I purchased 4 tires from a forum member. The transaction went great and I'm appreciative of everything the seller did. Unfortunately, FedEx lost two of the tires in shipping. They said that they will replace them if they can't be found.

Here's the dilemma...

The tires I purchased were used. The tires that FedEx is going to purchase will obviously NOT be used. That means I'm running slightly different diameter tires on both the front and back. I know that you can wear out a limited slip differential if you run two different diameter tires on the rear. The tires I purchased have about 2-3k miles on them. Should I be concerned with running a new tire on one side of the car (front and rear) and the 'used' tire on the other side? Should I get nasty with FedEx to have them send me a matching set of 4 with equal or greater tread depth?

Paid about $700 when it was all said and done for the 'used tires'. FedEx will likely give me about the same to replace the two tires.

What would you do?

 

Tech,
..I would not mix tires with a couple thousands wear across the car from new ones, especially in the rear. Sometimes "stuff" just happens. If FedEx will pay you close to what you have in the four tires just move on with your life and do what it takes to put the right tires on the car and you may end up with a couple of spares to clutter up your garage. Life is way too short to worry about things that are not really so important.
Jeff

 

Put a couple of hundred to the 700 and buy 4 new Firestones or Kuhmo's or Summitomos (whatever they are called) . Then sell the other 2 used one's you have and maybe you can break even..... Maybe FedEx did you a favor........just a thought.........

 

Well... I want the orignal OEM tires for my daily set. The only compromise might be some PS2s.

I've certainly considered your suggestion, jclark. I've learned over the years that sometimes the headaches just aren't worth the reward. FedEx picked up the 'used' tires that I had to 'inspect the packaging'. They asked if they should be returned to the shipper or back to me. I said back to me (because the seller and I talked about working something out). Well... I called in yesterday to follow up on the claim and they told me the tires are on the way back to the shipper. The result will be... seller and buyer did everything right for a smooth transaction. FedEx botched it all up and now I'm left in the same place I started... 3 weeks ago. I sorta feel like FedEx should 'make it right'.

I've heard a similar story where someone shipped 5 wheels/tires. UPS lost the spare. UPS paid to replace all 5 wheels/tires.

 

UPDATE: Latest report is... they are only going to refund half of what they were insured for. That means... if they can't find them... they will be sending the seller $350.

The seller is going to be stuck with 2 non-matching used tires that are essentially worthless and a $350 check. If the seller is like most people I've bought from (myself included in some cases), the $700 was already allocated/spent.

I've been trying to kill FedEx with kindness but my patience is wearing thin....

 

I think FedEx has a max on its insurance of $500. UPS has a max of $50,000.

 

According to the receipt, he insured them for $700.

 

Well if he insured them for $700 then why the hell would they only refund him 1/2?? They allowed for the insurance, they should pay FULL amount!!
BS!

 

Okay if he insured all four for $700....and they lost 2.........then 1/2 of $700 is $350. or am I missing something??????????

 

People post the silliest things when they don't read all of the discussion...

 

Well I know you know some good attorneys........maybe you can offer the poster some direction since you have a background in dealing with this stuff.

 

I'll bet you know someone at FEDEX...

 

The point you're missing (azmuslcecar) is... the seller sent a matching set. I didn't get a matching set. Replacing the two tires has *much* less value then the 4 'used' matching tires.

Now the seller has two tires without a match. What is 1 used tire worth? $125-150? Multiply that by 2. Then factor in the extra headache of shipping tires 3 times... not to mention the half dozen calls/follow ups with FedEx (every time either of us call... they are missing very important information that we previously provided). If the seller is lucky, he'd get his $700 back. But not after major inconvenience.

FedEx F'd it up... they should make it so all parties are satisfied... Nobody is looking to retire off a FedEx settlement. I just want either... the tires I bought... or a replacement set with equal (or better) wear.

 

Well I'm not here to represent FedEx. Maybe what you need to do is escalate the level of your disatisfaction to a management level. Are you dealing with just a customer service rep. or have you moved up to a customer service manager? Have you gone above a customer service manager to a customer service senior manager? Have you or the seller asked for reimbursement of shipping charges as well????

All freight companies lose, damage and miss delivery dates. There are legal tools you as a consumer can use to get your just dues. Read the back of any airbill or shipping dsocument and see what all is covered. Depending on what you want in your compensation package, it does require phone calls and follow ups and headaches.

As a Z owner I fully understand the mismatched tire problem. IS that being conveyed to FEDEX? It's usually the SHIPPER that has to file the claims.....and you being the recipient....I just wonder if you are just an innocent victim here and it's the seller that now has the problem to deal with.

I don't work for FedEx.....and I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express either but I have dealt with freight claims for almost 30 years. I hope the seller gets full compensation for his lost wheels. Even if he gets the full $700.............he still has 2 mismatched tires right? Sometimes you just can't have your pound of flesh....but you can be a cheerleader for the victim!

 

I appreciate your comments.

We both have communicated very clearly that mismatched pairs of tires could cause damage to my car. That is one of those key things (mentioned above) that the CSRs failed to enter into the claim. As it stands now... we are just dealing with a 'claims rep'. Once she gives us her 'final' resolution, we will determine the next steps. I can guarantee, if she tries to give the shipper $350... I'll be knocking on Mr. FedEx's door demanding a better resolution.

Also... I should add. The rear tires have 2k miles on them. The front tires have about 9k miles on them.

 

Please don't criticize me. If I am stupid enough to read only half of what I want to read, then what gives you the right to criticize me?? I have the right to be as stupid as I want. We all have our rights, you know.

Just yanking your chain.

LOL

 

You've got four tires in a shipment going from point A to point B and two of them get lost along the way??

Sounds to me like one of the warehouse monkeys needed a couple of tires.

I'll bet after he got them home and discovered that he'd nabbed two different sizes, he felt really stupid.

I'd go after FedEx for the full $700 plus the shipping charges as the shipper now has two tires that aren't worth didly squat. It's like shipping two pairs of shoes and winding up with the two left shoes. You should be able to accomplish this with very little effort. Good luck.

 

I just shipped 4 used GY SC tires via FedEx last week. I asked about the insurance, I was told by the FedEx clerk that they were covered $100. each.

 

Did you send them FEDEX GROUND?

Most freight companies will include a "declared value" charge in their terms. I just sent wheels thru FEDEX Ground and they were insured for $100 a piece.

If you are shipping items with a high declared value, you must state it up front regardless if the clerk asks you or not. As the value goes higher, so does the optional cost of declared value coverage. It may cost you an additional 3 or 5 dollars to increase that $100 declared value coverage to $500 per item. Some items you cannot declare higher values simply due to the nature of possible theft or damage like jewelry or paintings or antiques. There are limits stated as to what you may claim as declared value of items.

The shipper was smart to declare $700 in this case. If he fights hard enough and long enough I'm sure he can get compensation and if he's not satisfied there are other avenues.

FedEx damaged an antique wooden spice crate I owned that came over on one of the earliest ships from England. It had been in my family for years. Someone ran the forks from a forklift right through it shattering some of the boards on the side of the crate. I filed a claim, and was told to have the crate repaired and submit a bill.

Fedex decided the crate was worth $500 since it is an antique and it ended up being a total loss even though I valued it much higher.

So I'm not here to defend FEDEX, just to alert readers, anytime you ship something with anyone, even your car with a transporter, be ready because things do happen. A car transporter wrecked my 69 Camaro getting it off his car hauler. I was videotaping him just in case! The car was just freshly painted too. The claim was settled with the hauler but it's a reminder that things can and will happen.

Sometimes we just can't get the justice we feel we deserve. Been there, done that, and even bought the tee shirt saying that!

 

This is just academic now, but if you read the terams and conditions of the contract of carriage (air waybill), you will see that Fed Ex probably states that they are not liable for "consequnetial damages," which is a term of art that I do not have the time or engery to elaborate on.

Plain and simple, you are asking for consequentials, which are not recoverable.

They lost two tires, they gave you half your insured value.

BTW-I do a lot of defense work for air carriers, ocean carriers, and motor truck carriers. I never represented Fed Ex, but we have at least 3 DHL cases going on right now. Now if you speak with a plaintiff's attorney opinions may vary. lol...