Rant: Tire rotation

[LoriMaury Kimbrough]

This afternoon I dropped my truck off to have the tires balanced and rotated at the same place where we bought the tires. We've always been happy with the work so I had no problem taking it to them by myself. There are places that I won't take the truck without the hubby just because I don't like being treated like a moron. Some men refuse to believe that a woman might actually know the difference between a tail pipe and a dip stick.



When they were done, I walked around the truck to make sure that everything was OK. I noticed right off the bat that one of my wheels had a scratch on it. I tried to rub it off, but it is actually a scatch. So I go inside and tell the counter person that one of my wheels is scratched.



The look on his face alone really ticked me off. For other ladies that frequent this board, you'll know the look well. It's that one that says, "Wow, you actually looked".



So this guy puts down his sandwhich and comes out to look at the wheel. He says that there was no way that they caused the damage. I asked for an explanation. He stated that all of the equipment and tools that they use are plastic and couldn't have caused the damage. I told him that I knew for a fact that there was nothing wrong with that wheel when I dropped off the truck. He asked what I wanted him to do about it. I told him that if I drop off my vehicle for service and it is damaged while in their posession, I expect it to be fixed. He then went back inside to get someone else. I got the same explanation from the next guy. I reminded them that their impact wrenchs, jack handles and other various tools in the shop are not all plastic and it is possible that the scratch was caused by the person working on my truck. I was then told that I couldn't prove that they caused the damage, my response....they couldn't prove that they didn't. I was then told that it was my responsibility to prove that they were at fault and there was nothing that they could do. My response, "you mean that there is nothing that you WILL do".



My smart ass kicked in at this point and I congratulated them on having perfect people working for them that never made mistakes. I apologized for wasting their time with my business and assured them that they would never have to bother with me as a customer again. I also reminded them that the best form of advertisement was word of mouth and that not only did I have a big mouth but there would be nothing positive coming out of mine about their business. Their response.."I'm sorry it has to be that way". I told him that I doubted that becasue the look on his face said that he didn't really care, he was going to get a paycheck either way and that they loss of my business was no skin off his nose. So I got in my truck and left.



I just don't understand why people cannot take responsibility for their own actions. Mistakes happen, we're all human. So I guess from now on, I'm going to have to document the condition of my truck whenever I have it worked on. As a general rule I don't take a clean truck to a mechanic. It's easier to see what's been touched if the truck is dirty.



Maybe I should have waited until the hubby could go with me, at least he could have pounded the guys face some...of couse I really can't afford bail...



Now I get to find someone else to do my tire rotation, plus I'll have to pay for it.



OK...rant over...and yet I don't feel better....

 

[Nelson Atwell]

You forgot to tell us where we need to avoid going. They mau not miss one person's business, but there are several thousand potential customers here that can be warned.

 

[Judd Quarles]

I agree...best to go for service when the truck is dirty. Then, I always find the fingerprints and the smudges and look around them to see if there is any damage. It's a shame that it has to be this way...but there are too many careless people around vehicles belonging to others.

 

[Jay White]

Went though something very similar with my wifes car. I was having the tires balanced and rotated. In the process of removing the weights (kind that fit on the edge of the rims) they scratched all four rims. (I watched him do it to the first rim and brought it to the workers attention. He proceeded to do it to all the rims!) At first they acted like "so what". Then they asked what I wanted them to do about it. I told them I wanted my rims to look the same as they did before I brought the car in. They finally agreed to fix the rims. That made me feel better until I found out that it would take a couple of days before I could get the car back. I asked about a rental and was laughed at. I got my insurance company involved and they made a call to the tire store. To make a long story short, I eventually got NEW rims and that store will never get my business again. And yes, I tell everyone who will listen!!

 

[D Knx]

I share your frustration when it comes to having service done at some of these facilities.



I took my ST to a Tires Plus shop near my job to have brake service and an alignment done with oil change and rotation. When I picked up my truck at the end of the day I noticed a grease spot on the passenger front seat and when checking the air pressure found that they did the rotation but didn't adjust the air pressure. Doesn't take a whole lot of time and effort to do that.



I went back in and complained about the grease on my seat and not doing a thorough job with the tires. Guy said air pressure check and adjustment where additional charges. I looked at the guy like he had to be from another planet. Told him not to send anyone near my truck to clean the spot and that I would not be coming back there again.



Fortunately, with the new house, we have a 2 car garage in which I can finally do most of my own work. Stuff like alignments I have to take somewhere else, but from here on I'll be doing most stuff myself.



D-

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Report it to their company HQ, and the bureau of automotive repairs. Go back with your husband, get the guys name so you can report him.

 

[LoriMaury Kimbrough]

Guess if I'm going to give them some bad press, I should name them...it's Ron's Tire Pro in Bullhead City, AZ.

 

[Jeff C]

A year and a half ago when I got my rims and tires, I went to have them put on the same day they arrived. I only opened the boxes to make sure my rims were all there. After getting them all mounted and balanced, I noticed the lip on one rim was bent. I talked to the manager, and he said it must have already been that way, but when I showed him the cardboard boxes and bubble wrap and packaging, he acknowledged that they probably did it. When he asked how he could fix it, I told him he could buy me a new rim, or give me the mounting and balancing for free (since it was just one wheel and is only noticeable if that part of the lip is on top). I got the tires/rims mounted and balanced for free and I've not been back to that shop since. Yes we worked it out in the end, but I'd rather not have some incompetent grease monkey f' up my nice things.

 

[Scott Tanner]

BTDT... One additional thing to do in a situation like this is to make a scene in the lobby/showroom that will let the customers waiting know what they are in for. Something like " SO!!! LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT... YOU'RE GOING TO SCREW ME ON THIS, AND POTENTIALLY SCREW ALL ON THESE FINE CUSTOMERS WAITING OUT HERE TOO! ".. Then turn to the customers and say " LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THEY ARE SCREWING ME ON...." They will probably ask you to leave, but sometime that'll work, and is kinda fun to do sometimes.... I got a new weedwacker at a Sam's club price at another local home center who had a price matching policy that way. They denied i could get it for that price because Sam's was a club. I asked to see the policy in writing, and they hemmed and hawed. So I said really loud, "SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAKE UP THE POLICY AS YOU GO ALONG!!...." They said OK, Ok, we'll honor the price, yada, yada... Then i told them to stick it... End of rant...

 

[Fudged Undies]

Kimbro, good for you and putting them in there place. Though these stories suck it's great to hear about the guys being made into fools.



Now for the bad part. Most if not all tire shops take no responsibility for scratching wheels and I would think it would be posted somewhere in the shop. You're usually better suited going to a place that specializes in wheels and tires and there's pretty good chance they'll take better care of you because that's their business. "Normal" tire shops really don't care as is apparent by your story.

 

[LoriMaury Kimbrough]

I usually don't get riled up about much. But mess with one of my kids and I'll get all over you. My truck is one of my kids...we do call him Junior afterall.



I was in their parking lot...with several other customers. I made sure they could hear the conversation after a while. I try to keep it low key in the begining, giving them a chance to fix the problem. If that doesn't work, then all bets are off.



We origianlly bought the wheels from Big O. One of their techs scratched a wheel when he was balancing them a few visits later. We returned, told the manager and he replaced the wheel without questioning us. That's customer service. These punks just really don't care. They are an affiliate of American Tire Pro, but all of those locations are indiviually owned and operated.



I hate taking my truck to anyone. Our Ford house is pretty good, the service writer knows us and really like my truck so that helps. I've never left it anywhere else. Don't know that I ever will, especially now.