“Took the Jag to Discount Tire to replace the rear tires, and it was discovered that there was a crack in the left-rear rim.” – Dave Beard, road warrior
Already feeling the sting of $869 worth of new rear tires at 25,147 miles—ordered from Tire Rack for $416 per plus shipping—we were dismayed when one of our long-term Jaguar F-type‘s rear wheels was found to have a crack just before the new tires were installed last week. But this turned out to be only the tip of the iceberg. While we visited our local Jaguar dealership to order a new left-rear wheel, the techs informed us that the left-front rim was bent and that the F-type also needed a four-wheel alignment.
And just like that, our $869 penance snowballed into $928 for a new left-rear wheel—plus $21 in labor to mount the tire and $56 in tax—and another $949 for a new left-front wheel. (The wheels are 20s all around but don’t cost the same for whatever reason.) Thanks to the alignment, the labor on the front rim tallied $150; we also paid $57 in taxes. For those keeping track, yes, that adds up to an eye-watering $3030. Surely someone walloped a pothole or a piece of road debris, but the impact’s effects went unnoticed until the tire swap.
This would be the point at which we might toss out a trope about sports-car ownership being neither easy nor cheap, but several staffers own old Mazda Miatas, and wheels for those don’t cost anywhere near $1K a pop. What sets apart the Jag is, well, that it isn’t merely a sports car, but a $100,000 sports car. Those replacement-wheel prices aren’t any more outrageous than what Audi or BMW charge, and neither are the Jag’s wheels any less susceptible to the sort of spitefully neglected Michigan roads we drive on every day.
- Long-Term 2014 Jaguar F-type V-8 S: The Latest on Our Sexy Cat
- 2014 Jaguar F-type V-6 S Roadster Tested: We’d Like to Buy an “S” for $12K
- Jaguar F-type Research: Full Pricing, Specs, Reviews, and More
Our suggestion: If your dealer offers one of those wheel-insurance policies, and you live in a pothole-yptic wasteland like we do, and your hot new ride happens to roll on low-profile tires, consider buying the plan. It could pay for itself sooner than you think.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/112rtWN
via Agya
