Did my wheels get stolen?

Hey y'all! A few months back I had a 4x4 shop swap out my OEM wheels on my '12 Tacoma after installing a lift. A couple weeks after the job was done, I messaged the shop about coming to pick up the wheels/tires that were on my truck prior to the new ones. Nothing came of it. A few months went by and I stopped into the shop and again asked about my wheels. They were nowhere to be found, but the guy who has handled business for me said they have another shop and he'd look for them there.

I have now followed up 4 times on them reimbursing me, or giving me a credit for the shop for a future purchase, and have gotten radio silence. Is this normal and is this my fault for not making sure I had my wheels initially, or are these guys basically stealing them?

Appreciate any and all feedback on this and thanks!

 

In your initial agreement / documentation with the shop, what does it say about the original wheels?

 

Should have took the wheels before you left...bet they sold them

 

Not normal, go in person to the shop; find the manager. Be respectful, and stern if needed.

 

This has happened to a few people I know.

When I got mine done, I specifically told them to put the old wheels back in the boxes the new ones were in.

You asked about the old wheels weeks after you got your truck back?

 

Agreed. They're long gone.

 

Gone! Should've took them with you day of install. Shop has no liability for you leaving your rims/tires.

 

i wouldnt have left the shop initially without the old wheels in the bed. i dont know what conversations you had before the work but if it wasnt brought up and you didnt take them the shop prob thought hey free wheels.

That doesnt take them off the hook though, i think you should get credit of some sort for the wheels.

 

They were gone the day after you picked up the truck. Sorry for your loss

 

I agree that I should have grabbed the wheels when the new ones were put on the truck. Lesson learned. Either way, I think its shitty that this place took advantage of that.
Too Stroked, the only document I've got on file is my receipt. If I'm in the wrong I'm happy to admit it, I just feel slighted the way everything has gone down- especially with them not getting back to me.

 

Old wheels always go in the bed of the truck. The truck doesn’t leave the shop without the old wheels.

This is in both the shops and your best interest.

 

I can't imagine a shop installing new wheels and NOT putting the originals back into the bed of the truck. Tires only, probably pretty common practice to keep and "dispose" of old tires. Weeks later definitely wasn't the time to ask for the old wheels back, but it still doesn't let them off the hook for not clarifying what you wanted done with them. You shouldn't just give up on it. You've already given up hope on the shop; you've got nothing to lose burning a bridge over it if needed trying to fight it. 2 wrongs don't make a right, both of you are to blame, so find some middle ground somewhere if they can't find them. Handle it in person; take your receipt; explain that you assumed your old wheels were in the truck bed, and when you finally noticed they weren't, you called them back multiple times with no resolution. Go to the shop; handle it brother.

 

Some shops ask if you want your parts back, some don't. If they don't ask and you don't specify, the techs sell them for beer money.

 

This is on you. It's unreasonable to expect a shop to hold on to your removed parts for two weeks.

15-year old OEM wheels aren't worth much though, depending on corrosion level.

 

Why would you not leave with them on your initial visit?

 

Computer repair shops do this all the time, take too long to pick up ur stuff, they sell it on CL or to a recycler.

 

Discount at least had the courtesy to ask if I wanted to keep my old wheels. You betcha, that's my beer money, bud.

If it's not picked up the day of install, they have no obligation to store your stuff.

 

I need clarification on a couple details. When you says "wheels" are we talking the rim and tires were removed? Or just the tires removed off the rims?

And if it took you two weeks to get back to them and ask, I'd say that one is on you. You either take it the day of or you didn't want them. I'm going with you're out of luck.

 

If you have documentation they did the work get a fair market value for the wheels and mail a certified letter to the owner with the wheel cost to return of the wheels, pay the cost of value, or say they face small claims court.

 

Some are saying 'this is on you'. Maybe a little but a good shop would have called him and let him know he forgot the old wheels. How hard is that to do when they discover them in the shop?