How do you guys get your wheels serviced without damage?

So a month ago I got new wheels for my truck (Long story regarding TPMS & stock steel wheels) Anyway, I ended up leaving the tire facility (Americas Tire) of which I have spent countless dollars with over the years.

My gripe is that, everytime I take a vehicle in for a balance, rotation, new tires etc... I end up with new or more damage to my wheels than I originally had. Now grant it, these are not $3K dollar wheels, actually only $125/ piece. But they mean a lot to me, and on top of it, I'm very OCD about my vehicles.

So my question to y'all is this......... How do you go about getting servicing on your truck, without leaving with more or new damage to your property. Seems like care, concern or attention to detail when performing a simple task, are concerns of the past. Prior to this visit today, my wheels were flawless, and had no imperfections. Now every wheel on this truck has scratches, gouges and paint transfer from the installers impact gun.

I feel like there could be a legitimate case, for a business to open up that specifically takes care over speed as priority. I know OCD people and enthusiast like myself would pay good money for that kind of service (price would not be an issue for me if the shop could guarantee no damage to their customers vehicles) sorry for long rant, I'm just crushed my wheels look like crap now.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head right there. That is why I do all my own maintenance. I've got the free 25k service on the Tacoma and the FR-S and I refuse to take them in. I just do it myself and keep records and pictures of the work being done so the next owner will know that it was done and not neglected.

I've been lucky with my wheels and tires. I use a small shop in town and they seem to care about your vehicle and treat it like their own. I like to support smaller shops even if it cost a little more because the care you get is worth the little bit of extra money IMO.

 

I'll admit, I use to work for America's tire. They're a great company that leaves many customers satisfied. But mistakes do happen.

The problem with Americas Tire is the speed and customer wait time. They want us to work as fast as we can. Now, even though the intent is that you'll work as fast as you can while being careful with a customers property, mistakes to happen when employees get lazy. It's a turn and burn style of work.

I would say next time you take it in, let the full timer's up front know that you are serious about them taking their time and point out the existing scratched. Also, has that they use the 'finger' clamp when balancing, rather than the rubber cone. they have a specific 6x5.5 finger clamp that is used like lugs rather than a rubber/plastic cone on the wheel face itself.

but in the end, sorry for your bad experience.

 

I hear ya 100%, but installing tire mounting & balancing equipment in my garage is just not feasible, economical or practical for my situation. I will add though, unbeknownst to my consent, my local Toyota dealer managed to rotate my wheels a two weeks ago, while getting the first "Free" oil-change without damaging the wheels in any way, but the overweight lot driver put a nice scratch in the silver trim on the steering wheel, likely from his belt.

 

Thanks for the insight, and I agree I generally like their business practices, customer service and the prices are reasonable. But I feel like my vehicles always go to the "New Guy", or the guy that hates his job the most.

As a business owner myself, I don't want to be that guy that makes the manager photo, mark and identify my vehicle condition prior to any work. Everyone knows people like that blow to deal with in real life. But I feel like if you care about your stuff, it requires being an absolute @sshole about it.

 

Yeah, that's why I like the small shop in town to mount and balance my wheels and tires. They seem to take pride in their work and that, like you say, is hard to come by sometimes.

I do everything that I can do myself and only take it in if I don't have the experience or equipment to do the work. Then I worry about the fat guy with the belt buckle working on it. It's sad to say but it's probably good that it was just damage on your steering wheel. Can you imagine how bad it would have been if he had to lean over and do work in the engine bay?

 

Lol true.

 

Take a picture of each wheel when the day you go in with the date and leave it in the glove box. If there is damage go complain if they try to get out of it show them the pictures. Any self respecting business will take care of you.

If you go to a place to get work done they are agreeing to do the work for that price. You shouldn't have to pay extra for a company not to damage your vehicle.


We do something similar at the body shop I work at. We take pictures of every panel and note down any pre existing damage on the vehicle the instant we get possession of vehicle. We also note the mileage and other stuff.
If someone complains that we made a scratch we look at the pictures and walk around sheets if it's there 99% of people will realize we didn't do it. Sometimes it was hidden under dirt because the vehicle wasn't washed or something. Now I'm rambling but w/e.

 

Make sure special needs isn't working that day.

 

Meh, just trade it in and buy a Chevy then no one will care

Junk it.thow it in the trash. Its garbage now.....

 

There are inner cones that fit inside the hub. You mount the tire on the spindle and then put the hub cone on. You're only supposed to use the plastic outer cone on steelies. I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, its 430 in the morning I'm too tired to look though the rest of the posts..

I would take it back politely ask about them damaging your wheels. It's true the care for other peoples property has diminished over the years. We always refinished wheels we scratched at Hyundai when I worked there.

 

Before I go into the tire shop I take pic's of my rims(time stamp on the pic) and tires before rotation so if they fuck up I asked them politely about the damage.

Then when they be dicks about I show them the pic's and if they continue to be dicks my brother sends them a letter.

The reason I do this now is that 2 years ago some rookie used a 1/2 blade screw driver to remove the center caps and Good year was like went didn't do that….live and learn

 

I just had the tires replaced on my truck and they damaged my wheels...all 4 of them. The truck only has 13k miles on it. Not a spot on the wheels. I can understand some damage to the places where the weights were but the guy beat the heck out of the rim around the edges installing new weights....after I had told the manager I wanted the weights on the inside of the wheels. Well they removed them again and all 4 wheels looked like crap. They also gouged the metal in the wheels, some chunks out of them. Needless to say I threw a little fit. They argued. I said I would never go back there again and I would tell all my friends. The manager got involved and he gave me a business card of someone who would repair them on their dime. I took it and said if that did not work, I would be back. The repair guy did a great job. You can still see a couple of imperfections but overall I am satisfied.

I agree...from now on pictures of each wheel before I go to a shop. Never in my 60 years have I found a shop that did such crappy work.

 

Don't these tire shop know about weight puller tools and hard plastic mallets and new style adhesive weights.

I have gotten to the point when I go in I make it very clear that there is no rim damage and we go and inspect the rims before the tech gets started…

 

I have a good friend that goes around to all the dealerships and repairs wheels that they or others have messed up. You might try a couple of dealerships to see if they will give you the name of the guy or company that can help you to get them look like new again. Just a suggestion.

 

Tell the service tech he gets a $20 tip for not scratching your wheels. Cash is a great motivator.

 

Talk about special needs, don't take it to Walmart Automotive and you'll be okay.

 

Pay to not have wheels scratched! How about 'you scratch my wheels your buying new ones'. Works for me.

 

Amen!!

 

Tip not pay, kinda like what you do for good service when dining out.