More Discount Tire frustrations

[gfh77665]

Doing a remodel on a flip house, my recently retired brother is doing all the work. I am busy with full time shift work, but I am happy to help with the heavy loads. Brother arrives at my house with lowboy trailer behind his Z-71. Everythings look fine. We head to Houston 30 miles away. Buy half pallet of flooring and 55 sheets of drywall. Heavy but not an extreme load. We notice RR trailer tire air is quite low, but still rolls OK for the moment. I suggest heading to nearest convenience store to use air machine. He says no, DT has free air and will check all the tires for free. I tell him I have not had good experiences with DT, but he is driving so OK he chooses.

Drive 2-3 miles to nearest DT. Sure enough there is a "free air check" line set up with about 6 vehicles waiting. I say lets skip this, it might take a while. He says, no we are here already, and it will go fast. I disagree but let him decide. It goes SLOW. The tech checking everyones tires talks to each customer, probably suggesting them to buy replacements. A car or two leaves the line and parks and goes inside store. Finally we get to the air pump after 20+ min. Tech checks and tops off 3 of the 4 trailer tires with a few PSI. He goes to the low tire and attempts to fill it several times. He checks his air machine, adjusts it some, then tries some more. Calls manager. Manager explains the air machine "does not detect enough PSI" in the tire to allow filling it". What???

Manager suggests we (get this!) "Go to a C-store, air up tire, return to DT, get back in line and re-check the tire and new PSI, since the air machine can now (supposedly) top off to correct pressure". What???

 

[SupremePossum]

Well that's a new one for me... Not enough air to fill?

The last 5-6 visits to Discount Tire have been poor, I do not plan on going back

 

[2010Civic]

Why couldn't they fill it with a normal air line? When they mount tires they obviously have no air in them. Lol

 

[Merek]

I suggest investing in a proper tire gauge and compressor which is easily available from Walmart, since he tows and has a trailer those two items will be invaluable.

This is exactly why you need to just take care of it yourself and not rely on others, I'm sorry but if he doesn't know how to use a tire gauge and compressor then he doesn't need to be towing anything, both can be had for less than $30.

 

[SupremePossum]

Why couldn't they fill it with a normal air line? When they mount tires they obviously have no air in them. Lol

No, tires come pre-filled now from the manufacturer. Its too dangerous to play with that much air

 

[gfh77665]

Why couldn't they fill it with a normal air line? When they mount tires they obviously have no air in them. Lol

I suggested exactly that. They cited "safety reasons" not allowing them to do that. What???

 

[gfh77665]

I suggest investing in a proper tire gauge and compressor which is easily available from Walmart, since he tows and has a trailer those two items will be invaluable.

This is exactly why you need to just take care of it yourself and not rely on others, I'm sorry but if he doesn't know how to use a tire gauge and compressor then he doesn't need to be towing anything, both can be had for less than $30.

Thats condescending, inappropiate and flat out wrong. My brother has 35 years of I&E experience with Exxon Mobil. He is a total wiz with all things mechanical. He just happened to be without his air gauge, because his Z-71 monitors his tire pressures and he had SO MUCH going on with my rebuild and all the tools he was gathering up he just didn't have it with him this time. Lastly he does not need to "invest" in an air gauge, he had aired up a front tractor tire a few days before and left it in his shop. He has more tools than 99% of the public.

 

[CKN]

How old are the tires?

 

[TheOilWizard]

It goes SLOW. The tech checking everyones tires talks to each customer, probably suggesting them to buy replacements.

That's exactly what Discount Tire is in business to do.

It sounds like the tire is was so low they presumed it had a leak or there was a problem with it. Probably more than the tire pressure check lane was able to handle for liability reasons.

Discount Tire around here is rarely FAST but they do good work.

 

[c502cid]

Most Lowes have a free air pump for "commercial vehicles" in front of the lumber pickup. Whenever I need air on the road that's where I head!

 

[Chris142]

Well that's a new one for me... Not enough air to fill?

The last 5-6 visits to Discount Tire have been poor, I do not plan on going back

Tires low enough that the consider it ran flat.

 

[totegoat]

Glad it was free. Sounds like your brother could use a 12v compressor.

 

[macarose]

This may be a legal issue.

DT may have been sued for airing up a tire that was later found to be defective. I believe their own air check machines will no longer pump a tire that's less than 15 PSI for that reason.

This may have also impacted other services that they used to provide in the past. I don't believe they sell used tires anymore or provide patches for vehicles.

Even getting tires filled for free is no longer free most anywhere else. Everyone has these machines that ask you to pay $2 and up just to fill up your tires to the proper pressure. When I traveled 30,000+ miles a year, I would regularly use the free air machines which were available at any gas station here in the South. Now I have to go to Costco or do the obvious. Bring a cheap small air compressor to handle it.

The world has changed. I don't know if it's corporate greed or the fear of lawsuits. But the neighborhood mom-and-pop has definitely given way to the corporate collosus. That has consequences.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Liability. If your tire only has 10 lbs of air it obviosly has a problem. They fill it and you cause an accident, everyone sues the corporation. We all pay.

Blame the lawyers. Blame your brother - you told him not to go. I don't see this as a DT issue really? When your getting free beggars can't be choosers is the old saying.

 

[Kira]

All of the above, sure.
Plus, in my experience, good old free air lines and coin slot compressors have always been subject to vandalization.
So now, during business hours, those effected have to put out a line in the morning or do it for you.

 

[PF52]

Free air hoses and even coin-operated compressors are right there behind pay phones on the list of "things that used to be". I could make a list as long as my arm of places that used to have them within a few miles of where I live, but they're all gone now.

 

[Dave Hess]

I have an air pump with separate and accurate gauge in ALL of my vehicles and don’t trust any tire tech inflating tires to proper PSI pressure.

No need to go to gas station or Tire Kingdom, Discount Tire, etc…. to properly inflate your tires.

 

[gfh77665]

How old are the tires?

I don't know. Its my brothers trailer. I can say that there is no obvious cracking or anything.

 

[gfh77665]

Glad it was free. Sounds like your brother could use a 12v compressor.

As I said above he has more tools than 99% of the public. Not everyone has everything with them every single time. Decent service from DT should not be dependant on "who has what tool or gauge with them." DT should provide good service to even a soccer mom in a minivan who does not even know how to air up a tire. Funny thing is my brother is a loyal customer, and he got jacked around here. Complete nonsensical waste of our time.

 

[gfh77665]

Tires low enough that the consider it ran flat.

I hear you, but what good would it have done to "air it up at a C-store and come back to DT"? It would be the same tire.