***WARNING*** Dishonest Dealings (The $486 tire)
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Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Tar Heel State
His wife crazy
***WARNING*** Dishonest Dealings (The $486 tire)
I purchased two tires from Mindfreak a.k.a Michael Teloniatis, https://mbworld.org/forums/wheels-ti...45-40zr18.html
I paid the asking price of $400.00, and had him ship them to me via FedEx next day air at my expense. I took the tires to discount tire direct today, to have them mounted and balanced, when the first tire was mounted, and inflated, the tech immediately called me over (I was in the bay watching them work on the car) and showed me two bumps on the tire's sidewall, he called them "impact breaks" and said that is normally caused by hitting a pothole or a curb. Basically, the belts in the sidewall are broken, causing the tire to bulge at those spots.
I sent Michael an email, with photos of the bumps on the sidewall, before it was dismounted, and requested 1/2 of my money back, after a few more emails, with additional hi-res pics of the tire, including the DOT sticker that he also has pictures of he has stopped communicating, but not before accusing me of trying to scam him, even though I told him I would send the tire back to him at my expense, so he could see it was the same tire.
I had to order a new tire from Discount Tire at a cost of $286.00 + tax + mounting/balancing.
I've bought and sold dozens of items, on many forums, over many years and my reputation is stellar, if I may say so myself. I am done venting, but as everyone knows, Caveat Emptor, even when dealing with people on a well respected forum. My sense of camaraderie and fairness has been violated, like never before.
To Michael: Shame on you
And as I said in my last e-mail, I will use every legal means to get my $200.00 back, no matter what the cost is to me.
I paid the asking price of $400.00, and had him ship them to me via FedEx next day air at my expense. I took the tires to discount tire direct today, to have them mounted and balanced, when the first tire was mounted, and inflated, the tech immediately called me over (I was in the bay watching them work on the car) and showed me two bumps on the tire's sidewall, he called them "impact breaks" and said that is normally caused by hitting a pothole or a curb. Basically, the belts in the sidewall are broken, causing the tire to bulge at those spots.
I sent Michael an email, with photos of the bumps on the sidewall, before it was dismounted, and requested 1/2 of my money back, after a few more emails, with additional hi-res pics of the tire, including the DOT sticker that he also has pictures of he has stopped communicating, but not before accusing me of trying to scam him, even though I told him I would send the tire back to him at my expense, so he could see it was the same tire.
I had to order a new tire from Discount Tire at a cost of $286.00 + tax + mounting/balancing.
I've bought and sold dozens of items, on many forums, over many years and my reputation is stellar, if I may say so myself. I am done venting, but as everyone knows, Caveat Emptor, even when dealing with people on a well respected forum. My sense of camaraderie and fairness has been violated, like never before.
To Michael: Shame on you
And as I said in my last e-mail, I will use every legal means to get my $200.00 back, no matter what the cost is to me.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 1
From: ny
2019 s560 sedan
I purchased two tires from Mindfreak a.k.a Michael Teloniatis, https://mbworld.org/forums/wheels-ti...45-40zr18.html
I paid the asking price of $400.00, and had him ship them to me via FedEx next day air at my expense. I took the tires to discount tire direct today, to have them mounted and balanced, when the first tire was mounted, and inflated, the tech immediately called me over (I was in the bay watching them work on the car) and showed me two bumps on the tire's sidewall, he called them "impact breaks" and said that is normally caused by hitting a pothole or a curb. Basically, the belts in the sidewall are broken, causing the tire to bulge at those spots.
I sent Michael an email, with photos of the bumps on the sidewall, before it was dismounted, and requested 1/2 of my money back, after a few more emails, with additional hi-res pics of the tire, including the DOT sticker that he also has pictures of he has stopped communicating, but not before accusing me of trying to scam him, even though I told him I would send the tire back to him at my expense, so he could see it was the same tire.
I had to order a new tire from Discount Tire at a cost of $286.00 + tax + mounting/balancing.
I've bought and sold dozens of items, on many forums, over many years and my reputation is stellar, if I may say so myself. I am done venting, but as everyone knows, Caveat Emptor, even when dealing with people on a well respected forum. My sense of camaraderie and fairness has been violated, like never before.
To Michael: Shame on you
And as I said in my last e-mail, I will use every legal means to get my $200.00 back, no matter what the cost is to me.
I paid the asking price of $400.00, and had him ship them to me via FedEx next day air at my expense. I took the tires to discount tire direct today, to have them mounted and balanced, when the first tire was mounted, and inflated, the tech immediately called me over (I was in the bay watching them work on the car) and showed me two bumps on the tire's sidewall, he called them "impact breaks" and said that is normally caused by hitting a pothole or a curb. Basically, the belts in the sidewall are broken, causing the tire to bulge at those spots.
I sent Michael an email, with photos of the bumps on the sidewall, before it was dismounted, and requested 1/2 of my money back, after a few more emails, with additional hi-res pics of the tire, including the DOT sticker that he also has pictures of he has stopped communicating, but not before accusing me of trying to scam him, even though I told him I would send the tire back to him at my expense, so he could see it was the same tire.
I had to order a new tire from Discount Tire at a cost of $286.00 + tax + mounting/balancing.
I've bought and sold dozens of items, on many forums, over many years and my reputation is stellar, if I may say so myself. I am done venting, but as everyone knows, Caveat Emptor, even when dealing with people on a well respected forum. My sense of camaraderie and fairness has been violated, like never before.
To Michael: Shame on you
And as I said in my last e-mail, I will use every legal means to get my $200.00 back, no matter what the cost is to me.
TM
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 327
Likes: 1
From: Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
SRT-6
Beware of people that post with CAPS LOCKED! Really, what a bad deal. You try to be fair (pay shipping) only to find out you were taken. (I got 3 good used shocks and a bad one) I doubt it was an accident.
Les
Les
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
From: Gulf, FL
Takes the bus.
Bummer.
I hit a pothole and got two sidewall bulges in my front right vredstein, a week before having them taken off and put on another set of wheels. The mechanic then showed the bulges to me when he dismounted them to remount on another set of wheels. He told me there's a chance of failure, but as long as they seat right on the wheel, you should be fine.
Its been like 3k miles since the dismount and remount. Everything is fine, no vibration or anything. The tires have like 6k miles on them.
So I believe you would have been fine, if they were minor bulges. Perhaps then the shop was trying to make a buck off your mishap.
On the other hand, mindfreak should be held responsible, who knows what could have happened if they were mounted combined with you not knowing about the breaks in the sidewall and then had a blowout.
I hit a pothole and got two sidewall bulges in my front right vredstein, a week before having them taken off and put on another set of wheels. The mechanic then showed the bulges to me when he dismounted them to remount on another set of wheels. He told me there's a chance of failure, but as long as they seat right on the wheel, you should be fine.
Its been like 3k miles since the dismount and remount. Everything is fine, no vibration or anything. The tires have like 6k miles on them.
So I believe you would have been fine, if they were minor bulges. Perhaps then the shop was trying to make a buck off your mishap.
On the other hand, mindfreak should be held responsible, who knows what could have happened if they were mounted combined with you not knowing about the breaks in the sidewall and then had a blowout.
Last edited by Crescendo; Mar 27, 2010 at 08:34 PM.
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From: Tar Heel State
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 575
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From: Lake Norman
CTS-V 2013 Wagon
There is no way I would run a tire like this on a car as capable as ours. My truck on the other hand I might, but never my nice cars.
Bummer.
He told me there's a chance of failure, but as long as they seat right on the wheel, you should be fine.
Its been like 3k miles since the dismount and remount. Everything is fine, no vibration or anything. The tires have like 6k miles on them.
So I believe you would have been fine, if they were minor bulges.
He told me there's a chance of failure, but as long as they seat right on the wheel, you should be fine.
Its been like 3k miles since the dismount and remount. Everything is fine, no vibration or anything. The tires have like 6k miles on them.
So I believe you would have been fine, if they were minor bulges.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 697
Likes: 1
From: Tar Heel State
His wife crazy
I had no choice but to put my old tire back on and drive the beast home. Those bulges pushed right in with the tip of my finger, there is no way I was going to drive on that tire, even if Discount Tire would have agreed to put it on the car.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 48
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From: NoVA
2005 E55
I just had to replace one of my rear PS2s (265/35) for a sidewall bulge like that. Mine was damaged by running over a tree branch laying in the road. Luckily for me the wheel checked out okay, and I had an extra tire laying around.
I gave the bad tire to the Goodyear shop that did the mounting, and I understand it is going to be shredded. It would truly suck if the seller sold that tire to you *knowing* it was damaged. Given the mass of these cars, and the speeds they are capable of, it's just an invitation to disaster to drive on a tire with a compromised sidewall.
I gave the bad tire to the Goodyear shop that did the mounting, and I understand it is going to be shredded. It would truly suck if the seller sold that tire to you *knowing* it was damaged. Given the mass of these cars, and the speeds they are capable of, it's just an invitation to disaster to drive on a tire with a compromised sidewall.
Super Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 519
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From: Vancouver British Columbia
09 E320 Bluetec
ps2's are very prone to getting bubbles. i got bubbles in my ps2 that were on my 760.
a lot of ppl on bimmerfest that had them on their 7 got bubbles easily too.
a lot of ppl on bimmerfest that had them on their 7 got bubbles easily too.
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 917
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From: Glendale, AZ
E55
Happened to me once, and they looked exactly like that, although on a bigger tire (295/45/20). I let a buddy of mine borrow my SUV and he clipped the edge of a center curb divider while turning left at a light. It was late Saturday and I had a 200 mile road trip planned the next day. I drove on it for the 200 miles.
The Schwab swapped out the tire free of charge the following Monday, telling me it was unsafe to continue to drive on it that way.
"Driven on for 220 miles" until he hit something and sold the tires to you. Something is fishy there, but if he had these mounted he should have known the bubbles unless it happened when removing them from the wheel.
The Schwab swapped out the tire free of charge the following Monday, telling me it was unsafe to continue to drive on it that way.
"Driven on for 220 miles" until he hit something and sold the tires to you. Something is fishy there, but if he had these mounted he should have known the bubbles unless it happened when removing them from the wheel.
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Georgia
E 63S Wagon Renntech, E55 Renntech, SL65, SL 55 030, ML, bunch of old ones--they come, they go...
Guys,
no offense to anyone here, and I'm sorry that happened. But used performance tires? That's just something you've got to be really careful with. This is your ULTIMATE contact with the road, and your going to take a chance on a used one at 100MPH in the 100 degree heat? I'm not sayng that there's never something good that works out doing this, but jeez, you've just got to be careful, especially with someone you don't know. Good luck in your resolution....
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 697
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From: Tar Heel State
His wife crazy
no offense to anyone here, and I'm sorry that happened. But used performance tires? That's just something you've got to be really careful with. This is your ULTIMATE contact with the road, and your going to take a chance on a used one at 100MPH in the 100 degree heat? I'm not sayng that there's never something good that works out doing this, but jeez, you've just got to be careful, especially with someone you don't know. Good luck in your resolution....
Moral of the story: Don't try to be a cheap B'stard, because it does not pay.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Tar Heel State
His wife crazy
That is another possibility, depending on the method/machinery used to break the bead and dismount the tire. The seller claims the mounting and dismounting were done by a Mercedes dealer. I believe he did not know about it beforehand, but not offering to make things right and questioning my integrity just pisses me off.
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'91 964 Turbo, '02 E55's & '14 E63s-w
That is another possibility, depending on the method/machinery used to break the bead and dismount the tire. The seller claims the mounting and dismounting were done by a Mercedes dealer. I believe he did not know about it beforehand, but not offering to make things right and questioning my integrity just pisses me off.
You are absolutely right about damaging the side wall during mounting and un-mounting.Infact it's very easy to tell whether the lines were damaged while mounting/un mounting (crowe bar breaking the lines ) or an impact causing the bubble.
The best thing would be to take them to a tire place and let them look at the tires.
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From: www.Traben-Trarbach.de
MPG+ ROLFCOPTER
I nearly bought these wheels myself but then decided to pass on them as there was just not enough savings...Any way this is an excellent post for people to be careful about purchasing the used stuff especially the wheels and tires.
You are absolutely right about damaging the side wall during mounting and un-mounting.Infact it's very easy to tell whether the lines were damaged while mounting/un mounting (crowe bar breaking the lines ) or an impact causing the bubble.
The best thing would be to take them to a tire place and let them look at the tires.
You are absolutely right about damaging the side wall during mounting and un-mounting.Infact it's very easy to tell whether the lines were damaged while mounting/un mounting (crowe bar breaking the lines ) or an impact causing the bubble.
The best thing would be to take them to a tire place and let them look at the tires.
You might want to reread. There were no wheels involved; just dismounted tires.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Tar Heel State
His wife crazy
He is in Philly. I have to go there in a couple weeks to renew my PA CCW permit, and I'll have a chat with someone at the Police Department at the same time, if he has not made good at that point.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 697
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From: Tar Heel State
His wife crazy
Update on my damaged tire thread
It took 3 weeks, but MindFreak refunded my $200.00 for the damaged PS2 
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-486-tire.html
One thing for sure, next time I need tires, I'll be buying them new.
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-486-tire.html
One thing for sure, next time I need tires, I'll be buying them new.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Southern California
E55 w/ goods, Z32 Project underway
I only buy tires new. Just a hassle and too many unknowns as well as dishonest people that do not believe in full disclosure when buying used.
