Tires Plus

[UsandThem]

Well, I know better than using them. I have had them try to rip me off another time in another state.

However, I thought that time was the exception.

I decide to use them again as it has been over 6 years.

I take my car in for an oil change, transmission flush, and a tire rotation.

I had already purchased my own oil, oil filter, and transmission filter (I have always changed my own oil, but I just have no time and no place to do it right now).

I let them know the items are in the front seat.

I come back and get my car, review my invoice in which they charged me $45.00 in labor for replacing the transmission filter (outragous, but it is done).

I get in my car and see they have left the bag I had my items in. I notice that the transmission filter box still in there. I think to myself "why didn't they throw that garbage away"?

I pick it up and the filter is still in there. I go back in and say something.

He takes it out to the garage, and comes back and says "Oh yeah, I meant to tell them that they didn't install it because your other filter was good".

You know he walked out there and said why did you leave it in his car to the grease monkeys.

First time they pulled crap like that, I did not go back for 6 years. This time never again.:disgust:

 

[Rage187]

The first time I went to one in SC, the guy working on my car(rotating tires) popped my front brake lines. I had just replaced those 2 weeks before.

The second and last time I went to one in NV, they charged me to flush my trasmission but all they did was top it off. I pulled out the stick and the top was nice and pink. The bottom was dirty as hell. The tech was like "Oh yeah, I was supposed to do that"

They probably would have gotten away with both instances, but I used to work at a Jiffy Lube and no what people like those try.

 

[jagec]

makes me glad I change my own...

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: jagec
makes me glad I change my own...

Seriously. So far the only things I couldn't do myself:
replace tires
recharge AC (I have R12)
alignment

 

[Rage187]

I can actually do the work, R12 certified even.

But the place I live does not allow people to work on their cars. And the amount of time I have to do things like such is limited. 99% of the time I have to drop off my car in the morning and pick it up after work.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Rage187
I can actually do the work, R12 certified even.

But the place I live does not allow people to work on their cars. And the amount of time I have to do things like such is limited. 99% of the time I have to drop off my car in the morning and pick it up after work.

A good friend of mine is R12 certified and a smog tech

 

[Rage187]

hehe, was the easiest test in the world.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Rage187
hehe, was the easiest test in the world.

As opposed to getting certified for smog which my friend says is a pain.

EDIT: What was test? "Should R12 ever be released into the atmosphere?" "How should one evacuate a system with R12?" "Can you sell R12 to anyone who asks?"

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Rage187
hehe, was the easiest test in the world.

As opposed to getting certified for smog which my friend says is a pain.

EDIT: What was test? "Should R12 ever be released into the atmosphere?" "How should one evacuate a system with R12?" "Can you sell R12 to anyone who asks?"

1) no, it must be bubbled through a tank full of dolphins first
2) put mouth over check valve, suck R12 out, spit
3) only if they pay cash

 

[TechnoKid]

When i get enough money, I am going to buy my own hunter tire changer, a hunter gsp 9700 roadforce tire balancer, and the latest hunter alignment equipment along with a 12,000lbs rack/lift. I know its a lot of mula, but damn, I could keep myself busy 24/7 just doing alignments and balancing the same tires/car all the rest of my life! Well sorta

edit: oh, and a hella headlight beam setter/aligner.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Rage187
hehe, was the easiest test in the world.

As opposed to getting certified for smog which my friend says is a pain.

EDIT: What was test? "Should R12 ever be released into the atmosphere?" "How should one evacuate a system with R12?" "Can you sell R12 to anyone who asks?"

1) no, it must be bubbled through a tank full of dolphins first
2) put mouth over check valve, suck R12 out, spit
3) only if they pay cash

 

[RU482]

I busted them on their 150% back price gaurantee a few years back. Got a set of tires for the bonneville I was driving for ~$25/tire installed.

It was fugging GREAT going back in there and watching them fork over the cash

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
When i get enough money, I am going to buy my own hunter tire changer, a hunter gsp 9700 roadforce tire balancer, and the latest hunter alignment equipment along with a 12,000lbs rack/lift. I know its a lot of mula, but damn, I could keep myself busy 24/7 just doing alignments and balancing the same tires/car all the rest of my life! Well sorta

edit: oh, and a hella headlight beam setter/aligner.

I've been thinking about getting a tire changer and balancer for a while now....and maybe hooking up an afilliation with tirerack or something. It started out as an excuse to buy more tools

 

[Rage187]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Rage187
hehe, was the easiest test in the world.

As opposed to getting certified for smog which my friend says is a pain.

EDIT: What was test? "Should R12 ever be released into the atmosphere?" "How should one evacuate a system with R12?" "Can you sell R12 to anyone who asks?"

It was like 20 questions and the answers were in the back. And it was mail-in.

 

[Zenmervolt]

You went to a shop to have the use your own parts?

Dumbass. You should expect to be ripped off when that happens unless you have one hell of a pre-existing relationship with the owner of the shop.

Shops absolutely hate to use parts that people bring in. For one thing, they cannot warranty parts that don't come through them and installing random parts leaves them wide open to idiots buying cheap crap and then complaining to the shop when the cheap crap breaks. Also, shops make a lot on the markup for parts, they buy them at wholesale and charge retail for them. If you bring your own parts, they will charge more for labor to make up for their lost income.

ZV

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Rage187

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Rage187
hehe, was the easiest test in the world.

As opposed to getting certified for smog which my friend says is a pain.

EDIT: What was test? "Should R12 ever be released into the atmosphere?" "How should one evacuate a system with R12?" "Can you sell R12 to anyone who asks?"

It was like 20 questions and the answers were in the back. And it was mail-in.

LOL!!!!! That's classic. Where do I get the form?

 

[UsandThem]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
You went to a shop to have the use your own parts?

Dumbass. You should expect to be ripped off when that happens unless you have one hell of a pre-existing relationship with the owner of the shop.

Shops absolutely hate to use parts that people bring in. For one thing, they cannot warranty parts that don't come through them and installing random parts leaves them wide open to idiots buying cheap crap and then complaining to the shop when the cheap crap breaks. Also, shops make a lot on the markup for parts, they buy them at wholesale and charge retail for them. If you bring your own parts, they will charge more for labor to make up for their lost income.

ZV

The very few times I have done this I have watched them do the work. Of course the one time in 3+ years that I can't do a tire rotation/oil change they try to rip me off.

I don't want a cheap ass oil filter on my car. I usallly go to a private mechanic for anything I can't do, however this time for time reasons I decided to use them once again.

They didn't get me for much, and this is the last time.

I am no dumbass, however when you have a family you don't always get the time you need to do your own work.

Out of the last 8 years, I have paid three times to have an oil change done. I only do it when I know I don't have the time to do it. Twice I have watched them do it.

This time I could not convince my 2 and 3 year olds to sit there and watch them do it for 2 hours, so cut me some fvcking slack. I know they make a ton of money off of selling their parts.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: UsandThem
I come back and get my car, review my invoice in which they charged me $45.00 in labor for replacing the transmission filter (outragous, but it is done).

How is this amount outrageous? Normally, transmission filter changes run $80 - $100. Figure $20 for the filter and $10.00 for 4 quarts of tranny fluid. This leaves $50 - $70 for labor. I think the $45.00 labor that they charged you is quite realistic for this task.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: UsandThem

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
You went to a shop to have the use your own parts?

Dumbass. You should expect to be ripped off when that happens unless you have one hell of a pre-existing relationship with the owner of the shop.

Shops absolutely hate to use parts that people bring in. For one thing, they cannot warranty parts that don't come through them and installing random parts leaves them wide open to idiots buying cheap crap and then complaining to the shop when the cheap crap breaks. Also, shops make a lot on the markup for parts, they buy them at wholesale and charge retail for them. If you bring your own parts, they will charge more for labor to make up for their lost income.

ZV

The very few times I have done this I have watched them do the work. Of course the one time in 3+ years that I can't do a tire rotation/oil change they try to rip me off.

I don't want a cheap ass oil filter on my car. I usallly go to a private mechanic for anything I can't do, however this time for time reasons I decided to use them once again.

They didn't get me for much, and this is the last time.

I am no dumbass, however when you have a family you don't always get the time you need to do your own work.

Out of the last 8 years, I have paid three times to have an oil change done. I only do it when I know I don't have the time to do it. Twice I have watched them do it.

This time I could not convince my 2 and 3 year olds to sit there and watch them do it for 2 hours, so cut me some fvcking slack. I know they make a ton of money off of selling their parts.

The problem is not with taking the car someplace to have it worked on, the problem is with your spectacular lack of ability to understand that your actions greatly increased your likelihood of being ripped off.

#1) You never take your own parts in unless you know the shop well. Otherwise the shop will probably take it as an insult. If not, they'll still be upset at lost profit and look for a way to get it back.

#2) You went back to a shop that you _knew_ was dishonest and you expected that to be different.

Those the two areas are where you were a dumbass. You basically showed absolutely zero knowledge of how to be an intelligent consumer.

I repeat, the problem is not that you did not do your own work, I'm the first to admit that's not always possible. The problem is that you essentially did everything that you could possibly do to ensure that you got ripped off, and then you complained about getting ripped off.

ZV

 

[UsandThem]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech

Originally posted by: UsandThem
I come back and get my car, review my invoice in which they charged me $45.00 in labor for replacing the transmission filter (outragous, but it is done).

How is this amount outrageous? Normally, transmission filter changes run $80 - $100. Figure $20 for the filter and $10.00 for 4 quarts of tranny fluid. This leaves $50 - $70 for labor. I think the $45.00 labor that they charged you is quite realistic for this task.

Its not that they charged me $45.00 labor charges for changing the transmission filter. It is the fact they tried to charge me $45.00 and did not change my filter. Then they came up with a lame excuse why they didn't change it.

Basically, they were charging me $45.00 for nothing, and they guy doing they work left the unused filter in the car by mistake.

BTW when I came back to get my car, a lady was yelling at them because when she called in the morning they said they would have her car done at 1:00 pm, I came back there at 2:45 pm.

It seems that when she came to get her car, they hadn't even worked on it and the manager said "I am sorry, we just forgot".

Point being watch your ass when you do anything at Tires Plus.

Also, the last time I used them was in 1998 (brake job), I dropped my car off to get new brake pads, and they called me at work about two hours later and said that my rotors needed replaced and the brake job would be $500.00.

Since I was in the military at the time and had a great supervisor, I went there unannounced and told them to show me my rotors. The mananger who walked out there with me and looked at them as well said "Sorry, your rotors are fine", taking the cost of the brake job down to $150.00.

I am just really disappointed with Tires Plus, and wanted others to really watch themselves when using this company.

 

[UsandThem]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: UsandThem

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
You went to a shop to have the use your own parts?

Dumbass. You should expect to be ripped off when that happens unless you have one hell of a pre-existing relationship with the owner of the shop.

Shops absolutely hate to use parts that people bring in. For one thing, they cannot warranty parts that don't come through them and installing random parts leaves them wide open to idiots buying cheap crap and then complaining to the shop when the cheap crap breaks. Also, shops make a lot on the markup for parts, they buy them at wholesale and charge retail for them. If you bring your own parts, they will charge more for labor to make up for their lost income.

ZV

The very few times I have done this I have watched them do the work. Of course the one time in 3+ years that I can't do a tire rotation/oil change they try to rip me off.

I don't want a cheap ass oil filter on my car. I usallly go to a private mechanic for anything I can't do, however this time for time reasons I decided to use them once again.

They didn't get me for much, and this is the last time.

I am no dumbass, however when you have a family you don't always get the time you need to do your own work.

Out of the last 8 years, I have paid three times to have an oil change done. I only do it when I know I don't have the time to do it. Twice I have watched them do it.

This time I could not convince my 2 and 3 year olds to sit there and watch them do it for 2 hours, so cut me some fvcking slack. I know they make a ton of money off of selling their parts.

The problem is not with taking the car someplace to have it worked on, the problem is with your spectacular lack of ability to understand that your actions greatly increased your likelihood of being ripped off.

#1) You never take your own parts in unless you know the shop well. Otherwise the shop will probably take it as an insult. If not, they'll still be upset at lost profit and look for a way to get it back.

#2) You went back to a shop that you _knew_ was dishonest and you expected that to be different.

Those the two areas are where you were a dumbass. You basically showed absolutely zero knowledge of how to be an intelligent consumer.

I repeat, the problem is not that you did not do your own work, I'm the first to admit that's not always possible. The problem is that you essentially did everything that you could possibly do to ensure that you got ripped off, and then you complained about getting ripped off.

ZV

1998 - I used them in Bellevue, NE

2004 - I used them in Des Moines, IA

I take in an oil filter for them to use. I can easily get under my car and make sure they used the new oil filter. I used a FRAM TG7317 last time I did it and I took in a PH7317 this time.

I just was shocked about the transmission filter.

Lastly, just because you have one bad experience with a store, it does not mean they are all bad. However, two different stores in two different states is enough for me.

 

[T2T III]

OK, in my original post, I didn't realize that they didn't change the filter. I got the impression that they dropped the pan, but determined the filter didn't need changing. About 2 years ago, I needed to purchase some tires. I visited a Tires Plus store, but I did not buy from them. I guess I didn't get a very good impression of Tires Plus from the experience I had. Sadly, companies such as this can keep on hurting customers, but there's still plenty of future customers lined up to use their services.

 

[UsandThem]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
OK, in my original post, I didn't realize that they didn't change the filter. I got the impression that they dropped the pan, but determined the filter didn't need changing. About 2 years ago, I needed to purchase some tires. I visited a Tires Plus store, but I did not buy from them. I guess I didn't get a very good impression of Tires Plus from the experience I had. Sadly, companies such as this can keep on hurting customers, but there's still plenty of future customers lined up to use their services.

Thats my point here. Avoid using the chains and use your local repair shop (as long as they are reputable).

These retail chains are horrible and even if it cost a few dollars more, you are actually getting the work done that they said they would do.