How can changing tires be so difficult?!?

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JHZR2

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Rrrrrrrr...

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When I went to have them look at warranty, talked to the tire tech, was very comfortable, they had put the car on a lift, etc. this time I go to check on it and it's jacked on one quarter, buggering the lift point. When I go to complain, the tech says they'll get a refinished wheel or strip and repaint mine. No way. The car has 10k miles and has never had a tire removed. When they worked on it for the warranty check, they did perfect. After I complained, the GM came out and asked me if I was serious. Really? That's an unacceptable thing to ask, period. Of course I'm serious, damage that wasn't there before is unacceptable, especially if I'm paying for the mount and balance.

I'm incredibly annoyed. This was a Goodyear store, so I went there thinking they would have the latest and best maintained equipment, and take greater care.

Any suggestions on how to take this to satisfaction?

A refinished wheel is unacceptable. I want a new OEM replacement. I also want the old wheel. Why? Not that I have use for it or space, but I don't want a wheel from a refinisher; and a core to me would be indication of that.
 
Take it back! Not sure if they will do anything since I am guessing you left their lot before confronting them about the problem. Also, those are some dirty rims 0.o
 
Lol, I had just cleaned them like a week before. Not even 500 miles!

I did confront immediately. Also called Goodyear corporate before I left. The advice was to call the dealer and they (the store) will do an insurance claim.

How hard can it be to train best practices? Lots of cars have alloys with no outer rim.

Are rfts really that much harder to get on?
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Lots of cars have alloys with no outer rim.

Are rfts really that much harder to get on?


My minivan has no outer rim, when they're OEM on a minivan I'd say they are in the mainstream. I'm not sure if the low profile or runflat make them harder to mount, but if I had gouges like that I'd be speaking with someone (and I would be serious).

Though Goodyear probably wouldn't be my first choice. Was the dealer significantly more expensive (I have ideas of what BMW service visits cost and it isn't pleasant, but I really have no idea)?

But yeah, huge scrapes are unacceptable. The jack point would bother me, though I guess the whole point of them is to be a sacrificial item anyway.
 
It probably wouldn't hurt the next time, to inform them that if the wheel gets marked up, they are buying a new one, at any tire place or dealership.
I imagine most people may grumble over that much damage but not actually make the store replace a rim over it.
 
But when you go to a corporate store that supposedly specializing in hi performance tires and runflats... One would expect some competence. When I went the first time they were real good.
 
You are right demanding a new wheel. The problem is nobody has pride in their work anymore.

We went through the same thing with my mom's 2011 Fit. The car had under 10,000 miles at the time, and had a dash rattle. My mom brought it to the dealer to have them diagnose the noise. The next day the car was "ready". They never found the rattle, and she had one different looking tire and a gouged aluminum rim. The dealer first tried to blame it on us, but the truth later came out that they "drove where they maybe shouldn't have" meaning the car went off the road and they had a blow out. Needless to say many phone calls were made to managers and supervisors. The dealership first claimed they could "buff out" the gouge in the wheel. I told them I'd like to watch since I've never seen anyone buff out a scratch that deep. They later replaced the wheel and both front tires so they would wear evenly. We later had a friend's shop check the front end and underside for any damage due to the car being off road.

All of this could have been avoided if the techs were careful and took pride in their work.
 
Maybe you got the new guy? Probably places like this have a hard time keeping someone who will do a good job everytime, as they probably just want to pay for a "tire changer"?
Good thing for them, they didn't do all 4 tires!
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Maybe you got the new guy? Probably places like this have a hard time keeping someone who will do a good job everytime, as they probably just want to pay for a "tire changer"?

I think you're spot on. Most shops will have an experienced good guy, but also some new apprentice that's just learning. If you get a new guy, these are the results.

Finding a shop that consistently does a great job with tire mounts is not easy.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Maybe you got the new guy? Probably places like this have a hard time keeping someone who will do a good job everytime, as they probably just want to pay for a "tire changer"?

I think you're spot on. Most shops will have an experienced good guy, but also some new apprentice that's just learning. If you get a new guy, these are the results.

Finding a shop that consistently does a great job with tire mounts is not easy.




Their service manager did the work. One can understand that they may not be doing work every day, but one would think they would be more careful...

Id imagine that the dealer will be a bit more careful, though Im sure thats an assumption proven wrong before too...
 
Didn't you have a wheel that already needed refinishing? I'd just get the wheels redone professionally and send him the invoice.
 
In my experience, this kind of service is par for the course at tire shops. Tire mounting machines always scratch tires. Now, the jacking up the car and gouging the lift point is sloppy workmanship, which, as Jeepman indicated, is also par for the course these days.

There's an old saying that is very true in today's "services" industry: "If you pay peanuts, you end up with monkeys."

Anyone who truly cars about the work they do to the point of trying to not scratch wheels and mess up vehicle lift point pads wouldn't last 10 minutes at a retail tire store.

Find a reputable shop that has been in business for many years that specializes in German cars that also does tire work; they might actually care.
 
Some people genuinely don't like others to have nice things, and will treat their property accordingly.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
If you had normal sizes rims and tires instead of low profile, I bet this would not happen.

Well not in my experience, there's always flaked paint or scratches when I get tires changed even on steel rims. It's a very minor cosmetic issue and on my cars, I'm happy if they look good from 20'... I'll run them until they are done, or resale is not affected by rim scratches.
The owners of new bmw convertibles probably shouldn't be assumed to place the same indifference on minor cosmetic issues as I do though.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
If you had normal sizes rims and tires instead of low profile, I bet this would not happen.

Define "normal size rims and tires." Over the years, there has been a push by all manufacturers toward lower profile tires. Something that you would consider low profile 10-20 years ago is fairly typical/normal today.

With the market changing, tire shops need to keep up and learn how to deal with these without butchering your rims.
 
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