Don't damage any tyres

Ah yes I remember you bought yours for winter use, I bought the Style 5's for summer! Sadly for you the last thing I need is more tyres! Need to wear a set out before changing them to winter tyres and they should last me the whole warranty period the way I'm going!

Frustrating Tim! The potential cost of 20" tyres should be a sombre warning to all who fall in love with the 'look' of the 20" rims.

Having had several years of Audi's with big low profile tyres I'm uncomfortably aware just how easily damaged the things are, let alone taking them off-road. The result is almost always the same in the a replacement tyre is needed and they are always expensive.

A set of four would be eye watering!

If you think a 4 day lead time for tyres is unacceptable, you should try ordering tyres for a Ferrari...

The claiming procedure:
Called the Policy Administrators this morning , explained the situation. The call centre operative (in the UK at Warwick) sent me a claim forum be email and it arrived while I was speaking to him. I was then transferred to the Customer Relations person who asked me to take the wheel and tyre into a Lookers outlet for inspection. I explained a) I purchased the car in London and live in the sticks north of Glasgow b) my nearest Lookers is an hour's drive away and c) I have already ordered a tyre as the lead in time is 3-4 days. Response - No problem sir, I understand the situation, yes we know these tyres are difficult to get and it is unreasonable to ask you to drive an hour to the nearest Lookers, please complete the claim form, take the required photos and I have authorised the claim now. So on Friday I will be back into the tyre shop and do the necessary. The insurers prefer to use a Lookers outlet to provide the new tyre but in this case they have waived that as I have already ordered a new tyre. So now I have to wait and see if they will pay out the full amount or the equivalent of what a Lookers outlet would have supplied the same tyre for.

The reason for them requiring Lookers is that that who's scheme I signed up for - it is Lookers Group's own product.

Interesting Tim. Do you have an excess?
I submitted my alloy wheel claim just over a week ago. Not heard anything yet!!

Taken heed from your post and have taken out a 3 year insurance plan from my dealers today.

They had mentioned the insurance during the handover but I was too keen to get in the car and drive it that I never discussed the terms or cost at the time.

It also covers 5 tyre replacements and 10 alloy repairs so given the car has the Michelin Latitude Sport tyres and I've come close to kerbing the car already it makes sense IMO.

no excess, just back from the tyre shop from getting some photos of the tyre on the wheel as requested by the insurer, before the shop phones to say that the wheels are ready to fit! The claim form is something else and even the tyre fitter who fits the replacement tyre has to fill in his theories on how the damage occurred

Just had a call from the alloy wheel repairer. Booked in and they are coming to me.
Happy so far.

Anyone offer what they are charging for this insurance? PM me if you don't want to go public.

Various policies if you Google it.
On 20"s its about £260 for 3 years cover (you can make this longer or shorter), up to 5 claims and £300 per claim.

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At that price 1 claim in the 3 years and it will have paid for itself