need to replace the rears for the second time now the mileage has gone above the 20k mark. A quick 20p check shows that I'm near the limit. I'm planning on sticking with the Pirelli's but taking advantage of the Maserati Club cash back offer, which should be £50 getting the tyres down below BlackCircles prices.

wouldnt you get the £50 cash back back when providing the reciept from black circles to parelli on top of thier discounted price?
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
wouldnt you get the £50 cash back back when providing the reciept from black circles to parelli on top of thier discounted price?

I don't think so. The link from the Pirelli web site is very specific and directs you to participating retailers in your area. The implication is that if you use a different retailer then you won't get the discount.