Inadvertently recorded my tire being patched

[racer12306]

I have a dash cam in my car and took my car in for a tire repair as a screw found it's way in recently. Didn't even think about it, until I got back in my car after the work was done.

Doesn't seem to be anything bad, just a few things interesting.

1. Popped the hood right away, even though it was just a patch job.
2. Someone came out and confirmed the tech was working on a flat repair, the tech said yes, then it sounded like he told the tech to check it over as he "turned a flat repair into front and rear brakes last week"
3. Complaining to each other that a couple cars weren't done from last night.

They did recommend me have the power steering fluid flushed and have the fuel injection system cleaned.

It was much more uneventful than I thought it would be.

I know it was all an effort to get a mark up on an otherwise free job. That's the industry.

 

[zzyzzx]

Where in Baltimore, since I don't want to go there.
And why is it free?

 

[racer12306]

It was actually up in Aberdeen, Mr. Tire.

Free due to road hazard coverage.

 

[bubbatime]

Yeah I would be beyond angry. Don't touch my freaking car if I am just there for a flat repair. Don't check the oil. Don't look at the power steering fluid. Look at the brake pads ON THAT WHEEL since you removed the wheel anyways, but nothing more, and nothing less than a flat repair.

 

[racer12306]

You sound like a bit of a hot head anyways, so I wouldn't be surprised that that would be your reaction.


All you have to do is tell them no, then go on about your day. No stress, problem solved.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: racer12306
You sound like a bit of a hot head anyways, so I wouldn't be surprised that that would be your reaction.


All you have to do is tell them no, then go on about your day. No stress, problem solved.


unless they leave a cap off.. or retorque your wheels to 400lb or change the air pressure in all 4 tires

or wash your car and scratch the paint with old towels.

list goes on.

I agree with both of you though.

 

[eljefino]

When I busted tires I didn't set policy as far as the multi-point checklist. I was expected to follow it, or spend time on the proverbial unemployment line.

I worked in a fishbowl and did see customers staring at me through the plate glass window when I put a car up on a lift and checked underneath when they thought they were getting a fast & free battery installation.

Be careful with that audio recording, if a cop ever pulls you over that could be serious trouble, depending on jurisdiction.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Yeah I would be beyond angry. Don't touch my freaking car if I am just there for a flat repair. Don't check the oil. Don't look at the power steering fluid. Look at the brake pads ON THAT WHEEL since you removed the wheel anyways, but nothing more, and nothing less than a flat repair.


Unless you specifically request that nothing except the complaint be inspected, 99% of independent, chain/franchise shops, and dealers will do some level of inspection. They have to make money somehow, especially on freebie jobs.

Also, most customers are not BITOGers. There's good reason to look over the average car, even if just to cover your rear. If the backing plates on the pads are about to eat the rotors, and you do a free tire repair and don't say anything, most customers will blame you for that! You really can't win in this industry. Either you're ripping them off, or you didn't tell them what was going on with their car.

 

[racer12306]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Be careful with that audio recording, if a cop ever pulls you over that could be serious trouble, depending on jurisdiction.


Didn't think of that. It's right out in the open, but if it ever happens I'll tell them I have a dash cam. It's for my own protection from malicious motorists.

 

[Nick1994]

I wouldn't be too happy if they popped my hood. A quick lube type place like that I guarantee doesn't have a single fluid that is acceptable for my car, yet I'm sure they sell all sorts of flushes on cars like mine where you can't just use generic fluids.

 

[zzyzzx]

Mr Tire does do patches for free, if you use their coupon:
http://www.mrtire.com/promotions-coupons
Look under "FREE Flat Tire Repair"

And yes I have had tires patched there for free (at the Laurel store). I had none of this nonsense, but then again, I only dropped off the wheel/tire combo, not the whole car.

I would consider using Mr Tire for tires, but they don't offer lifetime balancing, so I go elsewhere.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: racer12306
You sound like a bit of a hot head anyways, so I wouldn't be surprised that that would be your reaction.


All you have to do is tell them no, then go on about your day. No stress, problem solved.


unless they leave a cap off.. or retorque your wheels to 400lb or change the air pressure in all 4 tires

or wash your car and scratch the paint with old towels.

list goes on.

I agree with both of you though.

^^This. I've had [censored] leave the oil fil cap,dipstick,etc off after going in for a flat repair. That's why I take off the wheel and take the wheel and wheel only into a tire shop for the repair.

 

[stockrex]

make sure it was legal to record them without their knowledge pls.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Rand

unless they leave a cap off..


That's the exact stunt that the imbeciles at the Hilton Head Tire Kingdom pulled.

I was on vacation in the Club Sport and hit a pothole, ruining the RF tire. Now, the ti does use a bit of oil(1 qt. every 3000 miles or so), so I had checked the oil at every fuel stop AND when I got to Hilton Head. I NEVER added any oil, so I never removed the oil filler cap.

Fast forward three days-I'm at the Hilton Head Tire Kingdom having my tire replaced. On the way back to the condo I smell burning oil and the CEL illuminates. I pull over, pop the hood, and find that my oil filler cap is missing. I call Tire Kingdom and they treat me like an idiot, telling me "Sir, you need to go back to the shop that changed your oil." Funny thing, I drove the car from KY to SC and never smelled any oil or noticed the CEL...

Luckily, I found the cap laying on top of the right motor mount. After an hour of scrubbing and a roll of paper towels the engine bay was presentable again. My guess is that some idiot thought the car was in for an oil change and got ready to pull the drain plug when someone yelled "No, Goober! That 'uns jest here to git the tar changed." So, Goober closes the hood without replacing the cap.

Morons.

 

[racer12306]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
make sure it was legal to record them without their knowledge pls.


Looks like that may be questionable. Oops, not much more to say than that.

It was not intentional, the guy also looked right at the camera a couple times. They knew it was there.

Such it is.

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Yeah I would be beyond angry. Don't touch my freaking car if I am just there for a flat repair. Don't check the oil. Don't look at the power steering fluid. Look at the brake pads ON THAT WHEEL since you removed the wheel anyways, but nothing more, and nothing less than a flat repair.


I had a similar incident. Got a new Accord and the freaking oil filter was like welded on. So for my fist oil change, went to Walmart. After the change the guy says, we ran a battery load test on your battery and it is weak. I am like, [censored] are you doing even touching my battery....geez. Never again. BTW, how do they run a battery laod test? Do they have to disconnect the battery terminal?

 

[SeaJay]

As long as they didn't mess with anything, it would not bother me if they opened the hood and looked at a few things. Who knows, they might see something that I need to know about.

"Above Angry" at something like that seems to be way over the top of reasonability

 

[HTSS_TR]

Local America's Tire in So Cal (Discount Tires in other states) never try to inspect anything other than balance/rotate tires, they don't even look at brake pads while they had the wheels off. I usually asked to look at brake pads myself. What I like about AT/DT is they do only tires and don't try to up sell anything. If there is unusual tire wear they may recommend alignment but they don't do alignment.

 

[chainblu]

Originally Posted By: philipp10

I had a similar incident. Got a new Accord and the freaking oil filter was like welded on. So for my fist oil change, went to Walmart. After the change the guy says, we ran a battery load test on your battery and it is weak. I am like, [censored] are you doing even touching my battery....geez. Never again. BTW, how do they run a battery laod test? Do they have to disconnect the battery terminal?


I went to a WM TLE last fall to take advantage of that smokin' Castrol oil change deal they had going at the time. I was in my (late) father's Chevy truck, which really doesn't get driven as much as it should.

Part of the service was a battery check. They used a little hand held device and checked it right in the vehicle. They also checked and added washer fluid, checked my tires, transmission fluid, etc...

It is part of the service.

If you DON'T want something checked (like your battery), tell them up front, I'm positive they'll be more than happy to oblige you.

 

[3800Series]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Yeah I would be beyond angry. Don't touch my freaking car if I am just there for a flat repair. Don't check the oil. Don't look at the power steering fluid. Look at the brake pads ON THAT WHEEL since you removed the wheel anyways, but nothing more, and nothing less than a flat repair.


People are lazy and some are just plain stupid. They look over stuff to be nice because if you bring it to them clearly you don't have the time or the knowledge to do it. I can tell you there has been more then a few engines saved by people simply being nice and looking. Most people don't even check there oil. Couldn't tell you if they had a oil leak or not.

Its considered preventative maintenance.