Tire Shop Damaged My Wheels (Warning: Graphic Pictures Enclosed)
- Thread starter FourXX_50
- Start date
The question is who do you trust to make you whole if they screw up? A tire shop like Goodyear or Tires Plus (which are usually small locall owned shops), or a Certified Infiniti dealer?
Infiniti continuously surveys customers about whether they are satisfied with their experience at their dealer, and Infiniti takes these ratings very seriously. Thus dealers want to do everything they can to keep their good ratings. Also, dealers are more likely to agree to replace your wheels rather then just take the cheap way out and try to fix them. My dealer physically guaranteed if they damaged my wheels, they would buy me brand new ones and not just fix the damaged ones.
At the end of the road it's all personal preference as to where you go. Just make sure you ask up front:
- Do they use touchless machines to mount your tires, thereby eliminating any possibility of damage to the wheel?
- What is their policy if they do damage your wheels? Will they pay to have them REPLACED, or will they only pay to have them repaired?
- If they won't replace your wheels but instead will repair them, what do they plan to offer you in terms of a loaner/rental car to use while your vehicle is up on a hoist while your wheels are off being repaired/repainted?
Exactly. That, and make sure you find out what they will do to make you whole again should they damage your immaculate wheels, BEFORE you let them even touch your vehicle. I'd even try to make sure this is in writing, and not just verbal.
At the end of the day, if they screw up and will replace your wheels (thereby not forcing you to be without your car for a long period of time while your wheels are being repaired), this is best for you.
Personally, in addition to having Goodyear only agreeing to REPAIR and NOT replace my damaged wheels, they gave me a beat up 10 year old Saturn that smelled like cigarettes to drive for a week while they had my wheels out getting fixed. That thing was utterly embarrasing to drive, and it was like pulling teeth to get them to agree to pay for a decent rental car. If the same thing happened at an Infiniti dealer, they will give you an Infiniti loaner car, and not some beat up POS, or an entry level rental car.
Fire0nic3FX
Member
Ummm dealers don't care about your car as much as a local crap shop would. I went in for a simple tire balancing and they scratched the hell out of the inner barral of my rims removing the the old balancing weights and prepping the surface for the new weights:
///11470
I wanted them to replace it and they didn't. If it wasn't for it being the inner barral of the wheel, I would of thrown a fit about it. None the less they don't watch things. I also went in for a transmission fluid change and they used the wrong tranny fluid. Had to go back the next day and had it reflushed with the proper fluid. Again another dealer mistake.
Oh and dealers don't usually want to fix their mistakes until it takes a call to corporate to fix it.
///11470
I wanted them to replace it and they didn't. If it wasn't for it being the inner barral of the wheel, I would of thrown a fit about it. None the less they don't watch things. I also went in for a transmission fluid change and they used the wrong tranny fluid. Had to go back the next day and had it reflushed with the proper fluid. Again another dealer mistake.
Oh and dealers don't usually want to fix their mistakes until it takes a call to corporate to fix it.
I think your experience will vary based on where you live and what your dealership is like. I personally have had great experience with my dealer, they are very well run and have always gone out of their way to keep me a happy customer (and I am picky). Obviously this won't always be the case at every dealer.
I'd make sure that when Infiniti asks you about your experience, you give the dealer very poor ratings and express your displeasure with them. Infiniti wants to be at the top of customer satisfaction, and they will confront a dealer that is getting poor reviews from their customers.
Fire0nic3FX
Member
I'm not saying they are totally crap though. I do see where you coming at with this. I've had some good experiences with mine too. They replaced my foglight on the passenger side after a rock hit it and busted the lens out. Usually I would have to go through insurance or pay out of my own pocket, but the dealer agreed to replace it as a courtesy on their behalf. And I'm pretty sure the foglight and labor alone are a few hundred bucks. They also replaced my mudflap that I cracked in half when backing up over a trash can lid which was my fault. They also give me discounts on oil changes too.
These are some of the few reasons I try not to throw a big wussy fit about when they scratched the barrals of my two front rims.
That's good they have given you some good experiences! I definitely saw your point though, as several people have had nothing but bad experiences at their dealer, so I just didn't want anyone to think that whatever good experiences I may have received will always be the case.
The main thing is when your dealing with very expensive OEM wheels, just cover your bases up front before they touch your wheels, and make sure you know what they'll do if they damage your wheels. If their answers are satisfactory to you, then you should be all set
I just had a very bad experience at Goodyear, and while they did pay to repair my wheels and eventually agreed to pay for a portion of the rental car (only after the wheels had to be repaired a 2nd time and I was without my car for nearly 2 weeks), it could have been completely avoided. My dealer guaranteed they'd replace the wheels in that situation (the faces of all 4 wheels were gouged bad, major damage). Plus, even if I did only get them repaired, I'd much rather have a new Infiniti loaner car to drive for 2 weeks then the 10 year old Saturn with over 100,000 miles I ended up with
Thanks for all the replies guys...I worked out a deal with the tire place, they've agreed to pay for half the cost of the repair. Not ideal, but better than nothing.
I'm thinking about having them done in flat black, as I think I'm going to go with the storm trooper look on the FX. Should I have them powder coated if possible?
I'm thinking about having them done in flat black, as I think I'm going to go with the storm trooper look on the FX. Should I have them powder coated if possible?
- Car
- 2004 Infiniti FX45
- Name
- Adam
This suck man. Sorry to hear that. Happened to me when I got my wheels on my Acura with gunmetal finish, the guy just placed them on the car and let two of them just fall off and hit the ground. I actually involved my insurance, and guess what they went after them like hungry wolves. So if you have a full coverage you might try this. They can classify this as an accident. Just an idea.
Do paint, go with gunmetal - satin or polished (both IMO only).
1/2 payment =( like admitting you are half wrong, if you admit any fault in this case - you did it, If you did it fix it.....
I agree 100%. They damaged your wheels, to no fault of your own. Them agreeing to only pay for 1/2 the repair isn't fully taking responsibility for their mistake. Otherwise by you paying 1/2, it's like saying that you are equally responsible for fixing their mistake.
I'd threaten to go to the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint if they don't agree to cover 100% of the cost of the repair, as well as cover the cost of a rental car for you to drive while your wheels are being repainted. Companies don't like bad press, especially via the BBB, and will typically work with you. Also, you could post negative feedback for them on this forum so other forum members in the same area know about it, which will likely cost them more business in the future.
After all, you're not being unreasonable. All you want is for them to make you whole to fix their mistake, nothing more and nothing less. That's what you paid for when you had them work on your car in the first place.
I had one of my wheels damaged by America's Tire when they mounted my front tires. I took my car back and talked with the manger & they agreed to have the repair done. I selected the vendor to do the repair and they were on board with it. I used awrswheelrepair dot com on a few occasions and was very satisfied with the results. It's about $125 per wheel but if you do all four they will most likely give you a break. When I first bought my FX50 21"s the A-hole that I bought them from just taped cardboard on the face and shipped them via FEDEX. Just google awrswheelrepair dot com or Alloy Wheel repair specialist and see what the closest vendor is in your area. Trust me you will be very satisfied with the outcome. They come you & perform all the work.