Bad experience with good outcome at Walmart

[wavinwayne]

I had new tires installed on my son's Jeep Renegade at Walmart today. The tire installer damaged (cosmetically) both front wheels from hammering an incorrectly sized socket on the crappy swollen 2-piece Jeep lug bolts. Apparently he didn't have a socket that would fit one of the swollen lug bolts, so instead of finding the proper size socket, he forced one on and in turn scratched a spot around one mounting hole on each front wheel; I saw him hammer one on. After paying my bill, I inspected the wheels in the parking lot and after seeing the damage, went directly to the store manager. I politely and calmly explained the situation and told him that I would like to be made whole; the wheels were in perfect condition prior to today. I agreed to let Walmart off the hook if they refunded the entire cost of my tires+installation+tax. He agreed, I signed some paperwork and a $699 refund was credited to my card.

I ordered a set of solid lug bolts for the Jeep this afternoon from Madness Autoworks.

 

[eljefino]

Between this and the oil pricing shenanigans I don't know how they keep the lights on.

 

[mikeduf]

Well that's amazing! That's not a bad deal for the cost of the box of lug bolts. That installation Tech probably got walked out after that one! Well hopefully he learned something.

 

[wavinwayne]

Well that's amazing! That's not a bad deal for the cost of the box of lug bolts. That installation Tech probably got walked out after that one! Well hopefully he learned something.

FWIW, I told the manager I did not want anyone to lose their job over this; I DON'T want anyone to lose their job unless it's really called for. All I asked was that the techs be instructed to refuse work if they don't have proper tools to complete the job without damaging a customer's vehicle.

 

[Hall]

You're not replacing the "damaged" wheels with the $700 they gave you back ? I guess the damage isn't that big a deal after all, huh ?

 

[mikeduf]

In my few Tire experiences at these tire places, I do a pre-check walkthrough with the manager or the tech that's taking the order bill.
I always say politely that the Wheels have no scratches on them is your equipment friendly toward these type of Wheels?

 

[nwjones18]

I pulled the wheels off my 88 F-150 tonight to carry into walmart for tires tomorrow just because I didn't trust them to drive my stick-shift truck and not ruin my original hub caps... we'll see how they do.

 

[mikeduf]

What happens if you put all your wheels back on your truck and they wobble because they're out of balance! Then you take them back and they say we balanced them perfect when you picked them up!

Now they have to be taken off and put back on again, what a hassle. Sorry I'm just being the devil's advocate here!

 

[HemiBenny]

This scenario is exactly why I preemptively replaced every single lug bolt on the Chrysler, and lug nut on the Ram in my signature with solid ones.

 

[wavinwayne]

You're not replacing the "damaged" wheels with the $700 they gave you back ?...

No. This is the same as if my vehicle was damaged in a wreck. The responsible party compensates me for my damages, regardless of what happens to the money.

 

[LDB]

Where can you get solid lug nuts and be certain they will fit properly?

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I broke some of my own sockets and adapters trying to get those F'n swollen lug nuts off FIL's '16 Renegade. I probably added a scratch or two of my own. Jeep dealer never said anything when they had them off a couple months earlier. At least I found it while home in driveway with options not roadside with a flat.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Where can you get solid lug nuts and be certain they will fit properly?

For which vehicle? On line is where I got FIL's from Madness Auto Works but the Renegade has lug bolts not nuts.

 

[LDB]

For which vehicle? On line is where I got FIL's from Madness Auto Works but the Renegade has lug bolts not nuts.

Honda Ridgeline 2024

 

[wavinwayne]

Where can you get solid lug nuts and be certain they will fit properly?

Madness Autoworks sells solid lug bolts for the Renegade. That's where I ordered from, based on the recommendation from a Jeep forum. Hopefully they work well and if not, I'll have to explore other options.

 

[wavinwayne]

I broke some of my own sockets and adapters trying to get those F'n swollen lug nuts off FIL's '16 Renegade. I probably added a scratch or two of my own. Jeep dealer never said anything when they had them off a couple months earlier. At least I found it while home in driveway with options not roadside with a flat.

Based on my assessment when I got the Jeep home, I'm going to need 3 different sockets to get all the mangled 2-piece OEM lug bolts off. I'm going to need an 11/16", 16mm, and 17mm sockets. I'll get it done.

 

[Elkins45]

Based on my assessment when I got the Jeep home, I'm going to need 3 different sockets to get all the mangled 2-piece OEM lug bolts off. I'm going to need an 11/16", 16mm, and 17mm sockets. I'll get it done.

I had to buy three sockets in 0.5mm increments to take the alloy wheels off my 09 Scion. I threw the nuts in the recycling pile as soon as they came off.

 

[JHZR2]

So what’s the plan for refurbishing the wheels?

Unfortunately shops and techs need to learn a bit of a lesson on taking care when removing and mounting tires. Wheels are so easily damaged.

 

[Rmay635703]

My Walmart has a mile long form that says any damage they cause is my responsibility on any car 10 years or older.

 

[wavinwayne]

So what’s the plan for refurbishing the wheels?

I don't have one at present. The wheels are the same as the one in the pic below (not my wheel). The damage is in the gray painted (anodized?) areas surrounding the lug bolts, so I'm not sure how to best go about fixing it. Like I said in an earlier reply, I'm treating this like I would an accident where someone else causes damage to my car and they compensate me for the damage, whether I fix the damage or not. Maybe that seems wrong to some folks.