Walmart Experience Rant

[UncleDave]

Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
Originally Posted By: UncleDave
Wal-Mart and intelligent high end service and " easy in and out" arent things that go together.

Im not at all surprised they wouldn't deviate from stock as too many people go into tire places telling them to " install this" - OK

Then if there is problem they blame the tire place - usually its upsizing vs downsizing, but it happens all the time on an upsize when the hapless customers hits a big bump in a full lock turn and the newer package shreds the bodywork because they didn't check for clearance. " You sold me this and it doesn't work!"

On the prior tire purchased - sounds like you bought the tire and mount and balance and left the place without inspecting it first, or checking the date codes on the tire for age ?

You've only got yourself to be mad at on this one.

The bad balance - thats on them.

UD



I bought the tire at the wholesaler where most every tire shop around here gets their tires..just without a markup. The tire i bought has only been on the market for a few months, so its fresh off the boat. The wholesaler stands behind manufacturing defects.

I try to only use walmart for tire work if i have some other shopping to do.. to be honest I try to support my local mom and pops on everything..which my local wholesaler is a small business not a chain.

Yes im mad at myself for not giving the $40 mount and balance to my local mom and pop where they dont have scanners and bar codes and have to scan my vin number.

With talking to the 'manager' for about 30 mins, then talking to the tire installer for about 15 mins, and their 1.5 hour labor involved with my tires they probably barely made $5 profit so im good.





thats good to hear - at least you got your pound of flesh from bad service.

UD

 

[Audios]

I dont have an issue at all with mounting tires that are a little different than specified, sometimes I recommend it to certain customers who are unhappy with the ride or looks of the wheel. We had a 2010 BMW 335is come in with a flat, his rear tire was a 255/30/19 runflat nightmare. He went up 10mm, they were pretty much stretched runflats on the wheel from factory so this offered slightly more protection. I wont normally mount stretched tires, unless specified by OE like in this case. I also hate when we get the Ferrari/Lambo/Maserati tires in, we charge extra but just catching one wheel will cost me 3xs what I charge in a wheel refinish. I use one of the best machines in the business, the Artiglio Master, but there are just some tires that are so [censored] tight on the wheels, with very shallow drop centers, it gives you no slack to get the tire on.

 

[javacontour]

Directional or tires with a marked inside and outside?

Because with directional tires, if they were on the wrong side of the car, you would just swap them to the other side. But tires with an inside and outside specified,
you have to remount the tire on the wheel.

Just trying to clarify what happened.

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
They installed the directional tires backwards on my car last month. All four tires, installed backwards. The tech got an attitude, said they were installed properly. I "educated" him, had them fix it, and had them refund the $60 install price for wasting my time.

 

[Traction]

Originally Posted By: Audios
I dont have an issue at all with mounting tires that are a little different than specified, sometimes I recommend it to certain customers who are unhappy with the ride or looks of the wheel. We had a 2010 BMW 335is come in with a flat, his rear tire was a 255/30/19 runflat nightmare. He went up 10mm, they were pretty much stretched runflats on the wheel from factory so this offered slightly more protection. I wont normally mount stretched tires, unless specified by OE like in this case. I also hate when we get the Ferrari/Lambo/Maserati tires in, we charge extra but just catching one wheel will cost me 3xs what I charge in a wheel refinish. I use one of the best machines in the business, the Artiglio Master, but there are just some tires that are so [censored] tight on the wheels, with very shallow drop centers, it gives you no slack to get the tire on.

I also have an Artiglio Master, and I think I have done the same BMW set-up, and it was a nightmare of a tight fit. I never want to do them again, or the 20 inch 25 series runflats on a ZR-1 Vette, along with many other tire wheel combos that shouldn't exist, like the PAX tire, and ALL of the bigger than 22 inch wheels, and tires. I wish they would just go back to improved 60 series tires.

 

[Audios]

They really wouldnt be half as bad if they werent run flats or slightly larger sidewall. We had X5 4.8is in today and had to do a 315/35/21 and it wasnt bad compared to that 335 wheel.

 

[SatinSilver]

No wonder BMW offers "wheel insurance" since so many of their rims crack over pot holes etc and because of the very low profile tires. Run flats don't help either. Very stiff ride and recommend going to a Pirelli non-run flat tire. Much better ride.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Traction
I wish they would just go back to improved 60 series tires.


I think I might have lost track of how many bad tires I had on 40 and 45 series tires. Went over a decade with a 60 series tire and only had one blowout on a bad pothole. It was so bad the guy behind me also hit it and we were both by the side of the road changing to a spare tire. Those 40's and 45's, just developed bubbles or there were bends/cracks in the rims. It's annoying that the kids think they look "cool" but they're horrible from a long term driving perspective and the manufacturers cater to them.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Well, you're going to be done with a LOT of tire places.

Because of liability, etc, a majority of tire shops will not mount tires that aren't matching the door jamb.


Wonder what they would do on my old Dakota...where the FACTORY tires did not match the door jamb sticker!

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Directional or tires with a marked inside and outside?

Because with directional tires, if they were on the wrong side of the car, you would just swap them to the other side. But tires with an inside and outside specified,
you have to remount the tire on the wheel.


They were inside/outside tires, and needed to be taken off the rim, and remounted.

 

[JustinH]

It took firestone eight hours to replace 4 tires on our Scion.

We were off for the day and had an extra car, so it wasn't a big deal for us, but the service rep quoted us 90 minutes.

I didn't complain because we had recalled firestone tires, that were being replaced for free for upgraded tires after they were half worn.

If I am buying tires, I will buy from Discount Tire. They do a very good job, and a correct job.

 

[The motor guy]

This is hilarious. I would of said okay then, I'm filing a lawsuit for putting the wrong sized tire on just to be a [censored]. Lol

 

[PandaBear]

This is not just Walmart but pretty much every major franchise these days.

I'm going back to a mom and pop that will sell everything under the sun as long as you are aware of what is going on. Not even a waiver signed. They are so small if a lawsuit comes they'll just close down (no lawyers will sue a losing business).

$20 mounting + $4 disposal, in and out in 30 mins.

 

[jakewells]

$15 mount and balance +$3 disposal or the option if the customer wants to keep his old tire there is no disposal fee.
I work for a independent mom and pop old school tire shop if you want a different size mounted on your truck / car than called for you got to sign a waiver so it won't come back on the business.