The 4 year old Audi A6 I bought in Sept 2010 ago was fitted with Barum Bravuris tyres, two of which were well worn. I was obliged to replace them just a few weeks later, and whilst Barum are perhaps not ones first choice of tyre, they seemed OK. Even so, in 255 x 19 x 35 guise, and some haggling, they were around £150 each at National Tyres. Knowing how easily one could ruin such low profile tyres on a relatively minor pothole, I paid for accidental damage insurance at £7.50 per tyre.

Fast forward 18months and one of the tyres has a ruinous puncture that cannot be repaired. There is 4.5mm of tread still left on it, so according to the guarantee blurb, I'm entitled to a 35% discount on the price of a replacement. Off I trot to the aforementioned tyre emporium expecting to have to pay circa £100 for a new tyre.

They said "That will be £168 sir."

Apparently, my 35% tyre discount entitlement is only off their 'Advertised retail price' of £240, which no-one ever pays, and not off any real price.
The tyre fitters advice - "Go home and order and pay for one online at tyreshopper.co.uk. Come back here with your receipt for £132 and I'll take one off the shelf here and fit it for you."

Now I know, that after sales product insurance is generally a money making scam, and I am old enough to know better, but this takes the biscuit. The small print on the tyre damage guarantee actually says - "..the tyre will be replaced with a new tyre at the prevailing price minus an allowance based on the tread depth remaining on the damaged tyre."

So what exactly does "prevailing price" mean? Any price that the retailer deems appropriate? I'd be very interested to hear your view

On this occasion, It appears that I've paid £7.50 per tyre, for a guarantee that is less than worthless. Perhaps you could point out to other readers that National Tyres 'No Nonsense Tyre Guarantee' appears to be complete and utter nonsense.

All the relevant info is available on the National Tyres website http://www.national.co.uk/information/tyre-guarantee.aspx