View Full Version : Discount Tire...
buckeye4rnr
10-01-2013, 14:07
Absolutely blows. I guess I should give them credit for so far trying to make this right but WTF!?
I took my new 4Runner in Friday to have Duratracs(265 C loads) mounted and everything seemingly went well until I got on the highway late Saturday... holy god the tires were unbalanced. Yesterday I took it back in, told them the issue and they disregarded some of the software on their Roadforce machine to "properly" balance all 4 tires that were way off according to the tech. Only problem was they snapped a lug so after some grief they agreed to pay whatever it cost to fix at any shop I chose to take it to.
Just an hour ago I picked my 4Runner up from the Lexus dealership down the street and hopped on the highway to deliver the bill to DT... feels like all they actually did yesterday was break a lug. The steering wheel was all over the place and my head was shaking from the vibrations. I'm going in one last time tonight, I'll be watching the entire procedure with probably the GM, I'll be getting the printouts, and they're not using the stupid gun again.
If they cannot get it right they're going to be paying to have a balance done at the best and most expensive shop in Denver(so I need recommendations).
Already this week sucks.
DeusExMachina
10-01-2013, 14:24
Every time I've had Discount Tire mount tires, I've driven away with severely unbalanced tires. I even know one of the techs personally, and according to the machine it was balanced. He had to complain to the manager several times to get them calibrated properly.
I've given up on a lot of the shops in my area, too many times I've had something done there and driven up to work to have a Discount up there fix it.
I've had pretty good luck at the Discount on 84th and Huron.
hurley842002
10-01-2013, 14:27
Sorry to hear about your experience, fortunately I've had the exact opposite experience at several different discount tires (twice getting the exact size and model of tire as you). Hopefully they will make it right.
buckeye4rnr
10-01-2013, 14:32
Sorry to hear about your experience, fortunately I've had the exact opposite experience at several different discount tires (twice getting the exact size and model of tire as you). Hopefully they will make it right.
I certainly hope so. I know Toyotas and this tire can be tough to balance but two tries and still no luck plus they snapped a lug... I'm just really annoyed.
On a good note though, Kuni Lexus is pretty solid. They got my truck in right away, fixed it fast, gave me a ride to and from work, and cleaned the interior and exterior of my car. I had some bad streaks from cleaning my windows then promptly forgetting and rolling them down... cleaned those off too. So I wouldn't mind going there for some of the more Toyota specific stuff but their labor is pretty expensive.
Delfuego
10-01-2013, 14:35
The best Toyota shop in town is Toy Automotive C-470 & Ken Caryl. PM me if you need more info!
mackbamf
10-01-2013, 14:56
Discount mounted four new tires on my 335i in March. The car takes a slightly larger tire in the back, they put the wrong tires on and put the smaller tires on all four. While driving the car was sensing the rear wheels were spinning too fast because of the smaller tire and was periodically applying the traction control system individually to the rear wheels. Almost caused me to spin out on 470. Scared the living shit out of me, couldn't go over about 20mph all the way back to the shop.
funkymonkey1111
10-01-2013, 15:00
Discount mounted four new tires on my 335i in March. The car takes a slightly larger tire in the back, they put the wrong tires on and put the smaller tires on all four. While driving the car was sensing the rear wheels were spinning too fast because of the smaller tire and was periodically applying the traction control system individually to the rear wheels. Almost caused me to spin out on 470. Scared the living shit out of me, couldn't go over about 20mph all the way back to the shop.
so what you're really saying is you drove out of a tire dealer without checking to see if the proper tires were installed?
DeusExMachina
10-01-2013, 15:16
so what you're really saying is you drove out of a tire dealer without checking to see if the proper tires were installed?
I don't think one should be expected to audit the work of a shop specializing in such work.
XXFattyHunterXX
10-01-2013, 15:22
Try some other Discount tires shop, i have 265/75r16 Duratracs C on my tacoma with 16x9 wheels and no balancing problem, there are vibrations, a lot, however but thats just the tires.
Bailey Guns
10-01-2013, 15:27
I've had the exact opposite experience at the Discount Tire store at Belleview and Wads, fortunately. My wife and I have probably bought 8 or 10 sets of tires there over the last 20 years. I just bought a new set of Michelins there a couple of weeks ago.
Discount stopped treating me like the 20 year repeat customer I was some years ago.
I have since patronized the local Big-O franchised guys and get treated like an adult. I even, at their suggestion because they could not cost effectively source them, bought the last set of truck tires from Discount Online (Tire Rack was a bit more) and had Big-O mount and certificate them. If they are $100 more than Discount I will still use Big-O. They fix flats for free no questions asked, have fixed flats and installed new high pressure valve stems on my trailer tires for free, etc. Of course, they got my business when it was time to replace 5 trailer tires, boat trailer tires, etc.
They can also balance a damn tire and charge less for winter/summer swaps. They also do some decent wrenching and a perfect alignment on my RAM.
mackbamf
10-01-2013, 15:42
so what you're really saying is you drove out of a tire dealer without checking to see if the proper tires were installed?
Yes, silly me for expecting them to know what they were doing. Oh the shame...
so what you're really saying is you drove out of a tire dealer without checking to see if the proper tires were installed?
do you check your oil at every gas fill up? do you lube the chassis and suspension at every oil change, do you check your tire pressure before every day of driving? do you check the oil filter and oil drain plug tightness if you get your oil changed? Did you make sure they used an OEM approved oil and filter? What about spark plugs, did you check the gaps on those when you got your car a tune up?
funkymonkey1111
10-01-2013, 16:30
do you check your oil at every gas fill up? do you lube the chassis and suspension at every oil change, do you check your tire pressure before every day of driving? do you check the oil filter and oil drain plug tightness if you get your oil changed? Did you make sure they used an OEM approved oil and filter? What about spark plugs, did you check the gaps on those when you got your car a tune up?
maybe you could explain how checking oil at a fill up or checking air pressure before driving is even remotely analagous to checking to see what tire you paid for at the tire dealer is what was installed on the car. do you open a gun box before you walk out of the gun store, or is that an unrequired "audit?"
I've had good luck with Discount tire. They even do a lot of the little stuff for free...patch nail holes and what not.
streetglideok
10-01-2013, 17:10
Considering the profit margin on tires, and what they have to pay their staff, you can not expect a lot from them. Some shops will be better run, and take better care of their equipment while others just go thru the motions. I've never had tires roadforce balanced, but considering the material used in the roads here and how fast it eats rubber compared to other areas of the country, you would need those tires constantly balanced to get anything from it. I throw it in there with nitrogen in the tires.
Colorado Osprey
10-01-2013, 17:13
I've had the exact opposite experience at the Discount Tire store at Belleview and Wads, fortunately..
Great store... one of the most successful Discount Tires in the country. Great management as well. I would recommend them as well.
I have since patronized the local Big-O franchised guys and get treated like an adult..
Which store do you use. I trained most of the managers and owners in the Denver and surrounding area in the 90's.
Big O thrives on making customers first. Not just saying it. Generally you won't go wrong there. Also, the management at Big O knows how to re-calibrate their balancing equipment and does so regularly.
It is possible that the tires were balanced right and you have a bad tire or maybe a few.... it does happen from all makes.
I've never had a negative experience like that from Discount Tire. Just had a new set of Michelin MXM4 Primacy put on the car on Sat. morning. 3rd set I've purchased from the HR store.
It's an amazing tire by the way. Big-O's price was $57 higher per tire.
I have two terrible experiences with discount in Fort Collins.
Mine: I refused the road hazard after he gave me a "killer deal" and that infuriated him. After 1 week of increasing issues, I took it to the other location and they said the first store didn't balance any of the wheels and 2 were so far off the tires would have been toast by the first rotation (if I would have been so oblivious as to keep driving it).
Mngr at the other store claimed they have too much integrity to have vindictively sent me out without the balance. BS
Wife's: ( 6-8 months of pissing about with them. )
They mounted the wrong tires not once but twice (shredded one of the rear tires on the hwy doing 80)
They continually blamed the weight in her vehicle and a worn suspension for the sporadic rubbing on the wheel wells.
They sold her the rims, so the tire sizing choice was purely on them. (she wanted new rims to save $$ because there were so few 18s compared with 17s.
They did end up paying her back for the 2 replacements from the blowout incident, and the full price of the originals, and put on the new set (minus the price difference from her upgrade). However, she lost at least 3 full days of work dicking around with their excuses and blaming, not to mention having to go to a shop to have the suspension looked over. (that is who finally spotted the wrong tires widths)
Colorado Osprey
10-01-2013, 17:26
It's an amazing tire by the way. Big-O's price was $57 higher per tire.
If you would have told Big O, they would have price matched or beat Discounts prices.
What a lot of people don't know about the tire industry is prices are not for the most part fixed. You can ask for a better price and generally you will receive it. Don't get cocky and ask for an unrealistic price. Ask nice and ask if they can help you out a little on the price. Most will.
I had no reason to take my business to Big-O. Only place I could find it cheaper was on the web, and that was before shipping, mounting, etc.
Huh.. discount tires in boulder is the only place in town that knows what they are doing and provides good service. Went to big o when i first moved here because i had a leak in a tire and all they did is put a plug in it using a hand tool. I could have done that myself for a 3rd of the price they charged if i was looking for a cheap temporary fix.
sent from a soup can and some string..
Tinelement
10-01-2013, 19:22
Don't buy tires at Discount, but they mount a shit ton of my wheels for the projects I work on. And they don't charge me. Have fixed leaks and broken beads for nothing. Gtg in my book
Huh.. discount tires in boulder is the only place in town that knows what they are doing and provides good service. Went to big o when i first moved here because i had a leak in a tire and all they did is put a plug in it using a hand tool. I could have done that myself for a 3rd of the price they charged if i was looking for a cheap temporary fix.
sent from a soup can and some string..
Buy all my tires from Barnsley. Good family run shop!
I think the quality of work you get from any Discount Tire depends on the quality of the 18-20 year old doing the work and how much pot he has been smoking that day.
streetglideok
10-01-2013, 19:34
I think the quality of work you get from any Discount Tire depends on the quality of the 18-20 year old doing the work and how much pot he has been smoking that day.
+1. I work near one, and they do not leave a professional image in my mind. I've seen worse, but I've also seen better. Without general auto repair to go with it, you won't get much high quality staff to make sure things are done right.
Originally Posted by brutal https://www.ar-15.co/images/tf_ideal/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://www.ar-15.co/showthread.php?p=1357915#post1357915) I have since patronized the local Big-O franchised guys and get treated like an adult..
Which store do you use. I trained most of the managers and owners in the Denver and surrounding area in the 90's.
Big O thrives on making customers first. Not just saying it. Generally you won't go wrong there. Also, the management at Big O knows how to re-calibrate their balancing equipment and does so regularly.
It is possible that the tires were balanced right and you have a bad tire or maybe a few.... it does happen from all makes.
Parker - Parker Rd and Plaza. Tim and Mark are great. Hell, I had to get an emergency tire replacement out of town and the Big-O guy in Farmington NM knew them.
ZERO THEORY
10-01-2013, 20:21
I worked for both Discount and Big O for years when I left high school. At Big O, we calibrated the balancing machines every morning before open, and had nitro charging available. However, because we were a full service shop, there was a bit more leniency with completely zeroing the balance on any tire over 31", as it was a time-consumer. The reality is that being .25 ounce off on an LT tire is going to be unnoticeable. And honestly, if after mounting a tire to a wheel and inflating it, it read 34 or 36 PSI and was spec'd at 35, it was G2G.
Discount has digital inflation that removes the need to manually use an airgun, so there's that. And of course, the dress policy calls for no visible tattoos, and a clean-shaven face, so it's definitely a bit more professional. The staff is also much more friendly, because they don't have the stress of coordinating alignments, oil changes, brake jobs, and tune ups in addition to tire work. But when/if the guys at Discount strip a lug, they can't even fix it on-site.
I dunno which I'd really recommend. Goodyear is another option; they price-matched Tire Rack's online price for my 265/75-16 6 ply Duratracs, so that was cool. Les Schwab might be worth a look, too.
I couldn't find anything at Les Schwab but their branded tires made by who-knows-whom.
I bought the tires on my car at Les Schwab. That company makes their guys work! I was in and out in less than 45 minutes. When I first drove up, dude ran out to the car like it was on fire, just to greet me before I got the door open.
Wife's Exploder has Treadwright tires balanced by Wally World, and they are fine. Believe it or not, I have not had problem with Wal Mart balancing any tires in the past.
I had the Treadwrights on my truck mounted and balanced by the DIY garage on Federal (Cheap) and they are good as well.
tmleadr03
10-01-2013, 21:53
I would say just come see me, but I am booked way out right now. You can call and see if you can get in the schedule. What you should do is take it to an independent shop anyways. Small independent shops typically don't have a minimum wage flunky doing work on cars. Too expensive to reputations. You will have a tech mounting and balancing your stuff, which means it costs a bit more.
10mm-man
10-01-2013, 22:24
Wow ! That sucks, must be one out of a lot of people. My experience has been nothing but EXCELLENT! Everyone of them from Co Springs to Denver to Castle Rock.
Sorry about that man!
I dunno which I'd really recommend. Goodyear is another option; they price-matched Tire Rack's online price for my 265/75-16 6 ply Duratracs, so that was cool. Les Schwab might be worth a look, too.
Goodyear was the place to go when I lived in Minnesota.. There isn't a true Goodyear shop in Boulder plus the BF Goodrich TAs seem to work better on the jeep than the Goodyear Wranglers.
I’ve used the FC store with mixed results and have found the Longmont and Loveland store to be competent. I have 3 trucks, 1 car and 4 trailers and it seems I’m always buying tires for something to the point where the staff knows who I am. I did have some issues with tires going out of balance which was cause by the rim not taking the clip/pound on weights, after some research and a few trips back to Discount it was decided tape weights was the way to go. To prevent this from happening again they put a note in my customer profile saying that vehicle required tape weights.
Every time I go in for tires I’ve done my research and show up with competitors prices to take advantage of their policy about beating the completions prices. Two years ago I bought 3 sets of GY Duratracs on the same day as always I was dealing with the store manager and was able to pull off an additional 12% off of the total bill.
Each store is different, by doing some research you can get a good deal, having no problem riding their ass/micromanaging them along with the amount of tires I buy from them I have no complaints with the Lovelan and Longmont stores.
No one should be using an air gun or impact wrench on lug nuts.
BREATHER
10-02-2013, 05:05
I have nuthin but good things to say about discount tire. Been buying tires for years. The last were some meaty tires and wheels for my Wrangler. All is good.
tmleadr03
10-02-2013, 06:01
No one should be using an air gun or impact wrench on lug nuts.
I use an electric impact to spin the lugs back on. Then torque wrench it the rest of the way.
buckeye4rnr
10-02-2013, 10:32
So they wound up fixing it and I really have to thank the GM at the E. Arapahoe store for doing what he could to make it right. He paid me cash for the service done at Kuni Lexus to get the lug fixed and spent some time with me yesterday to go over everything and gave me a hell of a deal on the tire warranty just to prevent any future problems(though he did say if it ended up that any tires were out of round he would take care of that without a warranty and at no cost to me.)
All 4 tires were unbalanced... two were off by .5 an ounce, one was off by a full ounce, and another was off by 2.5 ounces. They answered questions throughout as I was watching the whole thing and they put the wheels back on by hand.
streetglideok
10-02-2013, 13:14
No one should be using an air gun or impact wrench on lug nuts.
Impact guns are not the problem, its the users that are. I can break loose and tighten bolts tighter than any 1/2" impact will do, by hand. Most Japanese makes require less torque to secure the wheels than American brands. Isuzu used to be really problematic. The Rodeos and Troopers required less than 65ft-lbs to tighten the wheels. 80ft-lbs would stretch the studs, and 100 would lead to breakage the next time they came off. That's not much. I can torque most wheels in the air with just one hand holding the wheel. A four-way tire iron would easily surpass that. Poor workmanship is the issue, not the tool.
Bailey Guns
10-02-2013, 13:26
So they wound up fixing it and I really have to thank the GM at the E. Arapahoe store for doing what he could to make it right. He paid me cash for the service done at Kuni Lexus to get the lug fixed and spent some time with me yesterday to go over everything and gave me a hell of a deal on the tire warranty just to prevent any future problems(though he did say if it ended up that any tires were out of round he would take care of that without a warranty and at no cost to me.)
All 4 tires were unbalanced... two were off by .5 an ounce, one was off by a full ounce, and another was off by 2.5 ounces. They answered questions throughout as I was watching the whole thing and they put the wheels back on by hand.
Well...sounds like they tried to make it right then. I think that's a good thing.
Impact guns are not the problem, its the users that are. I can break loose and tighten bolts tighter than any 1/2" impact will do, by hand. Most Japanese makes require less torque to secure the wheels than American brands. Isuzu used to be really problematic. The Rodeos and Troopers required less than 65ft-lbs to tighten the wheels. 80ft-lbs would stretch the studs, and 100 would lead to breakage the next time they came off. That's not much. I can torque most wheels in the air with just one hand holding the wheel. A four-way tire iron would easily surpass that. Poor workmanship is the issue, not the tool.
That's exactly the point. The only tool that should be used is one that will tighten to the correct torque. If the tech is in there playing Nascar with the impact gun, the vehicle owner is going to get into a fight with the poor person who tries to take the whhel off next when the studs break.
buckeye4rnr
10-02-2013, 14:10
Well...sounds like they tried to make it right then. I think that's a good thing.
Yep, I completely agree. I wanted to update the thread with the positive end to the situation... I was pissed when this was all going down but Bill really did everything he could to make it right yesterday and I'm very grateful of that.
streetglideok
10-02-2013, 15:30
That's exactly the point. The only tool that should be used is one that will tighten to the correct torque. If the tech is in there playing Nascar with the impact gun, the vehicle owner is going to get into a fight with the poor person who tries to take the whhel off next when the studs break.
Then you may want to pick the fight with the car maker. They don't use hand tools to tighten things, though they will use torque wrenches or other torque measuring devices to verify. Impact guns only tighten as tight as you allow them. Whether you use steady twisting power, or short impact bursts, they tighten the same. There are plenty of ways to prevent over-torque using the impact gun. The guys that come in wanting their lug nuts taken off and put back on by hand are never the ones who do it themselves, and rarely willing to buck up and pay an increased labor charge for the increase in manual work. Trust me when I say in 20 years of assembly line work and auto repair work, I have never over-torqued a nut using a gun to install the fasteners.
ZERO THEORY
10-02-2013, 15:32
That's exactly the point. The only tool that should be used is one that will tighten to the correct torque. If the tech is in there playing Nascar with the impact gun, the vehicle owner is going to get into a fight with the poor person who tries to take the whhel off next when the studs break.
I would always zip in what amounted to controlled pairs until the moment the lug was seated against the wheel face. Then, lower the vehicle so that the assembly is just barely making contact with the floor (but all the weight is not placed) and use a torque wrench from there.
The only thing more annoying than trying to remove lugs from pit crew wannabes is trying to break loose an oil filter that some dickhead decided to He Man onto a vehicle. Nothing saps my will to live quicker than trying to wrestle with a filter when the band wrench doesn't have space to turn, the cap attachment won't work because some chassis section is beneath the filter, etc. Kill me.
I would always zip in what amounted to controlled pairs until the moment the lug was seated against the wheel face. Then, lower the vehicle so that the assembly is just barely making contact with the floor (but all the weight is not placed) and use a torque wrench from there.
That's the way they do it at the Discount Tire where I take my business.
Then you may want to pick the fight with the car maker. They don't use hand tools to tighten things, though they will use torque wrenches or other torque measuring devices to verify. Impact guns only tighten as tight as you allow them. Whether you use steady twisting power, or short impact bursts, they tighten the same. There are plenty of ways to prevent over-torque using the impact gun. The guys that come in wanting their lug nuts taken off and put back on by hand are never the ones who do it themselves, and rarely willing to buck up and pay an increased labor charge for the increase in manual work. Trust me when I say in 20 years of assembly line work and auto repair work, I have never over-torqued a nut using a gun to install the fasteners.
i always used these
http://cloudfront.zorotools.com/product/full/20C901_AS01.JPG
never had a comeback main thing would be to thread the nut on by hand so you dont crossthread it
hurley842002
10-02-2013, 19:54
i always used these
http://cloudfront.zorotools.com/product/full/20C901_AS01.JPG
First thing that came to mind when this convo got started.
Then you may want to pick the fight with the car maker. They don't use hand tools to tighten things, though they will use torque wrenches or other torque measuring devices to verify. Impact guns only tighten as tight as you allow them. Whether you use steady twisting power, or short impact bursts, they tighten the same. There are plenty of ways to prevent over-torque using the impact gun. The guys that come in wanting their lug nuts taken off and put back on by hand are never the ones who do it themselves, and rarely willing to buck up and pay an increased labor charge for the increase in manual work. Trust me when I say in 20 years of assembly line work and auto repair work, I have never over-torqued a nut using a gun to install the fasteners.
I hated people that demanded hand on and off. If they want hand work, they should have gone to an Amish mechanic.
tmleadr03
10-02-2013, 20:46
I barely use power tools. I have an electric impact I use for wheels and a couple of small makita screw guns I use for other stuff. Except for wheels it gets broken free by hand and final tightening is hand. Though actually I torque wrench every wheel. My air ratchet collects dust in my tool box. Many times I have found out more about the car and the previous person who worked on it then you could imagine by doing it all by hand.
Do they not make an air gun with torque settings? Seems like it'd be a great tool.
I hated people that demanded hand on and off. If they want hand work, they should have gone to an Amish mechanic.
Service requests from for someone who is performing a service for a paying customer. Some would say that the word 'hate' would indicate a sense of entitlement.
tmleadr03
10-02-2013, 21:32
Do they not make an air gun with torque settings? Seems like it'd be a great tool.
My pneumatic impact gun does have adjustable settings one it and it typically stays on the lowest setting. About 200 ftlbs if I remember correctly. It is more about feeling how the bolt is going in for me.
It is more about feeling how the bolt is going in for me.
That's what she said.
tmleadr03
10-02-2013, 21:47
That's what she said.
There are more sexual innuendos in an auto shop then just about anywhere else in the world.
ZERO THEORY
10-02-2013, 22:01
There are more sexual innuendos in an auto shop then just about anywhere else in the world.
One night after work, a bored ZERO THEORY started perusing the free movie section of Comcast On Demand. Settling on the FEAR Net group, he found a movie he'd seen promoted recently. The next day at work, a friend of his asked, "What did you do last night?" The answer, "Just relaxed at home and watched Midnight Meat Train," was met with a silence across three full bays. Men stared blankly, and it was a good five seconds before clarification that it was NOT a gay porno was given.
I read the book. Clive Barker has a twisted imagination.
To the OP: I bought BFGs and Michelins from the Lone Tree DT store, never had any issues there.
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